Robot Journal : The Heights. Fear of.

10/9/2007

Heights
Right. So, apparently I am scared of heights.
You may be thinking, "Yea, I knew this" - but you are mistaking my fear of the horrid early-90's TV "The Heights".
No, heights.
As in being up in the air.

Sunday, Mrs. Robot and I embarked on a whirlwind trip around Manhattan. Our first stop was the Rockefeller Center to see their roof gardens that they had opened to the public (as part of Open New York).
Even though we arrived there early, the line wrapped almost three blocks around and around. We always forget that in NYC, there are eight million other residents (plus tourists) who like to go do fun things.

Our next stop was 172nd street and the High Bridge Water Tower thing (also part of Open New York).
First, I haven't been that far uptown in... ever (I am not counting our few times up to Washington Heights).
There are like people way up there. Living in buildings. And doing stuff.
Amazing.
How they can live so far from Bon Bon Chicken... no idea.

High
Not only was I way uptown (I usually don't make it above 16th street during the week) which is fairly high up, but we then climbed this water tower.
According to the interwebs, it's 185 feet tall.

The Highbridge Water Tower: View from the bottom

We go into the tower and chat with the folks who are doing the event and then start climbing up. On the second or third floor I realize that the stair case is a "lacy, spiral iron staircase" deal that you can see right through.
At that moment I think, "Oh, I think I am supposed to be scared of heights" but I don't wimp out as there are two teenage boys who are also scared of heights and I want to at least be braver then the teens.

The very top floor is cool. There is a wood floor/platform that takes up half of the space (the other half is, um, Death Star tractor beam bottomless void) and windows on every side so that you can see the city.
Nice views.

Pointless Stairs

The Highbridge Water Tower: Pointless (and scary) Steps

Everyone was climbing up this very narrow, spiral staircase that went into the ceiling (probably a little over two stories tall). This scared the Jeebus out of me as it is not over the nice wood floors, but kind of out there in the void). Granted, there are railings and stuff - but, still.
see that flickr photo if that makes no sense (which I assume it doesn't)

We climbed the spiral staircase into a pitch black small room (Mrs. Robot going about 5 times faster than me and taking photos - my brain wanting me to yell, "Keep your hands on the railing! What are you doing! Slow down! Aiyeee!")
The room was full of people standing around all thinking, "Well. This room is dark. And small."
Mrs. Robot suggested that it would be a good place to make out, which made my brain for all of one second consider that idea, until it was jarred back to the reality that I would have to now climb down.

Down
The way down was awesome.
You start down the staircase in the dim light and then come out of the ceiling back into the big room and the light. That space where on one side you see happy people and the other side you see the great void of death.
The slowest descent ever. My legs were all jelly.

Fear Smear
The fear of heights is dumb. I know there is no way I am going to fall. The railings aren't going to suddenly all break.
Stupid fears.

Bless this mess
We also went to see all the animals getting blessed.
Then we had an amazing lunch at this Mexican place in Morningside Heights and I almost died from a full belly and it was good and I don't remember the name or else I'd post it here and we'd all go and it wasn't Chipolte.
There.

Oh, and we are having some problems with Google.
Or Google has some problems with happyrobot.
Long story (Dicks w/ Chicks).

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