« Architecture in Bloggerville | Main | Sounds & Images »
November 29, 2004
Wandering Fever
A passage from the amazing book, Songlines, by Bruce Chatwin.
"The names of the brothers are a matched pair of opposites. Abel comes from the Hebrew 'hebel', meaning 'breath' or 'vapour': anything that lives and moves and is transient, including his own life. The root of 'Cain' appears to be the verb 'kanah': to 'acquire', 'get', 'own property', and so 'rule' or subjugate'..." ...
"His [Jahweh] sanctuary is the Mobile Ark, His House a tent, his altar a cairin of rough stones."
I took these two photos in lower Manhattan. Just imagine what a little less grid, and lot more natural curving would do to the experience of our buildings?? Is it any wonder that New York's famed Broadway, follows the orginal (natural) walking path/trail north?
Pascal said, "Our nature lies in movement; complete calm is death."
New York Songlines provides a memory of sites as you navigate the grid, while you engage the Cruise.
Posted by jmarston at November 29, 2004 02:39 PM
Comments
damn, sometime before I die I will visit New York.
I'd love to take a walking tour there, I never really thought about how the place is laid out.
Posted by: Joe at November 30, 2004 01:16 PM
I would love to give you my walking tour, not so bad if i saw so myself. you're welcome anytime...
Posted by: Dave at November 30, 2004 02:32 PM