Discussion»Statements»Rosie's Corner» Is there any other city in the whole wide world like New York? Right smack dab in the middle it has an ENORMOUS PARK! Unique? One 0f a kind?
Longview, WA ... doesn't compare size-wize to NYC, but it does have a park in the middle. The entire city was planned and built on swamp ... so they left a lake in the middle. The walking trail around it is 3 miles, so the park is about 1.5 miles long and about a two blocks wide.
Swamp Walt? Don't swamps attract mosquitos and other things that bite? How do you build anything on top of swamp? What kind understructure does it take and how deep must it be? I guess engineers test for things like that and structural engineers are the ones who design the base? Ever feel like the city is sinking? A lake that was born from a swamp? No fresh water gets in right? So it's stagnant or do they pump in fresh water? If it's safe and sound it seems to me to be a delightful place to spend some time. What is a swamp anyway? It isn't like quicksand right? It's just a depression with water that never goes anywhere? Are swamps fed by live water constantly replenishing them? I think of a swamp a filled with trees and insects and maybe a stench from whateveri is there that is decaying. Dark and foreboding. Ever been in a swamp? Thank you for your reply Walt. Wonder why they didn't name it "Swampland" or "Swampville"? Longview? Interesting.
They basically leveled a hill to raise the ground where the swamp was, as well as create dikes/levies that keep the Cowlitz and Columbia Rivers from flooding the city.
At various times, the lake has been connected via underground pipes to the rivers. Even then, the water was pretty stagnant ... so they have installed a couple fountains that act to help circulate and aerate the water.
How kind of you to take the time to follow up with me Walt! That makes big sense. I think circulating the water and aerating it is good but replacing it would be better...or rather having fresh water flow in from some source. I have to say naming a rivier COWLITZ? Sounds like COWLIPS. But I digress. There are some very weird place names in California so where do I get off making fun of any names in other states? How much would you LOVE to visit DEATH VALLEY? Not much I bet. :)
My family drove through Death Valley one year ... in a VW Bus. Those things didn't have AC. We drove through with all the windows open, to get a breeze. I remember my dad decided we would drive at night, so we stopped at a motel with a swimming pool - and the bottom of the pool was so rough that we all got blisters on the bottom of our feet. Made the next couple days very difficult.
I haven't either franc and it is pretty unlikely that I ever will. I mean my age and being on the other coast and what with this pandemic threat of death it's not likely. Thank you for your reply and Happy Tuesday to you. STAY SAFE! :)
I recall a flight from Glasgow to London which descended below cloud cover and approached Heathrow from the East, and slightly South of the Thames, on a dark night.
This gave us an impressive view of large black shapes, within a galaxy of lights - the parks and river surrounded by many square miles of streets.
That info makes me so very happy Durdle. I'm not a traveler so I wouldn't know. What I have seen of New York City is on the TV. Years ago when I traveled on occasion for the job I had we flew in from L.A. late at night and then drove to someplace on Long Island near where we were going to have a meeting the next day. We drove from the motel to the plant where we stayed all day. Drove back to the motel at night and flew back to L.A. the next day. Never saw anything but lots of lights coming in at night...oh and THE STATUE OF LIBERTY which honestly thrilled me. Do you have a favorite park near your home where you go often? I think in Central Park people jog and bike and skate and walk their dogs and play chess and sit and read. It's a magnet for people who like to do things and not have to travel far to do them. Thank you for your reply! :)
Oh yes, the sort of informal rest and recreation you describe is pretty much universal in parks and gardens even in quite modest towns, around the world. That is their purpose.
There is a public garden only a couple of minutes' walk from my home, but as it's so close and I have a small back garden of my own, I don't usually use it! I can anyway walk the fairly short distances to the sea, and indeed did so only this evening.
Oh my goodness Durdle. YOU CAN WALK TO SEE THE SEA? Be still my heart! Lucky you. If you told me that before I must have forgotten. I bet it is quite lovely where you live. Enjoy every moment. I'm sure you do or at least try to. Thank you for your reply! :)
WOW! Awesome it is m'dear! I've always thought of Aussie's as athletic and energetic. That is a beautiful aerial view of your city! Do you and your family go "parking" a lot? Or did you when your children were young 'uns? Thank you for that photo. It's a really nifty place you live R! :)
This post was edited by Slartibartfast at August 5, 2020 4:36 AM MDT
Walt O'Reagun 