Welcome to Cincinnati!
I was fortunate enough to be selected to teach a Risk Assessment class
for the Institute of Internal Auditors in Cincinnati, Ohio, in July
of 2001. I arrived Sunday afternoon, July 15, at the Cincinnati Airport
in Covington, Kentucky, and traveled to the Cincinnati Hyatt Regency
hotel in downtown Cincinnati. Here is a picture of my room.
Being someone who likes to walk, I asked
the front desk clerk for the directions to the Cincinnati Science Center.
This facility was about a mile and a half away so it was within easy
walking distance. The hotel staff advised me to not walk in that I would
have to walk through a "rough" neighborhood. So I decided to just walk
around downtown Cincinnati near the hotel. As I walked, I felt quite
safe, so I eventually ventured further and further from the hotel. Soon
I saw the Cincinnati Science Center - and, well, I had to go for it...so
I started walking towards the building. And, quite honestly, I felt very
safe. I even nodded a friendly "hello" to several passers-by.
My visit to the Science Center was great! This museum is huge. It has
a great display of hands-on exhibits just like The Whitaker Center. It
also has a large dinosaur exhibit, a simulated cave that you can walk
deep through, and a simulated glacier to walk on. It was a great experience!
Here is a picture of the Cincinnati Science Center.
This is a picture of an authentic Indian Totem Pole dating back to the
days of Chief Tecumseh of Ohio.
Having volunteered at the Imax Theater at Whitaker (and having seen
the IMAX film 'T-Rex' MANY times), I have developed an interest in
dinosaurs. This is a T-Rex exhibit at the Cincinnati Science Center.
Well the next day in the Risk Assessment class that I was teaching, I
soon discovered why I was advised NOT to walk to the Cincinnati Science
Center. There have been over 50 murders in downtown Cincinnati so far in
2001! My guardian angel was definately with me that day as I walked through
the not-so-safe areas of downtown Cincinnati.
Everywhere you go in Cincinnati, you run into statues, pictures, and
exhibits of flying pigs. Well, my curiosity got the best of me, so I
had to ask someone why there were so many flying pigs in this city. I
got my answer. Cincinnati is famous for being the largest producer of pork
and pork products in the United States during the 19th century. It was actually (and sometimes
still is) referred to as "Porkopolis." Since so may pigs were slaughtered
in Cincinnati, legend has it that there are just as many "pig angels" in
the city (i.e., flying pigs). Hence, the symbolic flying pigs everywhere
you roam in Cincinnati...such as this one.
The auditing class that I facilitated was comprised of a wonderful group of students
and it was a great experience for me teaching this class. Cincinnati is
a wonderful place to visit!
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