There has been so much talk about the Highline – good, bad, and mixed reviews about the decade-long project of converting an abandoned strip of raised railroad track into a city park. There’s even a story circulating about how the curse of the Highline is responsible for New York City’s near daily downpours (and yes, it is pouring buckets outside as I type).
Other opinions aside, my response to being on the Highline is that it is absolutely amazing, it really is an incredible architectural feat. You stand amidst this strange mix of concrete and carefully-tended-to overgrowth, and every few yards you see a piece of the original aged railroad track. The suspended perspective you have of Manhattan – you’re far enough above the traffic but you still feel tiny between the towering buildings – is completely surreal. And perhaps because the Highline exudes such an extraordinary atmosphere, it seems to transform everyone into happy, polite and considerate sunbathing promenade-walkers. It’s a very different side to New York City, and we’ll be going back for more.