Chocolate Domes

Yesterday, the 29th, was another lazy day.... About noon we took off to explore the local Greenfield area. US 40, a major highway in the day, passes through the middle of Greenfield, going right by the courthouse and several civic buildings.

There are many quaint shops along US 40, Main Street, and we checked out a few. One of the required stops was Greenfield Chocolatiers! Owned and operated by a very nice lady who loves chocolate, this shop has something for everyone, from Turtles to drops! We peeked into the spotless kitchen and watched a young lady drizzling chocolate over s batch of toffee treats! Of course, we had to sample (and purchase) a few things....

Today, our destination was the Indiana State House.

With it's colorful rotunda.

Oddly enough, the glass was last cleaned in 1984, when each piece was painstakingly removed and cleaned by hand. I can understand why it's not cleaned very often!

From the rotunda we were drawn to flanking atriums, which are periodically used as venues for special events.

The ceilings and walls are adorned with ornate stenciling on the walls and ceilings and fancy wood moldings around the doors.

The carved wood rails are painted in gold leaf.

Original gas/electric chandeliers hang from the ceiling on the third floor. They have been cleaned and polished and fitted with modern lamps. They glow with a special light!

Passing a couple of the world's oldest telephone booths,

we came upon a representative of the Hoosier State's agricultural economy.

The House of Representatives, with it's "flying saucer" ceiling, was impressive!

"Abe" was commissioned to represent the state in it's Bicentennial last year. It was named in a contest for school children, then placed on display in the Capitol. Donna was a bit disconcerted when Abe moved as she put her hands on his head!

The Senate Chamber was also impressive in a unique way. The office windows around the chamber gave it a very business-like feel.

Getting one last look at the Rotunda, we stepped out into the mid afternoon heat.

And caught a glimpse of the famous Indianapolis War Memorial, a tribute to all who have fought to preserve our freedom.

Leaving the excitement of downtown Indianapolis, we cruised out to the Speedway, drove through the visitor's parking area, and shot on down the street to the Mug 'N Bun for lunch. This is Indy's oldest and finest drive-in, with home-made root beer, burgers and sandwiches. Great lunch!