Prayers Needed

On my birthday, Toby took the day off and we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and hung out in DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). DUMBO is an up-and-coming ritzy neighbourhood, with restaurants and boutiques and tonnes of small art galleries. I think the old warehouses will be redeveloped over the next few years into condos.

We spent the afternoon hanging out on the East River. There is a nifty park between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, filled with people throwing stones into the water (why is that such a universal?), people picnicking, and many dogs enjoying the warm, sunny day. Ahhh....

Can't just sit and soak up the sunshine, however, so we walked around a few blocks. Came across a Buddhist temple (monastery?) with gorgeous yellow-painted cement walls. Above the walls we saw a jarring sight: Tibetan prayer flags strung along the razor wire barriers.