explore everywhere

Last weekend I finally got to explore an abandoned hospital! Like a lot of people I am terrified of hospitals, for not good reason at all. An abandoned hospital though? It has been on my list of places to get for so long. We actually had scoped out this place last year and didn’t see an entrance. I wasn’t super confident we’d be able to get inside this year but it was worth a shot.

We parked, got out, and started walking around the hospital in order to get some exterior shots, and possibly find a way in. Within a few minutes a car showed up, and headed right for us. The driver, an older woman, rolled down her window and asked “Are you guys urban explorers?” “Nope, just looking to take some photos of the outside.” She didn’t look convinced and now any chance of getting inside was shot. The last thing we needed was a concerned citizen thinking we looked suspicious… which we totally did. The three us dressed in dark clothes, all with backpacks and tripods. It’s beyond obvious what we’re up to. We continued to walk the perimeter of the building because technically there was nothing wrong with us doing that, right?

Jeff walked around the outermost perimeter while Jake and I stuck close to the building. When we rounded the corner there was Jeff chatting with the lady in the car. Jake and I walked over to join the conversation. Apparently she had a great interest in the hospital. She even revealed that a few years back she had been inside. It was at that moment we realized “okay, she’s not a threat!” She raved about how amazing it was and how much she enjoyed seeing it.  She wasn’t looking for a way in this time, just to photograph a peregrine falcon who was known to hang out on the roof.

The grounds of the hospital were hopping which is both good and bad. Good because us being there raises less of a concern if people are there often just to get a look at this giant building, and bad because that means someone could see us entering the building. While talking to the woman from the car, Joyce, we noticed a group of six teenage boys walking around the building. To me, they looked suspicious but teenage boys always kind of do. Then all of a sudden they just start disappearing inside! Well, there was our way in! We were actually going to get inside of this incredible building. I was on cloud nine.

We weaved our way into the main stairwell and started to climb. We went all the way to the top, stopping off at a few floors to explore a
few rooms but honestly, there was just so much to see. It was insane. I couldn’t believe we actually made it inside. After all this time I was finally inside an abandoned hospital. I was beyond excited. I was like a squirrel, just darting back and forth, chattering about how cool this was or how neat something looked. I just wanted to see it all! There were so many little details I wish I could have photographed them all. Room numbers, murals painted to make the place seem more inviting, medical equipment labels, etc.

We didn’t get to spend too much time inside since it was getting dark. If I haven’t already made it clear how large this place was let me just say it again, the hospital is huge. I’ve watched enough horror movies to know that I don’t want to be lost inside an abandoned hospital in the dark. We all agreed it was time to leave. It was a bit stressful trying to get out, especially since the bottom two floors have the windows boarded and that means it was pitch black. Even with awesome flashlights, which we each had, this place was one dark, creepy maze.

Once we finally found the spot where we had entered the building Jeff peeked out first to make sure the
coast was clear. There was a car so he ducked back down. A few seconds
pass and we hear the car park, and the door open then close. We looked
at each other with wide eyes, we thought we were screwed. There wasn’t
time to hide and in my mind, it was most definitely the police. Jeff
said “we’ve just got to own it”…

It was Joyce, the woman from earlier. She came back to check on the bird and spotted Jeff’s tripod which he had tossed out first. She thought we had lost it and was coming to pick it up. She was SO excited to see that we had gotten inside. We chatted with her for at least fifteen minutes. We talked birds, and abandoned buildings. She showed us photos of the peregrine falcons from the area which she lovingly referred to as her babies. I had to take a deep breath and collect myself, this woman was amazing. I love nothing more than a person with a passion and she was clearly crazy about her hobbies. I truly regret not getting a group shot of the four of us together in front of the hospital.

It was an amazing day. I finally crossed an abandoned hospital off my list and we met Joyce, who definitely brightened my day. Seriously, what an amazing lady. I’m sure the chance of crossing paths with her again are slim but here’s to hoping!
xoxo

You can find more posts featuring abandoned places here. 

Last Sunday, as part of our anniversary adventure, Jeff and I swung by the abandoned greenhouse. We’ve visited in the winter, in the spring and I’ve been not so patiently waiting for the perfect time to go see it in the fall. Alas, it wasn’t as colorful as I had been hoping and dreaming it would be. …At least that’s what I thought while we were there. It wasn’t until I got home, sorted through the photos, and compared them to past visit’s photos that I realized there was some definite color going on in there. It’s kind of funny because that was the same reaction I had the last time we were there.

It’s hard to go into a place like this, that doesn’t really have too many objects to photograph, for the third time and try to find new things to shoot. I honestly wasn’t sure I got anything I really liked but the more I look at them the more I appreciate them, especially that first shot. It’s easily my favorite of everything I shot.

I didn’t plan very well in terms of taking photos that I would easily be able to replicate on future visits to compare the differences. I did take a very similar shot of the car each time though. I found it interesting to open each of the greenhouse posts (links above + below) in a separate tab, scroll to the car shot and click back and forth. My urge to shoot this place in the snow isn’t all that strong considering what I mentioned above about struggling to find new shots of this place but I feel like I need to take that car shot with snow.

One of my favorite things about this spot is that it could easily be overlooked. It’s in a fairly rural area, surrounded by fields, and if you aren’t paying attention you may just drive by it. It could be mistaken for just a large overgrown area. There are a few spots where you can see the glass paneling but otherwise it really doesn’t look like too much from the outside. After entering it’s like being in a jungle. It’s kind of weird because you’re inside of a building but this building is just a frame that is covered in vines. It’s like being outside but you’re inside. …It’s also like I’m trying way too hard to explain this! Heh!

Jeff and I had planned to take outfit photos together and make it a little tradition to do that for every six month anniversary. I was having one of those days though where after every photo I found something “wrong” with myself. We didn’t end up shooting too many of us but I managed to find a few that I just adore. So maybe every six months we won’t get a full outfit post but here’s to hoping we can at least get an adorably cheesy shot together.
xoxo

Find previous abandoned green house posts here: winter without snow, and in the spring.
Unrelated to the greenhouse but way, way cute – Mine + Jeff’s one year anniversary photos.