Aerial

Dormers, originally uploaded by Goggla.

I love the jumbly buildings that line the south side of Canal. They resemble a camp photo of gangly teens - varying heights, fragile, bursting with potential, gaudy and awkward. If they weren't propped up against each other, they might all fall like dominoes. Facing the sun, rise to set, they see and experience it all. The ever-present activity on Canal Street - cars, trucks, traffic cops, swarms of tourists, even bigger swarms of street vendors, hustlers, bustlers, vagabonds and tradespeople. The facades are ornate, detailed and worn, bold and fanciful like costume jewelry. Used and abused, often neglected, but still hanging on.