Walk XVIII: Bushwick

Hey peoples!

Yeah, I know.  It’s been a while.  Sorry about that.  Got a lot going on these days.  Okay not really.  Though I was on vacation up until this past Thursday.

Me and the missus took a nine-day cruise, visiting Atlantic Canada and New England.  It was awesome.  I’d love to tell you all about the brilliant countryside of Prince Edward Island, but I’m not.  That’s not what this blog is about.  Instead of showing you awesome vacation pictures (like the photos I took of the historic Citadel in Halifax, Nova Scotia) I’m gonna show you Bushwick!

Yay!

So let us begin.

Length: 5.4 miles

Navigation: easy

Weather: a bit hot

Route:

I divvied this post into three sections: (1) Bushwick, (2) East Williamsburg Industrial Center and (3) Bushwick revisited.

1. Bushwick

The walk started in a not-so-picturesque part of town.  In fact, most of the walk wasn’t very picturesque at all.  At one point, my camera slapped me.

The first spectacle of note was a view of the Empire State Building.

Again, I could be telling you about whale watching off the coast on Bar Harbor, Maine.  I could even show you a picture.  Nope.  Not gonna do it.

Ready for more Bushwick?

Next up was Maria Hernandez Park, named after the inventor of the Pringle.

Okay, so I’m being a jerk.  Mrs. Hernandez did not, in fact, invent the Pringle.  She actually worked as a community organizer to try to rid Bushwick’s streets of drug dealers.

But what I find most fascinating about her is that she lived in Bushwick and worked in Englewood, NJ.  Ugh.  What an awful commute!

Cut through Manhattan? During rush? Barf.

The park, as you can see, wasn’t much too look at.  But they decided to honor Mrs. Hernandez by throwing in some oversized metal bongos and maybe a couple of xylophones.

She’d be so proud.

2. East Williamsburg Industrial Center

If you thought Bushwick was unimpressive…

Remember, I could be showing you what beautiful Newport, Rhode Island looks like from the top of a 17-deck cruise ship.

Not gonna do it.

East Williamsburg is either a northern part of Bushwick, an eastern part of Williamsburg or its own neighborhood.  I’m not really sure and I don’t think I care.  It’s a cheap place to live, so a lot of the hipsters who cannot afford their hipster lifestyle while maintaining rent in Williamsburg proper, move here.  Someday, this spot could be come as trendy and as douchebag-esque as Williamsburg itself.  Until then, it is merely home to some really cool graf.

The other notable item was McKibbin Playground.  It’s an interesting park that has its own fake subway system for kids to play in.

Note the lack of homeless people.

Regrettably, this combination of subway lines can not possibly run through the same station.

The playground is also home to the craziest play area I’ve ever seen.

Weeeeeee!

You figure it out.

3. Bushwick Revisited

Walking back to Bushwick, I happened upon yet another church.

Not too shabby.

But that church got the shit kicked out of it by St. Barbara’s!

BLAOW

I know that churches don’t necessarily fight each other.  But if they did, Ol’ Babs would be like the Chuck Norris of churches.

It even has a cool neighboring building.

I think they look nice together.

Lastly, I finally saw a house that didn’t depress me.  Here it be’s:

In summation: I fuckin hated this walk.  While there were some interesting things to show you guys (and even one of the sweetest-looking churches in all of Brooklyn), the majority of the walk was unpleasant.

Don’t do this walk.  Visit St. Barbara (on Central Ave and Bleecker St), but then go back home.

I’m sure Bushwick is a lovely place to live (?), but maybe not to walk through.

Epilogue:

Okay, okay.  You’ve been good.  Make sure to click on the pictures for a full-sized view.

Prince Edward Island

The Citadel in Halifax, Nova Scotia

A finback whale, found off the coast of Bar Harbor, Maine.

Newport, Rhode Island

Next up: Williamsburg!

See yas.