- Friday, December 05, 2003

faded structures of the past - Coney Island, Brooklyn New York

structure: photofriday

In April of this year I was in New York City and rather than traipse only around the usual tourist traps I decided I really wanted to go to Coney Island.

It was a more interesting trip than I had anticipated due to the subways being down.
I caught a train to the depths of "Saturday Night Fever" land and loved seeing the New York contrast of the back of Brooklyn from the streets of bustling Manhatten. The subway was "furnished " with an add assortment of individuals. Most of the female variety having large hair and equally redespendant fingernails in paint duco hues. Once at the end of the line it was time for a bus. This truly gave me the opportunity to see the locals going about their daily grind.
Road workers, nurses, sandwich shop assistants and hispanic home duties assistants all piled ontot he "luxury coach". I felt like a fish out of water, I felt like I was in a movie, I felt like I was on another planet but I did feel like I was a part of their world.
Thats how I like to travel to see things for what they really are.

On arriving at Coney Island it was freezing. a breeze chillling me even thorough my many layers. The gates were locked, the machines lay dormant and the signs of age had left a permanent stain.

The structures that make Coney Island what it is remain as reminders to a time of frivolity of simple pleasures and of innocent fun. They seem to hark back to a time when the structure of society was even a little different. Now the boardwalk is new and littered with the new society. Truant children still buying hotdogs at the beachside stalls, 50ish retirees still soak up the sun on sea facing park benches. Russian Mafia play cards and make sideways glances.

Still the structures in place from those times mark the new society of today. It was a magical if eery place and I got some wonderful shots.

If you want to see more click
here

posted by jen @ 7:16 PM