6 Students in tow

Visited the High Line on Manhattan's West Side on Thursday, June 16, with students from an ESL writing class I'm teaching this summer, where I lead walks to an area attraction or a neighborhood once a week and return to class the next day to write about our experience and observations. 

Our first excursion didn't go too badly. Besides the fact that the instructor was the only one taking notes, the students had comments and questions and actually had interesting things to say about the area's mix of old and new. The old bricks of dilapidated-looking and graffiti-adorned apartment buildings right up against sleek, futuristic architectural artwork whose sides slant into the park before going straight up as if it were part of the design of the High Line, itself.  

It's like competition, one student from China said, except no one wins; they all end up coexisting. 

Wow. Brilliant, I thought. Here I was a little concerned that they might be bored out of their minds, and suddenly a comment that meant they'd actually had their eyes peeled and making observations like they were supposed to. Whew! 

A student from Russia who is set to begin his graduate studies at Columbia and who plans to eventually work on Wall Street shared his thoughts about renting one the apartments that abut the High Line. One that was still under construction should be ready by the time he makes his first million, he said.

One or two students unfortunately weren't too excited about walking around in the sun, which actually wasn't too bad for a nice afternoon in June, but what can you say. Can't please everyone. Trite, but true.

One of a few flower boxes on an apartment that stands
flush against the elevated park.

One of several running benches along the path. This one
continues on to become a few levels of stadium seating.

Tracks along the path to remind visitors of
the High Line's original purpose.

Plants and flowers that are wild-looking, but as I learned were
actually strategically placed to resemble the invasive weeds
that grew on the abandoned High Line.