I got up at 7:00 and took my last walk on the beach this morning as the sun came up. And then, before I knew it, I was home again. It still blows my mind that I can get from Orlando to Rochester or vice versa in less than 3 hours. Not even enough time to get the sand out of my sneakers. I guess that’s what they mean by jet lag.

Anyway, it was nice to see this familiar landmark at the Rochester airport.

The Clock of the Nations was really innovative when it became the showpiece of Midtown Plaza in the 1960s. Midtown was the first downtown indoor mall in the country, and the center of life in Rochester. People used to gather around on the hour and half hour to see the door open on the featured country and watch it spin around to the appropriate music. At 12:00 all the countries opened and spun around.

Since the demise of Midtown Plaza, the clock has been on display at the airport. I’ve heard that the airport is only a temporary placement for the clock, but I like it there. It’s big enough to show off the clock well, and it certainly gets enough traffic. For visitors, it provides a glimpse into Rocheter history and culture, and for longtime residents, it’s an old friend.

It’s good to be home.

Day 92: 12,802 Steps   YTD: 902,038 Steps   Goal: 869,000 Steps