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
Where's my backpack? 
Girl, these are challenges!! LOL Love that! I will have to see what I can come up with! I revealed my secret place in my Markets Travel Theme! Darn!
Next time I’m in the City I will look for this! I will also look you up…
Here is my entry! http://spiritualworldtraveler.wordpress.com/2012/06/19/travel-theme-secret-places/
Zully, something tells me you have many secret places – and your secret places post proves it – I am blown away at the beauty of those two deserts, I must see them for myself – and yes, I would love to meet up with you, here or there or somewhere in between 🙂
😀 Yes, they are amazing!
Would love to hang out!
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quede muda.. que placer, yo lo buscaria!! ya!
Es hermoso 🙂
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You can find mine here: http://travellersoul76.com/2012/06/19/travel-theme-secret-places/
Loved it, Kay, especially the way you imagined the little buddhas and musicicans cheering you on as you climbed up. So much fun 🙂
My secret place isn’t very far away —- but it’s really SECRET!
Your very own Hernando’s Hideaway in the heart of Mass. Brilliant 🙂
Here’s my secret place: http://heartrenovation.com/2012/06/19/travel-theme-secret-places/
Genius in hiding. Love it, Stephen, I checked out the site you linked to and found a wonderful quotation from Einstein that’s engraved on the bench he sits on: Joy and amazement of the beauty and grandeur of this world of which man can just form a faint notion.
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Here is my entry to Secret Places: http://wp.me/p23TG1-RS IRON WORKERS AT LUNCHTIME
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
Excellent find, Francine, I have yet to spot it.
Times Square…really interesting.Next visit to New york this is a must see.
I highly recommend it, travtrails 🙂
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Here’s my contribution to this week’s theme. http://adinparadise.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/travel-challenge-secret-places/
Good stuff, adinparadise, I’ve never seen sewing rooms like that. Love the dog siesta!
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Hi Ailsa,
I finally made a post for your challenge! Its not a “secret place” anymore, but it was when I was there and it is the first thing I thought of when you told me your title.
ps. I love your secret place! I was in NYC a couple of years ago and walked over these grates without knowing the secret – next time I will 🙂
Oh Jess, what stunning photos. I do hope it continues to be as lovely as the memories you have of it. xxx
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It took me a bit longer than expected to finally get the post ready, but here it is.. Maybe I’m also seeking some ‘secret place’ right now, trying to hide from reality during our family’s transition…?
Thanks for the constant inspiration!
Greetings from Brazil! 😮
Lovely photos, and best of luck with your move! Looking forward to your adventures in La Paz. xxx
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Almost too late 🙂 http://mothergrogan.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/travel-theme-secret-places/
Just in time 🙂 Beautiful shot of a secret place in the Polish Lake District xxx
Here I am. Always a day (or more) late and a dollar short. Welcome, all the same.
Not late at all, and what a lovely secret place you have 🙂
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Almost time for another theme — but here is mine for “Secret Place”: http://fourdeeroak.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/ordinary-secret-places/
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Hey Alisa, I love this theme. Read many interesting stories shared by other blogger. 🙂
Here is my entry –
Such a pristine beach on Sesoku Island. Really lovely.
Thank you, Alisa. 🙂
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Super cool!
Totally 🙂
Well … as they say, better late than never?? Here is my contribution to the “Secret Places” Challenge. I’ll be interested to know what you think. Thanks for this fun opportunity. 😀
http://serendipityplus.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/travel-theme-secret-places/
Thanks for letting us in on your secret place, Laura xxx
You’re so welcome. Look forward to this week! 😀
hi
very good idea.. at a young age I had a few secret places but as grow older and life took hold I was left with places to hide apart from a book i dive in .. but lately a young friend shared with me her secret garden , I will post that .. thank you for the great idea and for visiting my blog
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Hi
Here is my post
enjoy 🙂
http://dd16591569.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/travel-theme-secret-places-my-littel-friend-secret-garden/
lovely secret garden (although I’d be a little afraid of snakes too!)
🙂 when the grass is trimed we have our gumboots.. 🙂 all ready will take with us some mint .. snakes do not like mint
What an amazing post, @ailsapm! Thanks for sharing your secret place, as well as your friend’s intriguing ideas and successes in music and the arts. 😀
Thanks Catherine, I hope you get to see (and more importantly hear) this installation for yourself someday 🙂 xxx Ailsa
A little local park entrance n London:
What a clever idea, I love the tantalizing glimpse of what lies beyond!
Thanks for stopping by one of my blogs. I am glad you enjoyed today’s post. I hope you will drop by again and perhaps discover some of France’s secret places. 🙂
Léa
I enjoyed your post, Léa – perhaps you would like to take part in the weekly travel challenges I host – this week’s theme is Art. xx