Bridge Boy in the Big Apple

It must be the way bridges stand tall and sturdy, almost touching the sky, that mesmerizes me at the mere sight of them. Or the way they bring people and cities together, in and out, over and down, that fascinates me no end.

Brooklyn, Boy and Bridge

The Verrazano-Narrows, a double-decked suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn, stands like a pair of gentle swans at The Narrows, the strait by which the Hudson River empties into the Atlantic Ocean. To me they seem like two reliable friends, one willing to help you find a way out, the other eager to take you in its arms.

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Photographed from the Brooklyn Side

Brooklyn Bridge, one of the oldest steel-wire suspension bridges in the US, is probably New York's all-encompassing landmark. Walking its entire breadth is a most exhilarating experience, matched only the mounting anticipation leading to that very first step.

Brooklyn Bridge and Boy, Love Affair in Bloom

Trio of Bridges: Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and Williamsburg Bridge

Queensboro Bridge, Queens, New York

I found Queensboro Bridge by accident. Following the direction of the Queens smokestacks featured in the film Julie & Julia (2009), I stumbled upon this cantilever bridge that hovers above Roosevelt Island, and connects Long Island and Manhattan. When the F train made an unscheduled stop before proceeding to Manhattan because of track repairs, I saw the tips of the famous smokestacks and decided to see it in full view. What I saw was more than I expected.

Manhattan Bridge, the Bridge Less Traveled

While it is true that most tourists prefer to walk Brooklyn Bridge than any other bridges on the East River, none of them can take a good photo of its entire span. I decided to walk the Manhattan Bridge to do just that, and in the process found that the bridge less traveled is perfect for solitary souls like myself. Walking it was like a dry-run in soul-searching -- you look at yourself through the things you see, and then feel your being come to focus the closer you get to the other side.

Manhattan Bridge and Me