Welcome back to New York City; here’s what’s happening: the first section of the High Line park has opened this week. In the 1930’s an elevated freight rail cut through parts of New York City’s west side as part of the manufacturing industry’s method of getting raw materials from factories and taking the finished products to their destinations. From the brochure:”The High Line delivered meat, milk, produce and raw and manufactured goods into upper floor loading docks of factories and warehouses. The last train ran on the High Line in 1980, carrying a trainload of turkeys.”
The High Line sat abandoned all these years. Wild growth took over and grew between the tracks. James Corner and Renfro designed the park’s landscape to look wild as it did–self-seeded–when the trains stopped running.

>>>>Please visit this site for wonderful videos, then enjoy my journal.

>>>>Link to map and info

Only in New York–the former rail system was made into an above ground park. The wild greenery and flowers have been coaxed back and line the walks. The tracks are still visible, benches and chaises abound, an amphitheater was embedded and the view is great. Note the juxtapositions of all the ages of NYC architecture.

We waited on line for a wrist band, got on another line to ascend and there we were, overlooking the Hudson River to the west, and the streets of Manhattan to the east. (across the Hudson is New Jersey). The entry on Gansevoort Street is at the meat packing district, a once tough area that made way to chi-chi designer shops and night clubs and restaurants for the elite. (Remember Sex and the City? This is the downtown area Samantha moved to.) I grew up on East 14th Street, (near the East River) West 14th is shown in the top left lead photo and is near the Hudson River. Remember, Manhattan is an island.

One can descend at the Chelsea Market (a great place for food–the Food Network tapes their shows upstairs). That’s where we went for a break and for some gourmet food shopping.

The High Line will eventually meet the Jacob Javits Center at 34th Street.

Back in the High Life Again
Steve Winwood

It used to seem to me
That my life ran on too fast
And I had to take it slowly
Just to make the good parts last
But when you’re born to run
It’s so hard to just slow down
So don’t be surprised to see me
Back in that bright part of town.

I’ll be back in the high life again
All the doors I closed one time will open up again
I’ll be back in the high life again
All the eyes that watched me once will smile and take me in.

And I’ll drink and dance with one hand free
Let the world back into me
And on Ill be a sight to see
Back in the high life again.

You used to be the best
To make life be life to me
And I hope that you’re still out there
And you’re like you used to be
Well have ourselves a time
And well dance til the morning sun
And well let the good times come in
And we wont stop ’til were done.

We’ll be back in the high life again
All the doors I closed one time will open up again
We’ll be back in the high life again
All the eyes that watched us once will smile and take us in
And we’ll drink and dance with one hand free
And have the world so easily
And oh well be a sight to see
Back in the high life again.

We’ll be back in the high life again
All the doors I closed one time will open up again
We’ll be back in the high life again
All the eyes that watched us once will smile and take us in
And we’ll drink and dance with one hand free
And have the world so easily
And oh we’ll be a sight to see
Back in the high life again.

Here we go… Once we are on, views are from the walkway. Luxury hotels and condos are going up on the High Line; you can see people walking under them.