Sunday at the Park

David and I have been taking bike rides on Sundays to see parts of Brooklyn not easily accessible by foot and obviously not visible from the subway.  On one such trip we rode to Prospect Park.  It is located in the center of Brooklyn.

  On the way to the park, we passed the Brooklyn Navy Yard.  Beautiful picture, yes? Thanks David! It seems these old cranes are no longer in use. According to our roommate, the ports in our area have become obsolete as newer, more accessible ports have opened in New Jersey.  Look at those old cranes! They seem like dinosaurs compared to some of the new ones you see in most port cities.

   

Here is the sign that states the Navy Yard's current state of affairs.

The main entrance to Prospect Park is located within Grand Army Plaza where the intersecting streets come together in what we call a round-a-bout in Nebraska, and what David calls a rotary. The space creates a type of plaza with many different architectural landmarks.

This photo is of The Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch or the Triumphal Arch which is a memorial to the Defenders of the Union, 1861-1865, located along the Plaza.

View looking up

Also located along the Plaza, across from the Triumphal Arch, is the main branch of the Brooklyn Library.  We didn't go in, but I did get a library card at the Greenpoint branch in our neighborhood where the majority of the titles are in Polish. I imagine the titles I will be reading will most likely come from this branch.

Throughout the park there are bridges which work within the overall aesthetic of the park.  When we entered, we came upon one such bridge.

The underside of this bridge has a wood finish which is in phenomenal shape. There are also two wooden benches which run the length of each side. The ground is dirt, not cement, stone or brick, but a dusty dirt path under a wood lined bridge. The vision and creation of the park came from the landscape designer Fredrick Law Olmsted in the mid nineteenth century. He designed both Prospect and Central Park as well as the neighborhood in which David grew up.

The park was bustling with people playing softball, picnicking, jogging, walking, visiting or just relaxing in the Long Meadow.

A couple reading the paper

One thing about Prospect park we really enjoyed was the wandering, meandering trails.  Olmsted wanted visitors to experience a sense of perpetual discovery. At every turn you find a fork in the road which presents a decision, which way to go? 

There were some gentleman smoking a "cigarette" under this easement, just hanging out man, enjoying their Sunday

We aren't sure what is going on here, but they have blue faces and interesting clothing...

This bridge is to soon be under renovation. David and I overheard a woman telling her friend that this area of the park was closed down for a time due to a rat infestation in this bridge. But isn't it just astonishing?

We came upon this area of the park late in the day, on our next visit, I intend to bring a book and a blanket and enjoy this quiet area. Again with the meandering paths Mr. Olmsted. I tip my hat to you, dear sir.

The Long Meadow

 As we walked the brick and dirt paths, wandering in and out of shadows, looking at trees and waterfalls, sitting on the benches that were created over 150 years ago, I think of the people who came before me. Those people who set eyes on these same views, what was their life like? What brought them to this city? The park is loaded with history, with other peoples memories. I wish I could know just a few of those stories, but really, I am happy just to be writing my own.