WALKING THE HIGH LINE

Friday 3 May

The High Line was built in 1930 for the purpose of removing  trains from the streets of Manhattan's industrial district.  The freight line was built 30 feet above street level and designed to connect directly to factories and warehouses allowing trains to roll right inside buildings with goods able to come and go without causing street level chaos.



No trains have used the line since 1980.  When the historic structure was under threat of demolition, a group of local people worked in partnership with the City of New York to preserve and maintain the structure as an elevated public park and walkway.  After many years the 1st section opened in 2009 with stage 2 in 2011.  I think the total distance is 1.6 kilometres, but with numerous photo opportunities available and to absorb everything it does take some time to go from one end to the other.  Walking the High Line gives a different perspective of the streets and buildings of this part of Manhattan and of the Hudson River.  It will be difficult to choose which photos to use.

 

As it was a nice spring day there were quite a few people making the most of the lovely weather especially in the afternoon when the day warms up.

   Being a tourist different things catch your eye. 

 The shapes of the new apartment blocks and someone's backyard - although not very private.

Came to the end of our walk and ventured down to the chaotic noise of 30th street and 10th avenue.

I wasn't too sure where we were going but we found a little pub and enjoyed a drink.  Unbekown to us this was one block from Penn Station so back on the subway to head uptown to our hotel,  jump in the shower and get ready to go to the Broadway show.

 I don't know what the story of Pippin was about but there was singing, dancing, circus acts as well as a bit of magic.  It was really enjoyable.  Once the show finished we got caught up in the Friday night crowd in Times Squares.

Being experts on  the subway we head back to 57th street and finished our night having pancakes for supper.  Goodness me we seem to have had our fill of food today, but that huge bed is calling me after another busy day of sightseeing New York.  Two more things to see and do have been crossed off the list.