Travel theme: Secret Places

Posted on June 15, 2012 by ailsapm

I have a secret I’ve been bursting to tell you about since I first found out about it, but I held on for three entire days so that I could share it with you today for the travel theme, in the hopes that you might share one of your secret places too.

A very dear friend of mine, Dan, was in town this week with a show. Dan is an extremely talented actor and musician, and a gifted teacher. I know this for a fact because we first met doing a show where Dan was music director, and he not only managed to teach me a series of challenging songs, but also magically got me to understand syncopated rhythm and taught me how to play a number of percussion instruments from around the world. Suffice it to say, in all things acoustic, I would follow Dan to the end of the world. In this instance, however, I only had to follow him to Times Square.

After a wonderful evening catching up on life since we last met, we were walking towards Times Squares when Dan’s eyes lit up and he said he wanted to find the sound installation in Times Square. I was perplexed. I have walked through Times Square countless times and never noticed a sound installation, but I figured if there was such a thing, Dan would find it. I wandered through the neon-lit square which was completely deserted in the wee small hours, looking high and low for some mysterious exhibit to no avail, but when I turned, I saw Dan had stopped on the sidewalk with a great smile on his face. “Listen,” he said quietly, and as I stood on the metal grating in the sidewalk, I was enveloped in a rich, harmonic sound that seemed to rise from the grating and hover somewhere just above my head. It is hard to describe; a resonance with the essence of bells or gongs after they have been struck, or a church organ; a vibration of tones, a texture almost. It moved with me, as I travelled the length of the grating, shifting in volume and tone.

Times Square’s secret sound installation

The artwork, appropriately called ‘Times Square’, is the work of artist Max Neuhaus, and is a skillful amplification of resonances already present underground, caused by the intersecting of several subway tunnels under the spot where the grating lays. There is no plaque marking the installation; it is something I guess Max Neuhaus intended for people to find in their own way. It is a secret hiding in plain sight.

Here’s the best thing about the discovery. In the days since I first stood on the grating, I have passed through Times Square’s hustle and bustle in the middle of the day and made a point to walk over the grating. Each time I do so, the wall of sound drowns out the surrounding clamour and time seems to slow down just a little. It’s like a secret peaceful island in the middle of a sea of chaos, and it makes me smile.

If you’re passing through Times Square, look for the installation in the triangular pedestrian island between 45th and 46th street, and smile a secret smile when you find it.

If you have a secret place you’d like to share, create your own post between now and next Friday, title it “Travel theme: Secret Places” and put a link to this page in your blog post to make it easy for others to find your post.  Where’s your secret place?

xxx Ailsa

About ailsapm

Hi there! I’m Ailsa Prideaux-Mooney. I’ve lived in many places, and travelled to many more. I had a lot of fun getting there and being there, wherever there happened to be at the time. I climbed a castle wall in Czesky Krumlov, abseiled down cliffs to go caving in the west of Ireland, slept on the beach in Paros, got chased by a swarm of bees in Vourvourou (ok that wasn’t fun, but it was exciting), learned flower arranging in Tokyo, found myself in the middle of a riot in Seoul, learned to snowboard in Salzburg, got lost in a labyrinth in Budapest and had my ice cream stolen by a gull in Cornwall. And I’m just getting started. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read so far, I’d love you to follow my travelogue - wheresmybackpack.com - and remember, anyone who tries to tell you it’s a small world hasn’t tried to see it all.
This entry was posted in New York, Photography, Travel, United States, Weekly Travel Themes and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

231 Responses to Travel theme: Secret Places

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →
  1. livvy30 says:
    June 17, 2012 at 9:45 am

    I wish I’d known that when I was in New York in April. I didn’t travel so far for this one! http://ayearinmyshoes.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/travel-theme-secret-places/

  2. Pingback: Travel theme: Secret Places | thirdeyemom

  3. thirdeyemom says:
    June 17, 2012 at 9:55 am

    Wonderful post Ailsa! I would love to explore this secret place! Here is my entry. I can’t seem to get enough of this place.
    http://thirdeyemom.com/2012/06/17/travel-theme-secret-places/

  5. Pingback: Travel Theme: Secret Places | Lucid Gypsy

    • ailsapm says:
      June 17, 2012 at 11:58 pm

      Absolutely brilliant take on the theme, Gilly! And Madhu’s response just made me squeal with delight! I love our WordPress community. 🙂

  7. Pingback: Travel theme: Secret Places: CASTLE « Pictures in living color

  8. Lynne Ayers says:
    June 17, 2012 at 8:47 pm

    I love this! No wonder you were bursting to share.

  9. Pingback: Travel Theme: Secret Places « globalcitizensam

  10. globalcitizensam says:
    June 17, 2012 at 8:55 pm

    Hey Alisa! I finally gave this theme a shot!

    Travel Theme: Secret Places

    • ailsapm says:
      June 18, 2012 at 12:05 am

      Hurray, so glad you joined in this week’s theme, Sam. I’ve never heard of the Perhentian Islands but they look amazing. And the ocean bed is one of the best secret places ever.

    • ailsapm says:
      June 18, 2012 at 1:41 am

      Tolon looks like a peaceful little fishing village. While I’ve spent quite some time in Greece, I’ve never explored the Peloponnese at all. I’ve always wanted to see Sparta.

  12. Pingback: Travel Theme: Secret Place | Beyond the Brush

  13. Albadr Nasution says:
    June 17, 2012 at 11:05 pm

    Wow, another hard-level challenge. I hate you Ailsa… (-.-) [i’m joking ^^v] But it is very interesting. Make me think what place that can be considered as secret places in my city. Hmm… You make my head tilt hard.

  14. Pingback: Travel Theme: Secret Place | I am Perfectly Imperfect

  15. island traveler says:
    June 17, 2012 at 11:45 pm

    Secret places of fun, adventure, discovery and excitement. What an amazing theme for the week. Thanks.

  16. The Perfectly Imperfect One says:
    June 18, 2012 at 12:12 am

    While mine this week isn’t all that secret, I mean you can find it on a map, I still think it is pretty neat 🙂

    Travel Theme: Secret Place

  17. eof737 says:
    June 18, 2012 at 2:21 am

    I like those city grates.. always make me wonder what’s underneath besides the subway. 😉

  18. Pingback: Raindrops | The Eco and the Id

  19. DagEnDauw says:
    June 18, 2012 at 5:38 am

    My secret place is a spot where I can watch the world without being watched…
    The place from where I took this picture for example…
    ► http://dagendauw.blogspot.be/2012/06/het-erelogegevoel .html

    😉

    • ailsapm says:
      June 18, 2012 at 5:44 am

      Brilliant, Dauw, I love the use of colour in this shot, and I can really relate to it too, sneaking a peak from behind the curtains before the show goes up! 🙂

  21. pommepal says:
    June 18, 2012 at 6:21 am

    Makes me want to go back to visit NY again. Amazing what there is to discover that only locals know about. Thanks for the invite to your blog. Will work on it…

  22. Pingback: Secret Places – The Subterranean Cities Of Cappadoccia « The Urge To Wander

  23. ailsapm says:
    June 18, 2012 at 9:25 am

    Just in case anyone has missed Sue’s beautiful entries for the travel theme this week, here are her links:
    http://suellewellyn2011.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/travel-theme-secret-places/
    and this stunning chap:
    http://suellewellyn2011.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/travel-theme-secret-places-2/
    xxx Ailsa

  24. Pingback: Travel Theme: Secret Places | newsofthetimes

  26. Pingback: Travel Theme: Secret Places « Wanderlustress

  27. Ink. [Anette] says:
    June 18, 2012 at 10:15 am

    How delicate and how brilliantly thought of. Like an eternity, infinite or unending time in Time Square. So cool.

  28. Wanderlustress says:
    June 18, 2012 at 10:17 am

    You really had me thinking about this one Ailsa! Thanks! I couldn’t help reinterpreting the theme. Still captures the spirit of it though…http://wp.me/p2clok-m4.

  29. beyondpaisley says:
    June 18, 2012 at 10:34 am

    I realize I’m coming to the party a little late, but… 🙂 http://beyondpaisley.net/2012/06/18/travel-theme-secret-places/

    • ailsapm says:
      June 18, 2012 at 10:55 am

      Hurrah, welcome aboard the party train, beyondpaisley – it’s never too late to join 🙂 I love your ode to Venice. xxx Ailsa

  30. Pingback: Travel Theme: Secret Places « weird & cool stuff seen while out & about

  33. Pingback: Travel Theme: Secret Places « Incidentally

  34. dema1497 says:
    June 18, 2012 at 3:58 pm

    Hi Ailsa, now I reveal to you my beloved secret place on earth 😀
    http://demaodyssey.com/2012/06/18/travel-theme-secret-places/

    • ailsapm says:
      June 18, 2012 at 4:05 pm

      I can see why you love it so much, and why it would remind you of your home, it looks like a really beautiful part of the world. So glad you could join in the travel theme 🙂 xxx Ailsa

      • dema1497 says:
        June 18, 2012 at 4:10 pm

        It is very special places, it might not everyone cup of tea but for me… as soon as I touch its ground, I can say to myself… I’m home! 🙂
        Thank you for inviting me Ailsa 🙂 xxx Deni

  35. 4otomo says:
    June 18, 2012 at 4:05 pm

    Hi Ailsa
    ……….perhaps its somebody elses secret place until you find it, then it becomes yours ……..:-)
    here’s my post for this week…http://4otomo.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/travel-theme-secret-places/

  36. Pingback: Travel theme: Secret Places | One step at a time

  37. Pingback: Travel Theme – Secret Places | Canoe Communications's Blog

  38. canoe & communications says:
    June 18, 2012 at 8:07 pm

    I found a secret place today with a historic connection of a Chicago mayor and a president. http://canoecommunications.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/travel-theme-secret-places/

  39. Pingback: Travel theme— Secret Places « gypsy life

  40. pommepal says:
    June 18, 2012 at 9:11 pm

    Hi Ailsa, your challenge got me thinking back over our 2010 trip round Aus and so I have put in one of our most favourite places http://pommepal.wordpress.com/

  41. Pingback: TRAVEL THEME: Secret Spaces « mywordwall

  42. Pingback: Travel Theme: Secret Place « scrapydo

  43. trishworth says:
    June 18, 2012 at 11:36 pm

    Ailsa, I’ve just been through many of the secret place posts from your followers and now I have to stop and get on with the rest of my life. It took me ages! If you have a day job, you might have to go part-time so you can read all the posts you’re generating. Your ideas are so interesting that people feel more challenged here than on the Daily Post page. Thanks for thinking differently. Well done.

    • ailsapm says:
      June 19, 2012 at 8:31 pm

      Thanks for your kind words, Trish, this week’s theme has uncovered a huge number of fantastic secrets, hasn’t it? Now to go visit them all – that would be a full time job. 😉

  44. Pingback: Travel Theme: Secret Places | The Kindness Kronicles

  45. bekabuluh says:
    June 19, 2012 at 2:27 am

    Postcards from a Secret Place, my response to this challenge: http://bekabuluh.wordpress.com/2012/06/19/postcards-from-a-secret-place/

  46. Pingback: Postcards from a Secret Place « bekabuluh

  47. Pingback: Travel Theme: Secret Places « Cosy Photography

  49. Pingback: Travel theme: Secret Places « maxidiehexi

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →

Comments are closed.