I don’t do the cold. The fact that it was 39 degrees out made it very difficult for me to enjoy that Wednesday afternoon, but I left the city satisfied. It was my first time at the High Line and we arrived at 2:14 pm. The skies were cloudy and according to my disheveled hair, it was windy. There were earthy smells, probably stemming from the consistent presence of almost dead plants along the High Line, as well as smells coming from the river. I first noticed the shrubs that lined the path, which seemed fairly dead from my angle. After some research, I discovered that the shrubs were the same species of plants that naturally grew around the railroad when it was first abandoned.

There seemed to be many food places in the surrounding Chelsea area, including Artichoke Basille’s Pizza, The Park, La Luncheonette and Star on 18. These four were located all within the first three blocks following the High Line. The architecture viewed was both unique but also typical of a New York City skyline. There were countless advertisements, one of which was for Manhattan ministorage. Right below the High Line was a parking lot with a few cars. Parking lots seemed to pop up frequently along my walk. The advertisement for Manhattan ministorage, in addition to ones for other storage facilities, and the presence of parking lots seemed to highlight the lack of space and the need for compact living within the city.

Along my walk, I was exposed to different languages which included Portuguese and Spanish. It is difficult to say whether they were tourists or not, because New York is inherently diverse and is home to many immigrants. In addition to hearing different languages and seeing people of different ethnicities, one of the billboards I witnessed on the beginning of the path included an Arabic quote, which both fascinated and confused me.

The High Line seemed to be rather safe and easily accessible. There were numerous emergency call boxes as well as elevators available for people with disabilities. Stairs allowed for easy exits and entrances every couple of blocks, making it easy for people to enjoy the High Line without having to commit to it from beginning to end. Although it was far to cold for me to fully enjoy it the way I should have, I had a great, new experience in a place I had never been before.