What I Hear

           During an early autumn afternoon, the sounds of one of the richest neighborhoods in New York City, Upper East Side, are a fusion of leisure and work.

            At the playground at Saint Park, on 1^st Avenue, between 67^th and 68^th streets, the harsh honk of the vehicles contrasts with the soothing sound of children playing as well as their parents or caregivers, who communicate with the infants while they look after them.

            At first, the sounds of this corner seem very chaotic. However, by sitting there for a while, one realizes that its sounds are pretty distinguished. Inside the park, the giggling of the children and their parents and caregivers engaging on their parents signify a space in the city where people can relax. The workers at nearby companies also stop by during their lunch break. Phone and personal conversations and their meal eating are also remarkable sounds in the park.

            The outside of the playground reflects the hectic aspect of the neighborhood. The sound of ambulance sirens is a result of the presence of a lot of hospitals, medical offices, and laboratories in the area. There are vehicle sounds: car/truck honks, squeaky of car brakes, etc, they all compose the surrounding space of the park. There are also sounds of people conversing while they walk or when they interact with a food vendor, for instance.

            Finally, some contrasts in a single neighborhood could be highlighted through the sounds of an Upper East Side playground.  It reflects the search of some relaxation in the middle of a chaotic city life.