One of the most memorable parts of my trip to NYC was the time I spent on the Brooklyn Bridge. Yes, I spent time on it. It wasn’t just a means to cross the river. It wasn’t just part of the journey...it was the journey itself. So, I did not look at it from afar. I walked on it. I did not walk briskly across the bridge. I lingered. I took in the moment in its entirety. The architecture was a riot of patterns − hypnotizing, quite mesmerizing. Then there were the details. Love locks. Rusted bolts. Trodden snow. Graffiti on rotting wood. Honking cars. The sky that day was like a sandy beach during low tide. Grooves formed by slivers of blue sky peering through a blanket of clouds mimicked the sandy grooves of the shore. I remember its smell. The smell of winter’s crisp frosty breath. And with camera in hand I tried to capture the moment as I felt it.
There was the chill, there was the crowd...but ah, there was the sunset as well! I watched the sun descend behind the Statue of Liberty. It was like a defiant glow of light against the coolness of the day. There were birds too. A great many sea gulls soaring ahead. But I never heard them. I could see them cry out and I could imagine their shrill voices, but all was lost in the air.
At the other side of the bridge, there was a park in Brooklyn. I sat on a bench and quietly watched the sun finally disappear beneath the waters. But the grand finale was yet to come. I waited as the shades of the sky turned darker. Then slowly, across the river, the lights of Manhattan shone ever brightly against the pressing night. And as the rest of the world fell asleep, Manhattan awakened in its shining glory.
TIP: Walk an hour or so before sunset from Manhattan towards Brooklyn. By the time you reach the park on the other side, you can see the sun set behind the Statue of Liberty and take shots of the Manhattan skyline at dark. There are also benches on the Brooklyn Bridge, so you could also sit there and enjoy the view.
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