Detroit - a church

Latest fight over it craze between them is washing up

Other airbnb guests staying are a couple from NY in their mid twenties. He is a keen camera dude

So this starship enterprise offspring is a 4 rotor mobile camera he uses for going to top floors on the outside.  He was a block away with this and a passing policeman stopp3d to check he was ok and advised him to be careful. He said a car could come past and a gun would be pointed asking for the camera. 

This was somewhat surprising to me as even though this is a poor area with no other whites it has felt safe and people friendly, even if circumstances are challenging and roughly 30% empty grass lots where burnt down buildings have long since been cleared, 30% unoccupied declining buildings and 40% occupied. It was a reminder that there isn't a lot of middle ground between being a victim of serious crime and sitting in our safe house thinking all is ok

Today we packed and had some large heavy kids books we could not take. So we went a block away to find some kids we met last night to hand them over. Kids were on the steps.The mum Cinamon came out and the last word she mumbled to someone inside as she came out was 'caucasian' we chatted for a bit and she said that people iho dont really mix but she was glad we came if a little surprised . She has no car. The libraries have shut down. She cant get books. Her kids know the books she has so well that they know the words. Cinamon was 23 and renting a 2 bed for her and her 2 kids.800$ per month that she can barely afford. Its not very nice she said. She wants to leave town but cannot afford it. The kids were all playing together seamlessly. They see playmates not colours.

After 20.mins we walked back and the kids went ahead. A bloke fixing his brake pads at roadside looked sideways and offered rhe standard "How you doin' ?".  He had a serious but kind looking face. His name was Darren 44. Lived on the block all his life. He spoke about having more hurdles to overcome ...

"You mean discrimination?"

'Well yes I do'

He spoke about diet and social cohesion. He said about a shop that used to be there. An aptmt building on that corner A house in that space. All burnt down or demolished but so long ago that its just green grass and no footprint left. 

 Its really thought provoking and challenging and sad what has happened here. Its hard to explain but this place has got under my skin like no other place on our trip. How would any of our well to do streets at home look with the 30 30 40 percentages from above.  This decline has been going on since 1950 when popn was 2million. Its now 700000. Imagine how much space, empty road, abandoned schools pubs and shops this leaves?

So churches also get abandoned.

"Minister i'd like to confess. I have fantasies about renovating a house in Detroit working for myself but I wouldn't  be able to get a visa and my wife doesn't want to leave her family....Am I just getting carried away?"

'Calm down son. Think of the long winters. The crime and the fact that you would be an Englishman out of his home country. And what about the kids schooling, your job, and your counselling? You need some perspective. Go home'

"Oh ok ....actually I'm doing that tommorrow" 

I felt a bit nervous being in there as occasionally there are stories of urban explorers being cornered for their valuables once inside or it being a squatters home but it waa fine. However my first instinct inside was to learn more escape routes so I could not be cornered.

Our hosts can now train runner beans up to the second floor

We then went to Boston Edison district which used to be the homes of chief execs, presidents and bosses of car and other industries so the houses and streets are bigger than ever we have seen. Fewer  vacants and free lots but still some run down. We saw one white woman with a buggy and 2 kids in a 20 minute drive

Xxx