In and Around Northern Kentucky 2.0: Welcome to Chateau Laroche, Loveland Ohio

Who the Heck am I

Welcome to my blog, I ran out of storage space on my last blog so instead of purchasing more space I decided to start another.

Photographing is one of my biggest passions in life. I've been a photographer for 20+ years. Although I have sold some of my work I consider myself an advance amateur. Which means I'm pretty good at pretending to know what I am doing. I arrived from Massachusetts to Northern Kentucky September 16, 2001. I hated it, for months I complained about living here, besides all the redneck jokes I would get there was nothing about Northern Kentucky I enjoyed, when I got over myself I dusted off my camera and headed for the hills, literally, I never fully understood what a beautiful place this is until I was given my first digital camera as a Christmas gift. In all honesty you couldn't get me to move out of this state.

Living so near to Cincinnati (I live right across the river) no other city can offer me more. Art museums, Cincinnati Zoo, symphony, theatre, aquarium, amusement park, Dozens of parks, one of the largest and most amazing firework display in the country and so much more. If you are from the area you know what I am talking about, if you're not, believe me when I say In and Around Northern Kentucky is worth the visit.

I know you will want to check out my other blog, I have shot photographs at the Behringer-Crawford Museum, Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati Zoo, Creation Museum, Eden Park, Findlay Market, Fountain, Square, Krohn Conservatory, Rabbit Hash, KY, Railway Museum, Smale Park, Spring Grove Cemetery and much more. Just click on the link below.

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Welcome to Chateau Laroche, Loveland Ohio

When I heard about the castle I really wasn't sure exactly what I would find. I wish I could say the website is full of history about Sir Harry Andrews but it is not, I haven't done a thorough search yet but what I did find out is that Sir Harry died before he finished the castle in 1981 at the age of 91. He believed that it would take another 10 years to finish. He died from injuries a few days later after his pants caught on fire while trying to put out a fire that I believe started in the gardens. Don't quote me on the location, my teeth were chattering pretty loud when the story was being told to me.

As I found my parking space in front of the castle the above photo was my first shot. Although the castle itself is more of a miniature version when you think about one man making the stones out of homemade brick & molds all by himself then it is hard not to be impressed by the size.

The entrance warns you that entering even the outside of the property you will be charged. The feeble amount of $3.00 per person is well worth the price.

Not all the areas are available, this was unfortunate when it came to the top of the castle, the above two photos were all I could see through the locked gates, so much more to explore.

This is the entrance to the main lobby for lack of a better word. The day itself was cloudy with the temperature around 60 degrees, when you entered the castle the temperature dropped 20 degrees, I'm not kidding, it was freezing. After you paid $3.00 one of the volunteers gave you a brief but interesting history then you are allowed to venture out on your own. Apparently my brain became a little frozen, I didn't take a photo of the lobby. Another excuse to go back.

This is a rather funny photo, I couldn't see what was inside so I pointed the camera in, waited for the beep, shot the photo and promised myself I wouldn't look at it until I got home. It was worth the wait.