Thousands of Feet
Some of the sidewalks along the Strand date back to the 1800s. The streets in many intersections reveal red paving bricks; the old sidewalks that remain are brick or slate. In places they are uneven with the wear of thousands of feet that have traveled down that street and can be treacherous if you don’t watch where you’re going. But, unlike the concrete that is gradually replacing the old stone and brick, they have a charm all their own.
Early one morning I was heading east along Strand, just after the fog had lifted, and the slate sidewalk was absolutely shining with dew. Footprints from the morning’s pedestrian traffic were still visible, but would not be for long.