Want the ‘Real’ Brooklyn? Go Cheap

[elleng]

Brooklyn is a bona fide cultural capital — but you don’t have to spend a lot to appreciate it.

'Green-Wood cemetery seemed a natural place to spend a few hours in the midst of a hectic urban tour. I passed under its imposing Gothic Revival gates and began heading uphill on Battle Avenue, named after a Revolutionary War battle that took place across its nearly 500-acre grounds. The views of the surrounding area and New York Bay became impressive after just a few minutes of walking. After several days in Brooklyn, I was realizing not just how huge it was, but how flat — so even the smallest changes in altitude provided for some great panoramas. The highest natural point in Brooklyn, Battle Hill, stands (at a mere 220 feet) within the cemetery.

Walking the lush, quiet grounds, perusing different headstones of the over half-million people interred (including Samuel Morse, Boss Tweed and Jean-Michel Basquiat) provided a sanctuary from the city. But it was also a promising stop in my quest to discover the essence of the borough today — the quote-unquote real Brooklyn. And I was doing it in a way that’s particularly improbable these days: on a budget.

I initially feared that would be something of a fool’s errand. Brooklyn denizens are fiercely protective of it; many who have left are highly critical of it. Everywhere is “the Brooklyn” of somewhere else; any coverage is liable to instigate a think piece. The layers of scrutiny make the borough a palimpsest.

Standing on a hill in Brooklyn’s landmark cemetery, with its peaceful environs and wonderful views, assuaged my anxiety and filled me with hope, as well as some historical context. “This is Brooklyn,” I imagined Boss Tweed’s whiskey-soaked voice in my ear. “It’s too damned big, so don’t even think about trying to cover everything.”'>>>

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/06/travel/brooklyn-budget-frugal-travel.html?

[Major Nikon]

1. I find this is true just about everywhere