Janes Walks 2025 (I)

Friday, May 2, 2025 – Chinatown – We met at (but did not go into) the Museum of Chinese in America. Maybe another trip. The JW tour leader was very knowledgeable, if a bit hard to hear. She had a yellow MAS/Janes Walk paddle. She was short. I usurped the paddle and raised it high above my head, in order to keep our group of about twenty together. Some street signs (but not all) include Chinese characters. They would not necessarily be understandable to the Chinese people reading them, since there are so many dialects to choose from. I learned a lot, including the location of a pocket park I can go to if/when I'm on jury duty in the future.

My second Friday walk was Brooklyn Bridge Park. Also fun. Our walk leader was an employee, so she knew her stuff. The park encompasses six piers that were formerly part of the Port Authority Trans Hudson. PATH decided to abandon them, and a new group took over, raising all of the funds needed so that government sponsorship was not necessary, though the new organization and NYC Parks work very closely together. Piers 1 (north) and 6 (south) were developed first, then the construction crew worked their way into the middle over several years. One of the piers was built using a special type of styrofoam that lends a slightly hilly effect to the pier. Included on the other piers are a soccer field, beach/sand volleyball courts, and pickleball courts (formerly bocce, hey, they're keeping up with the times). There was also a playground area and a picnic/barbecue area. When I arrived at Pier 1, I noticed that the barge (of Bargemusic fame) was no longer there. The organization still exists in a building but, alas, not on a barge.

More to come.

ConcertMeister (aka WalkMeister)