Across the Brooklyn Bridge and Beyondby Colette Connolly Imagine living in Brooklyn during the 1800s and looking across the East River to Manhattan, at the time one of the busiest waterways on earth. Despite the fact that there were hundreds of ships sailing up and down the estuary’s turbulent waters, there was no way to get to the other side.
 The advantage of having a convenient link between the two growing but separate cities of New York and Brooklyn was obvious. The idea, however, was considered a near impossible feat until noted bridge builder Joseph Roebling came up with a plan to build a suspension bridge complete with limestone, granite and cement towers and held together by steel cables. Earlier bridges in the United States had been made of iron, but Roebling considered steel, which was being used to construct the nation’s railroads, to be much stronger and dependable.
 This amazing story came to mind on a recent spring day as I walked across this well-traveled bridge, which turned 125 years old this year. Today, it is used by commuters and tourists alike, but in 1883, when it was officially opened, its construction was considered a “wonder of science.”
 My journey, which took about an hour to complete, began on Park Row, across from City Hall. You can get there by taking the number 4, 5 or 6 subway trains and getting off at the Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall stop, or you can take the N or R trains or the numbers 2 and 3 trains and get off at Park Place.
The one-mile path, which is also heavily traversed by cyclists, is a relatively easy one to walk. On hot days, be sure to bring a cool drink (although you’ll see plenty of vendors selling water at both ends of the bridge). Another word of caution: stay within the pedestrian lane as cyclists travel rather quickly. My 7-year-old son had a near-miss with one and was careful to stay close to his sister after that. At each of the arches, the walkway widens allowing travelers to take a short break. It’s an ideal spot to read about the history of the bridge and the many immigrants who shed blood, sweat and tears to build this famous landmark. It turns out that they toiled in what were known as pneumatic caissons, large, airtight cylinders located underwater where workers cleared away layers of silt. Many of them got caisson disease, otherwise known as the bends, a condition that affects the nitrogen levels of the blood due to sudden changes in air pressure.  It’s also a good place to take pictures of the city. My kids were happy to point out the Empire State Building, which is about two miles away, as well as the art deco Chrysler Building. From the south side, we could see parts of the South Street Seaport area with Governor’s Island (a former Coast Guard installation) in the background. From that side of the bridge, you can also see the Statue of Liberty and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
 Before you enter Brooklyn, there are plaques on the bridge that provide the history of the borough. We got off the bridge, taking the stairwell located on Prospect Street between Cadman  Plaza East and West. That led us to DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), a gentrified neighborhood that was once home to the manufacturing industry, but is now occupied by artists and other creative types.
 Unfortunately for us it was a Sunday, and many of the restaurants and cafes in DUMBO appeared to be closed. The very popular Grimaldi’s Pizzeria was a no-go that day, (the long line and the anticipated wait was too much for my hungry kids), and the River Café on Water Street was way too pricey and fancy for us. We could have stopped at the Jacques Torres chocolate shop or the Almondine bakery, but we chose to eat at Bubby’s Brooklyn, a restaurant serving traditional American fare..
 After a nice lunch, we took a stroll to the nearby Brooklyn Bridge Park, nestled between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. It’s a nice place to chill out and take in the lower Manhattan skyline. Watching pleasure boats, New York  City water taxis and other craft going up and down the East River was a very relaxing end to an active and fun day.
If You Go:Jacques Torres Chocolate
www.jacquestorres.com Almondine
www.almodinebakery.com The River Café
www.rivercafe.com Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
www.grimaldis.com New York Water Taxi
www.nywatertaxi.com
(212) 742-1969 Colette Connolly is a freelance writer living in the New York area. You can find other samples of her work at www.conwrite.com. by Colette Connolly. | 
