Brooklyn

So beautiful yet so sad and telling of the unfortunate real estate situation in New York. Brooklyn has been the recent home for the artists of New York who fled Manhattan due to the high price real estate. For years they have been able to earn a living in much cheaper Brooklyn. Yet now even this neighborhood is coming under attack. Slowly but surely, land is being bought up by businesses and overtaking Brooklyn. It was quite ironic seeing this, as I was walking through the underdeveloped streets of Greenpoint I suddenly would come across a designer store; a sign of things to come. In probably a year Brooklyn will be bought up and developed.

There is a really interesting area of Brooklyn just west of Greenpoint and on the waterfront across from Manhattan. It a sort of junkyard/old dock that is largely deserted all but the few people that visit the area to relax. I went right on the short and sat down with my friend overlooking Manhattan. For such a secluded place, it is quite beautiful, and it’s a shame that it’s being threatened by the real estate developers.

We then went to the Hassidic Jew community just under the Williamsburg Bridge. I have to say, I have never seen a community quite like this one. All of them dress uniformly and usually have one or two strollers with them. Aside from the physical features, their behavior is remarkable. They all avoid eye contact and they appear to always be in a hurry. It’s as if they only come out when they have too.