Early February this year, my computer engineer who often tells me things not connected with my computer, told me that from September of this year I’d be flying round the world. I found it hard not to laugh it off. Nothing in life is certain not even my daily trips to Bhaji Gully! But come September, I found myself jetting across to the other side of the world with an unexpected trip to the New World. And then, upon my return, I found myself in Egypt in the Land of the Ancient World .
Of course my trip to Egypt was planned much before Hamas set the Middle East unravelling and as our departure date came closer and closer, the number of WhatsApp messages from various well meaning friends and acquaintances increased.
This did of course create some confusion, anxiety and hesitation about going right into the dragon’s cave as it were, but then I thought that at the best of times things can go wrong so I might as well go ahead and face whatever it was that was to come my way.
Besides, Ms. Papaya was quick to point out that Egypt was in Africa and the conflict was in Asia! I didn’t want to burst her bubble and tell her that Gaza shared a border with Egypt. This fertile delta basin is as old as the hills – or rather as old as the sands of the deserts of Arabia.
So just after our Diwali Party, we made our way to Mumbai’s Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport where we boarded our Gulf Air flight to Bahrain.
tThe Narmar PlatetThe Pyramid at Gizathe Sphinx at sunsetThe Muhammed Ali mosque at Salah din CitadelThe Hanging ChurchMen watching the world go by at AlexandriaThe fortress at AlexandriaIn the catacombs at Alexandria
Stepping off the plane at Bahrain, we were amazed at how wonderful the airport was. Here we were gloating about our very own Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport at Mumbai but this airport far outstripped our pride and joy. ( Sorry) .
But before we could appreciate the wonders of the airport, it was time for us to board our next flight to Cairo. Once again we got on the plane, a smaller plane for a shorter ride and when we reached Cairo, it was still broad daylight.
Luckily we had someone meet us at the airport itself which we realised was a great boon as we soon found that it was very hard to find anyone who could understand us. English isn’t very widely spoken even though Egypt was part of the British empire.
Partially complete but fully occupied buildings
Driving to the Hotel we were amazed that the whole place looked like we were in a war zone. There was building after building that looked ready to crumble with buildings looking like they’d been sliced off! It was weird seeing staircase outlines leading to nowhere and painted walls of bedrooms that had been chopped off. If this was wasn’t disturbing, the uncleared rubble was even more disheartening. I couldn’t believe that people were actually living there! But they were our guide told us – remnants of a recent past that saw rampant building of illegal constructions that fell due to faulty constructions and were ‘regularised’ for lower income group residents.
It was a long drive to our hotel which was at Giza but we were happy to settle in and relax a bit before starting out on our hectic trip the next day.
I’ll be posting more about my trip to Egypt so keep looking out for this space.
Day 2 in New York City consisted of more visits to the Park. This time round my host suggested a completely new concept of parks – one an elevated one on an artificial island and the other a re-purposed freight train railway track .
Changing cities
Cities have a life of their own. In spite of being inanimate, they change with time.
Starting out as tiny village clusters they grow into busy towns, important sea ports, seats of power, centres of learning or industrial hubs depending on the dominant activity of the place. Mumbai, for instance, which was once a malaria infested conglomeration of 7 islands has morphed into one contiguous mass with the larger part of the city part of of the mainland.
Its initial beginning as a fishing village transformed into a textile town and then later into a thriving sea port. However, even this ‘avatar’ has changed since the JNPT port has come across the harbour. This has left a large part of the eastern seaboard bereft of activity with its numerous godowns that remain empty.
Picking up freshy baked sourdough bread from the local bakery
Our city is still trying to come up with a master plan to effectively utilise this space.
Luckily New York has managed to revitalize its former docklands and Hudson Yards and its neighbouring industrial area of warehouses is once again buzzing with activity. The newly developed commercial and residential buildings that exist cheek by jowl with the old structures is a clever use of urban space especially in a city that is so densely populated and real estate so valuable.
Little Island and the High Line Park are two unique concepts that give back to the city the much needed green lungs for the public to enjoy. As a matter of fact, it is amazing how the Air Quality in such a thickly populated city is not only breathable but also boasts a bright blue sky!
Little Island
After a quick breakfast of freshly baked sourdough bread picked up from the local bakery, we set off for Little Island the newest public park in the city.
Our original plan was to actually pick up a bite at Market 57, at the newly opened food hall at Pier 57. We should have eaten at passed the food hall at Chelsea which was lively and happening but we thought that Food court at the James Beard Foundation would have been a better option. That was a tactical error on our part because by the time we reached the Pier, the sun was blazing. Furthermore, the seeming lack of activity deterred us from going ahead and after a quick tour of the Little Island park, we began our walk on the High Line Park.
Little Island Park is an artificial park created on Pier 55 in the Hudson River. A series of upturned umbrella shaped pylons provide the base for this unique nature park where native plants are specifically grown in order to maintain or rather re-generate the natural flora and fauna of the place.
The upturned umbrella pylons of Little Island that hold up a unique nature park
Even though the sun was beating down, the park was full of people. Obviously, most of them were tourists like me who were bent on getting the most out of their visit to a New York despite the unusually hot September heat wave.
Because of the blazing sunshine and oppressive heat, we couldn’t manage to spend more than half an hour or so but we did manage to absorb some of the vibe especially with the visitor who thumped away some foot tapping jazz music on the bright yellow piano.
We did have an option of going to the Whitney Museum overlooking the park, but I was too lazy to cross the road and have a look at its latest exhibition, preferring to see street art with its architectural beauties and street sculptures. Perhaps I’ll leave New York Museums for another visit.
The High Line
With the docks moved out, the existing railway line was converted to a park. The 2.3 km elevated park is a unique way of seeing the city bustling below. Once again plants that are native to the area make up the garden.
Despite the heat, it was a treat to walk in High Line Park. Not only was the flora interesting but the buildings alongside with their murals were equally stunning.
We began our walk with a quick gelato from L’arte del gelato. What bliss it was to have the cool ice-cream slip down our parched throats.
To break the monotony of walking down a railway track, there are some interesting features such as the Diller-Von Furstenberg sun deck where you can dip your toes in the very subtle water fountain that is specially welcome on a hot day. Or you could just laze around on the loungers scattered there.
We stopped for a while at the 10th Avenue Square and overlook to catch our breath and stare at the city traffic driving underneath. There were many people who took a break like us and I’m sure on a cooler day it must be fun to watch the movement on a busy road.
The Chelsea Thicket with its shaded pathway was a welcome relief from the heat. It was literally like walking through an airconditioned passageway with the thick foliage blocking out the glare and heat of the sun
The Edge ,literally leaves you standing on the edge, looking down at the world below you. We didn’t visit this viewing gallery because I’m not fascinated by aerial views being a high-rise dweller myself. Besides, I often feel that pre-booking etc calls for too much planning and kind of kills the spontaneity of travelling. I like to go where my mood fancies rather than a water tight itinerary.
The Shed an art centre in the square opposite the Mall for instance, looks like an inflated cube dressed up in a quilted puffer jacket!
Similarly, the Vessel, a watch tower of sorts is made up of inter connected staircases, making a honeycomb like conical structure. Unfortunately, it is still not open to the public so one has to make do with admiring this ‘sculpture’ from afar.
The High Line Park , my host explained to me was the brainchild New Yorkers like Diane von Furstenberg a grande dame of fashion credited with the invention of the wrap dress. With an open air viewing gallery over a busy street, whimsical sculptures, bits of the old railway line, murals peeping out from nearby buildings and even some loungers to sunbathe for those so inclined, a walk down the High Line is a great way to spend a few hours out in the open.
And for those avid shoppers a spanking new Mall with high end shops and more eating options is the added incentive to make this park another must do activity in the city of New York.
Free docent-led public tours are offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from May to October, and on Wednesdays and Saturdays from November to April.
Before the date of your visit, make sure to review park rules below.
One of the cardinal rules of being a houseguest is to fit in seamlessly with your host’s routine. Of course this is not really possible because unless your host runs a professional guest house, they are bound to go through some effort and adjustment having you under foot. But it would help if you tried not to disturb your host’s routine.
My host family is very health conscious and from time to time various family members go out for their routine exercise program. So when my host told me that she was used to a morning walk, I told her to go ahead. My ears perked up when I heard that her route that morning was around Central Park, and asked if I could join in.
However, I was in no condition to ‘walk’ and preferred to sit it out while she carried on with her daily constitutional . So after huffing and puffing up the steps, we made our way towards the Great Hill , at the Upper West side of Central Park .
At this time of day time pooches are allowed to be off their leash so Great Hill is a dog lover’s paradise: full of dogs and their owners enjoying the warm early morning sun.
And accustomed as I was to seeing overfed Labrador retrievers, Beagles and the Indies waddle reluctantly behind their equally disinterested dog walkers, it was a treat to see the different breeds do their stuff. Honestly, I’d never even seen such a variety of dogs at a Dog Show.
The magnificent oaksA chihuauaSeems like a Samoyed to meWasn’t that a smart salute?Hounds having a raceRunning aroundLast of the summer blossomsOne of the many benches to catch your breathLittle Ms Frou frou in her tulle tutuAm I pretty or what?Don’t stare! It’s rudeI couldn’t be bothered with silly dogs chasing me
Walking down the path, amidst the calm of the trees , suddenly we came across a sun-soaked grassy meadow dotted with dogs and their owners having a blast . The dogs chased their friends with joyous abandon, tongues hanging out and fur flying in the breeze . Some of them flopped on the grass tired after a hard work out while others rolled in the grass or walked by sedately . A bunch of greedy guzzlers eagerly followed a Pied Piper in Red – a red haired woman who had a bag of beef jerky to treat her canine friends.
This was really the best use of a public space where morning walkers, dog walkers, babies in strollers , regular joggers and of course dogs who were free run wild and stretch their legs could share the same space and enjoy the beauty of the park in their own way.
Having seen most of the dogs only in picture books, It was hard for me to identify the different breeds. Labradors , Grey hounds, Chihuahuas and French Bull dog were just a few of the breeds I could recognise. Some looked awkward yet strangely beautiful with their thin elongated bodies covered in tight curls or their silky smoky grey slicked back. Some had coats in black and white and some had fringes that flopped over the face. But there was no denying that these handsome well groomed canine specimens were happy creatures.
One pretty little ballerina strutted around in her frilly, pink, tulle tutu playfully following a sleek young hound with a slick, dark coat, firm muscled body, and a thin conductor’s baton of a tail. He naturally ignored her and walked straight ahead.
They chased their friends or rubbed noses while some just walked sedately past looking questioningly at me. this strange human staring at them.
Walking around or sitting on the few benches, under the shade of giant oaks soaring up to a bright blue sky, soaking in the smell of wet earth covered with dew laden grass is an unexpected treat in the middle of a very busy city just waking up to another busy day.
The Great Hill with its well kept grassy lawns, shaded paths beneath magnificent trees is a pure delight for dog lovers and early risers. It is definitely worth a visit but remember that this special city experience is only possible before 9 in the morning when the dogs are allowed to be free and unleased.
So the next time if you are in New York and are up for it, do go to the most beautifully landscaped Great Hill in Central Park , located on the West side on the third highest point of the park, between 103rd and 107th streets.
Twenty- five Seven 