Want the ‘Real’ Brooklyn? Go Cheap
Brooklyn is a bona fide cultural capital but you dont have to spend a lot to appreciate it.
'Green-Wood cemetery seemed a natural place to spend a few hours in the midst of a hectic urban tour. I passed under its imposing Gothic Revival gates and began heading uphill on Battle Avenue, named after a Revolutionary War battle that took place across its nearly 500-acre grounds. The views of the surrounding area and New York Bay became impressive after just a few minutes of walking. After several days in Brooklyn, I was realizing not just how huge it was, but how flat so even the smallest changes in altitude provided for some great panoramas. The highest natural point in Brooklyn, Battle Hill, stands (at a mere 220 feet) within the cemetery.
Walking the lush, quiet grounds, perusing different headstones of the over half-million people interred (including Samuel Morse, Boss Tweed and Jean-Michel Basquiat) provided a sanctuary from the city. But it was also a promising stop in my quest to discover the essence of the borough today the quote-unquote real Brooklyn. And I was doing it in a way thats particularly improbable these days: on a budget.
I initially feared that would be something of a fools errand. Brooklyn denizens are fiercely protective of it; many who have left are highly critical of it. Everywhere is the Brooklyn of somewhere else; any coverage is liable to instigate a think piece. The layers of scrutiny make the borough a palimpsest.
Standing on a hill in Brooklyns landmark cemetery, with its peaceful environs and wonderful views, assuaged my anxiety and filled me with hope, as well as some historical context. This is Brooklyn, I imagined Boss Tweeds whiskey-soaked voice in my ear. Its too damned big, so dont even think about trying to cover everything.'>>>
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/06/travel/brooklyn-budget-frugal-travel.html?