Return to the Bronx (Part I)

So much for last Saturday being the last marathon Key to the City day.  I'd intended to run up quickly to the Bronx today to stop by the two last destinations up there.  (The first three were on a weekend trip earlier in the month.)  Instead, a friend from work joined me and we had a whole afternoon adventure, eventually hitting five of the remaining destinations--more than any other single day.

Leaving work, we ran by Union Square where Lynn and two of her work friends were having lunch.  Then we were off on the subway up to the Bronx.  I had heard that the first stop, Public School 73 was at the top of the steepest hill in the Bronx.  Thinking we might skip the uphill climb, we  took the subway one stop further than necessary in hopes of coming out on top of the hill.  No luck there.  We hard to climb a stairwell reminiscent of Montmartre in Paris to get up to the street and find PS 73.  I thought we might have struck out right away when we got to the front doors and they were locked.  Fortunately, there was an open door around the side of the building.

Boy did that bring back memories.  We walked in and immediately saw those fold-up long picnic tables, drinking fountains, and walls full of childrens' art projects.  A couple security guards (it is the Bronx after all, but there were no metal detectors or security bars to perpetuate that stereotype) showed us to the front lobby.  There, we found a display case that typically holds announcements for the students.  It was full of Key holders' notes as well, so we unlocked the case and added our own.  Mine: "School days.  Do I miss you?  NO."  My friend's: "Playing hooky from work to go back to school!"

A short walk, fortunately downhill this time, took us over to the Grand Concourse.  Our destination was deep inside the Bronx County Courthouse.  The guide book suggested that we "Be patient: security and freedom of access have to coexist."  It was referring to the very strict security measures we had to go through to get into the courthouse.  I took everything I had out of my pockets and the metal detectors still beeped; it was more sensitive than any airport I've gone through in years.

The directions were surprisingly complex, sending us down a couple hallways, to a stairway into a lower level, and down more hallways.  We walked past the Marriage Bureau where there were several couples waiting to be married, and down another hall.  At the end of it was a small plastic "quality service survey box."  Anyone could drop their suggestions in, but only with a Key could we open the box and read what's inside.  Interestingly, there were no quality service surveys, only notes from other Key holders.  We once again added our own, one reading "Nice to come in through the visitors' entrance this time!"

All five stops in the Bronx complete!  Next stop, Manhattan....

(I'll put the map on the second part of the day's adventure, in the next post.)