Three rivers run through it

Writer Teresa Méndez spent two days in Pittsburgh.

December 30, 2005

Where did you go? Pittsburgh, home of the Three Rivers.

Where did you stay? A Holiday Inn outside the city. Nothing too remarkable, but the price was right - rooms start at $75 a night.

What did you see? The spot where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers converge to form the Ohio. The upper observation deck of the Duquesne Incline is the ideal spot to take in the city. The view encompasses the wedge of downtown known as the "Golden Triangle" and includes 15 bridges and the Pirates' and Steelers' stadiums. Cost of the ride to the top of the inclined railroad in a wooden car: $1.75.

Where did you eat? The Strip District. I ate sandwiches at the recently opened Caltanissetta Cafe, a charming Italian deli on Pennsylvania Avenue. I also munched on an oversized bag of kettle corn from a street vendor. The Strip was an industrial row of warehouses in the 19th century. Today, in between ethnic groceries and coffee shops, it's still home to plumbers and welders. Stroll over to Liberty Avenue, once a wholesale produce outlet that runs parallel to the main drag, and glimpse a striking postindustrial cityscape.

Where have you been? What did you do? Let us know at Weekend