Photo trip number 9 took me on a grand tour of the Upper Midwest. My journey towards South Dakota on I-29 edged me first along the Nebraska-Iowa border and past the fair city of Omaha. Only rarely have I come this close, so I took full advantage of my proximity and detoured down through the city.

Omaha turned out to have a lovely downtown, parted in places by a small, park-lined creek, the Gene Leahy Mall. Its city center was well-manicured and seemed highly suited to be the featured subject of a picture postcard rack. Beside the park were a few interesting buildings that helped make up Omaha's skyline; the ribbed white Qwest building, Union Pacific's new cubic blue-glassed headquarters, and the soaring post-modern First National Bank tower.