nice day today.....

sort of a quintessential early summer day with a nice breeze and very little humidity (why did I want to write "humility") Well, anyway, just got a ticket to The Tempest, tonight, which means I will be staying in the neighborhood all day, won't have to use my just expired metro card, which means I can extend it for a day. Important?  Somewhat, anyway seem to have forgotten all the problems of the world, and just "coasting" as the day continues.
Yesterday, after library, did just as  I thought I would, walked down the Parkway to Franklin, south on Franklin, Amazing difference from the north side of Eastern Parkway on Franklin to the south, which still seems like a lower income west Indian community. Continued on Franklin till it ran out, then over to Bedford, a street that once past Crown, shows very little signs of gentrifying. Passed Ebbets Field Houses, a large middle income project that faces the east side of Bedford (as the ballpark did) and you can see that all the businesses on that part of Bedford are designed to service the people who live in those houses. Probably more signs of gentrification on either Nostrand or Rogers, two streets that I did not explore yesterday, that lie directly east of Bedford. At some point, I think it was either Maple of Midwood Street walked the long block to Flatbush (some beautiful architecture on that block, some "stately" apartment houses, and continued south on Flatbush, lots of simple businesses, and a few coffee places as I continued, stayed on Flatbush all the way up to Caton Avenue (the park is over by then) and then back to Bedford on Caton, lots of apartment houses on that block. Then jumped on bus (49) heading south, not sure where I would get off, but noticed that after Faragut Road, neighborhood seems to change, much less traffic, much more mellow, this is the beginning of the "second" part of Brooklyn, one that seems more like a series of small towns far away from all the building and "hot" neighborhoods.
Got off the bus on Avenue J, very rarely go that far south. Two blocks of homes, no apartments, then hit East 18th street ; at that point Avenue J becomes very commercial, there is the famous Pizza Place right by the Q train stop, but all the other business, food places, etc, are hasidic. Interesting mix of people from Hasidic to Islamic to Hispanic to.... Street really bustling----the 6 bus travels from west to east on that street, ends up in East New York---terrific contrast from East 18th street---thought I might take it, but decided not to, maybe some other time, always some anxiety re traveling from
"well to do" to "poor" neighborhood, even if the subway is right at the end of the line. Should do it sometime in the future.
Rest of day, took Q back to Cortelyou Road, stopped off at a few places there, then to Brooklyn and a visit to South fourth, always a good place to end Sunday's travels, to say goodbye to Dylan the bartender and "hang" with friends Alison and Bill. Long talk with Alison, first in a long time, really fun.
So ends my day of travels...will report on the rest of this day tomorrow...