BONUS FEATURE NEW YORK CITY
THE WALK
Sprawling bustling megapolises â theyâre all just
congregations of villages. And while these villages
eventually blend as the boundaries keep blurring bites
of character endure. Weâre strolling down the High Line
probably the most unusual addition to New Yorkâs roster
of green spaces and we can see the villages blur together
from up here.
In the 1990s we would have been walking atop a disused
dismissed elevated train line that city officials considered
an eyesore past its destruction date. To cut a long story
short the neighbourhoods rallied together raising funds
to convert said eyesore into a functional public space.
Needless to say the project was a happy success â
but you need to actually walk the line to see how much
of one it has been.
This long narrow stretch has been embraced by
the local communities (and sparked off redevelopment
in unexpected localities) and itâs invariably full of people
making use of its myriad charms. Our charming guide
from Free Tours by Foot regales us with tales of the
communities weâre passing over â thereâs Chelsea which
is where the artists gather the occupants of those fading
buildings there wonât give in to the builders that have taken
over the rest of this stretch this down here is Hellâs Kitchen;
do you know why itâs called that? (her favourite story is that
two cops watching a riot unfold called it âHellâs Kitchenâ
as it was hotter than hell there) â as we navigate past people
truly enjoying the patches of green the benches and sit-outs
that dot this two-odd kilometre stretch.
MAKE IT HAPPEN
Free Tours by Foot â High Line Tours: 00-1-646-450-6831;
http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com; meet at Jackson Square Park West
13th St & 18th Ave; 6pm Mondays; reservations essential tours free
but tips appreciated; self-guided audio tours also available
Take the âhigh roadâ and gain a new perspective
over parts of New York City
- The High Line is a real community
playground with access to ice-skating rinks
(in the winter) a small amphitheatre
and even a great view over the Statue
of Liberty! - You can see the neighbourhoods
changing around you as you walk
the length of the High Line
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