Capturing New York in four images

This shows the section of Fifth Avenue in the 50s, which is consistently ranked among the most expensive shopping streets in the world. The broad avenue was initially only a narrower thoroughfare, but this section south of Central Park was widened in 1908. The development coincided with the change from a residential area to a commercial district.

Further north, between 59th and 96th Street, Fifth Avenue was nicknamed "Millionaire's Row" in the early 20th century due to the high concentration of mansions there. The part of Fifth Avenue alongside Central Park is also nicknamed Museum Mile due to its many museums.

The image reminds me of the famous Abbey Road photo of the Beatles (or it may have inspired me). But unlike that picture, I couldn't put a ladder in the middle of Fifth Avenue for a higher viewpoint. Nor was there a policeman to stop traffic, like when the Beatles' picture was taken in 1969.

Walking in Central Park, I had Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" in my head. He wrote it while spending a day in the park with his partner and, soon after, his first wife. I love the tune and the feeling you get when listening to the song for the very first time. But, of course, there is a much deeper and darker layer beneath the pleasant visions of drinking sangria in the park, feeding animals at the zoo, hitting a movie, and then returning home. But while walking here in the sun, I didn't think about the dark catacombs of Reed's addicted brain. Nor did Lou Reed when he thought he was someone else, someone good when she made him forget himself. So during my walk, the tune kept spinning in my mind, happy and relaxed, while I enjoyed the typical scenes of Central Park. Of all the city parks in the world, I believe this is just the perfect park.

Bethesda Terrace is one of the iconic places in New York City. This architectural marvel was one of the first structures built in Central Park. The construction began in 1859, continued throughout the Civil War, and was completed in 1863. This image shows the interior space, which is heavily ornamented. Its most notable feature is the ceiling composed of nearly 16,000 tiles, which come together to form 49 panels creating geometric patterns. I read that it is the only ceiling in the world featuring inlaid tiles, which are more typically used as flooring.

Here I met Carlos, a gentle guitar player from Chile. I enjoyed listening to the Leonard Cohen songs he played, and we spoke for a while about his home country, the developments in 1973, and the beauty of its nature. I appreciate people that make the world more beautiful, so I bought a CD with his music.

Like skyscrapers, subways, and yellow taxis, the fire escape is synonymous with New York City. It's often difficult to walk down a city block without seeing a fire escape, but while they are intended to provide a means of escape, they aren't always the best option.

These kinds of fire escapes are no longer being built, but there is some concern about the ones still in use. According to the National Fire Escape Association, 75 percent of city fire escapes do not meet acceptable safety criteria. For instance, due to erosion of bolts fastening them to buildings, and 50 percent could create possible accidents.

I love the sight of these fire escapes and often try to photograph them while the sunlight creates shadows on the brick buildings they are attached to. However, it is not always easy due to the narrow streets that allow you to take a full-frontal photograph of them. These houses were also on a small road in SoHo, but I changed the image as if you see the homes from a distance.

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I just started 127 days of traveling; I will only be back in Ottawa by late September. And of course, I will continue to share my writing and photos, and my posts will often be about what I saw and experienced.

If you take a subscription to this newsletter, you can virtually join my travel via this newsletter, and you support my writing and my journey.

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Or perhaps you would like to buy me a coffee for when I'm walking; there will be a lot of walking on this trip, in many countries.

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The Belvedere Castle in Central Park