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Friday, June 20, 2008

Bridging the Gap

George Washington Bridge
Photo by myself of the George Washington Bridge, around 160th Street on the West Side.

The 'GWB' spans across the Hudson River to New Jersey, beyond. I took another photo of the bridge earlier this year, when it was shrouded in fog.

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Broadway, that street that's associated with theater and performance, is a long, long street.

Sure, it's broad; for many blocks on the Upper West Side, the street is a couple lanes wide with a bus lane in each direction, separated by a planted median strip.

But really, it's long. It goes virtually from the southernmost part of Manhattan all the way to the northern end of the island. Then it crosses the Hudson River, to Riverdale and Yonkers, beyond.

Visiting New York, it's hard to conceive of the suburbs and towns around Manhattan. All you're aware of is the island itself, rather than the bridges and tunnels and edges that connect it to the rest of the world.

Mark and I noticed it most when we returned from Paris. There, the Seine snakes through the city, its banks well-trafficked. People venture down to the water for picnics and walks. Others saunter alongside at street level.

New York's edges aren't so obvious to casual visitors, who are instead swept up by the vortex of skyscrapers and streets. The edges are more obvious to city residents - apartments escalate in value with water views. Drivers whizz down the West Side Highway and the FDR along the East Side.

Related posts: The Mawl, In the Fast Lane and Tourists for a Day.

12 comments:

Olivier said...

je le trouve très beau ce pont "George Washington Bridge", surtout la vue depuis le Cloister.

I find this very beautiful bridge "George Washington Bridge", especially the view from the Cloister.

Ming the Merciless said...

You are right about how different it is between the Seine River banks and the Hudson River.

I remember sitting on one of the bridges in Paris to read a book and hanging out on the concrete edges of the river.

Hilda said...

I find suspension bridges so amazing! I'm even willing to learn a bit of engineering just so I'll understand how they work. Lovely photo!

Anonymous said...

what a great blog, une vue magnifique!!!

salutations du Québec!

Kitty said...

Hi Olivier
Yes, the view from the Cloisters is magnificent. That is a lovely venue.

Hi Ming
very peaceful by the Seine, no? I celebrated my birthday there with Mark (very tipsy on red wine and a picnic lunch) last year. It's an approachable body of water.

In NY, the water is less approachable.

Hi Hilda
lol. I took some bridge courses in school and they were tough to get through. The engineering is pretty astounding.

Merci Omami!

Profile Not Available said...

Another beautiful shot!

Dana said...

ok.. bridges freak me out! I love seeing them when I am on solid ground but dont like being on them much... I am afraid of heights and then an irrational fear of sudden drops like the one not to long ago in minnesota... great pic though :)

Ken Mac said...

Somehow, that grand picture is very peace inducing...

Mom Knows Everything said...

What a gorgeous shot!

Kitty said...

Thanks Kelly!

interesting Dana, I didn't hear of the bridge accident. I'll have to look it up.

I rationalize that if such a thing did happen, it'd be such a small chance that you'd be on the bridge at that time (though someone else would definitely be hurt).

Thanks Ken Mac. I like scenic photos and hardly have the chance to take them.

Thanks Tammy!

sonia a. mascaro said...

What a gorgeous photo! Well done!

Andi said...

Fantastic photo of the bridge Kitty, well done x