Meet 97th Street
I bade farewell to the Upper East Side and Carnegie Hill as I began ambling across 97th Street. I then officially began walking the side streets in what is designated as Harlem. I must admit that I was surprised by how completely residential the street has become. Once I approached Fifth Avenue, however, it became slightly busier. El Paso Taqueria – one of three El Paso restaurants on the Upper East Side – sells Mexican street food and is known for its tequila bar. A little farther east, I stood for a long time gazing at the brilliant St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral, which was built in part thanks to funds donated by Czar Nicholas II.
It was late spring when I walked through Central Park, and this allowed me a sun-filled stroll across to Riverside Park. There, I discovered the Dinosaur Playground, home to two fiberglass dinosaurs, a triceratops, and a hadrosaur. The playground was built in the 1930s as part of the West Side Improvement Project. It features sandboxes, swings, spray showers, and various climbing structures, all of which were covered in happy children. I was content to simply enjoy the shade of the trees and the views of the Hudson…a beautiful and calm day.
