From The Peopling of New York City
Top 10 things I enjoy
1)Watching the Mets. 2)Playing Hockey. 3)Judging high school debates 4)Hitching rides in Israel. 5)Making and subsequently eating macaroni and cheese. 6)Proving my point. 7)BBQ food. 8)Camp Moshava 9)Pulling really funny practical jokes. 10)Sleeping
I'm sticking a link in for the group page. -Angela
Viewing the Bronx as we did was a fun hands on experience. Rather than learning about the Bronx from a theoretical viewpoint on our fenced in Lehman College campus, we saw the ins an outs of one of the silently most historically significant places in America. It is one thing to learn about the art-deco style building from a photograph in a textbook, but to see one up close with its full beauty was truly a worthwhile experience.
After exiting the train on the Grand Concourse, the first thing going through my mind was what exactly is so “grand” about this place. I live right near Broadway and it appears grander than the Grand Concourse. Once meeting our guide, I could tell that it was going to be a fun experience. He had the unique ability to know a lot about his specialty but keep it simple and interesting for the average listener. I also found it amazing that he could give a tour of the South Bronx and not have the Yankees as its centerpiece. Rather, he brought out the true feeling of the neighborhood.
The idea of the “Bronx Walk of Fame” was a clever idea on the boroughs behalf. It gave the impression that famous people are not born that way, but rather come from modest backgrounds. At the same time I felt uncultured as I cannot say I knew too many of them.
The highlight of the trip for me was seeing the building designs. Traditionally, I will see an elaborate design on a building and think that it is interesting for a moment and then never give it a second thought. When he said that the buildings were meticulously designed and required tremendous urban planning, I realized just how special the Bronx is. While Manhattan may be famous worldwide, and the center for tourists, the Bronx has a less known but probably equally as exciting past.
The lowlight of the trip was defiantly Yankee Stadium. As a child that horrible building gave me nightmares as it represents all evil in this world. On a more serious note I did find it interesting that the current Yankee Stadium was built in the mid-1970’s when the city was suffering from a budget shortage. Amazingly, George Steinbrenner convinced Mayor Lindsey to pay the bulk of the $200 million in total expense. This is just one more reason to hate the Yankees.
I think the most important part of the outing was leaving the classroom scene and getting a hands on feel of the South Bronx. Between the architecture, the people and the feel, the trip was worthwhile. For me, the most important part was to get facts on why the Yankees are evil. This only fuels my already irrational hatred of the team that has caused me so much pain and suffering.
