Brooklyn’s main sight is the Brooklyn Bridge which takes you over to the borough and is one of the most beautiful bridges in the world.
Its architect, Johann August Röbling, lost his life during the construction. The work was continued by his son, Washington, but he had an accident and became wheelchair bound. His wife finished the work and the world’s then longest hanging bridge opened in 1883. Twenty workers died during its build, most of them from caisson disease (decompression sickness) after getting the bends while coming up from the underwater building chambers. They were followed by 12 more victims when a major accident happened by the foot of the bridge just a week after its opening. The ill-fated bridge has been the place of attempted suicides since. However New Yorkers can only view the bridge with admiration. Its hundredth birthday was celebrated with a huge party, special lights and fireworks. From Manhattan you can walk onto the bridge at around City Park. Walk to the middle without looking back, then suddenly turn around and you’ll be struck by the view.
The view from Brooklyn Heights Promenade is also stunning. This waterside walkway stretches from Remsen Street to Orange Street and from there you can see the southern part of Manhattan and also the Statue of Liberty. It’s great to watch the July 4th fireworks from here, once I managed to do just that. The crowd was counting the seconds backwards and at exactly 9pm the first rocket shoot up. When the sparkling fountain lit up the skyscrapers of my adored city I couldn’t speak. If you have the chance, don’t miss this miracle.
DUMBO (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is a neighbourhood between Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges and partly east of Manhattan Bridge that has become fashionable since the 70s.
Between these two bridges, there is an enchanting merry-go-round that’s worth visiting even if just for the views.
Since 2000, more and more restaurants and shops are opening in the area and most of the tech companies are located here. One of the gastronomic delights of the area is Grimaldi’s pizza (one of the city’s most famous pizzerias – 19 Old Fulton Street). The quality now seems to be going down while the queues are getting longer, so you better go next door to Juliana’s which anyway was the original Grimaldi.
Another popular pizzeria is Roberta’s which was on top of Time Out’s list of best pizzas. It’s on 261 Moore Street, close to the Morgan Avenue stop of the L subway.
Finally, DiFara pizzeria must be mentioned where Domenico DeMarco, who emigrated in 1959 from Italy, makes pizzas, that were found best by Zagat, day in day out. It’s located at 1424 J Avenue, near the J stop on the Q line and closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
My suggestion for those who like Japanese is the Iron Chef House where I had sensational crabs with mango.
Talking about gastronomy – the number one star is Smorgasburg, the streetfood and flea market held every weekend, the largest of its kind in the country.
Those who are interested in old trains might enjoy the New York Transit Museum which is situated in an old, unused subway station and exhibits old subway carriages and other transport curiosities.
For those who like flowers, I would suggest a visit to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden (1000 Washington Avenue) which can be reached by several subway lines from Manhattan. There are over 5000 rosebushes but my favourite is the hall displaying Japanese bonsai. It’s also worthwhile to check out the Japanese garden or the scented garden created for the blind where the information is displayed in Braille. It’s closed on Mondays and free on Tuesdays. Every Saturday and Sunday there are free guided tours at 1pm. These are really interesting so it’s better to skip the free Tuesday and visit during the weekend. Sure, you would have to pay the entrance fee but the enthusiastic guides know what is flowering and where, so you wouldn’t miss the most interesting sights.
Brooklyn is the home of hasidic jews – if you want to meet them and visit ultraorthodox churches, head to this neighbourhood.
Finally, one more must-see Brooklyn sight: Coney Island, which is actually not an island because the channel separating it from the mainland was filled in long ago. It’s quite far from the centre of Manhattan, about an hour on the subway but it is worth going.
The area used to be the weekend spot for Manhattan’s rich. As soon as the subway was built the sandy beach was within reach for poorer communities and the elegant holiday homes gave way to a fair-like atmosphere.
One of world’s most famous rollercoasters, the Cyclone, is here. It was built in 1927 (834 Surf Avenue).
There are also great views from the giant wheel.
The nearby New York Aquarium is known for its playful dolphins (corner of Surf and W.8th Street) but I have to admit I’m not a fan of places where animals are made to work for people’s entertainment.
The cherry on the cake is Brighton Beach or as it’s called locally, Little Odessa. It’s an area populated by Russian immigrants so conversations are conducted in a language familiar to our ears. It is as though we have stepped back in time. The first rays of sunshine bring out – the mostly older – residents who are sitting around on stripy sun-loungers, melancholically contemplating the questions of life. This seaside promenade is paradise for a portrait photographer.
The now big chain Nathan’s Famous Hotdogs originally opened in Coney Island and it’s considered the inventor of hot dog by its fans (1310 Surf Avenue).
