Center of New York-2 ニューヨークの中心ー２

Probably because of el niño, today is unusually warm, so we decided to do some more exploration of an area where we came several years ago. This area is geographically the center of NY city but it is a huge area dedicated to cemeteries sharing borders they march on next to next. Each one looks like a part of a bigger cemetery and you will assume you can transverse from one to another but actually they are independent, enclosed by high fences. There is typically only one entrance. It is not very efficient for explorers to hit the border after a long walk and then have to come back to the entrance.
エルニーニョの影響か、今日はとても暖かいので数年前に来た探検の後を続けるべく、ここに来ている。この一体は大きな墓地がいくつも連なっている。それら の間は通り抜けができるように見えながら、実はフェンスで囲まれ、独立しているので大体出入り口は一箇所。土地が広いので、入ったところまで引返さすのは 探検隊としては効率が酷く悪い。今日の町は、暖かさに誘われて、通りでも公園でも、人がいっぱい繰り出しているのに、何とここは静かなのだろう。この広大 な空間に人っ子一人いない。いつもＮＹのうるささに参っているから、この別世界は快い。

How quiet it is here!! on this warm day in Manhattan there were many people outside enjoying the sunshine. There is nobody here. This escape from the city is so refreshing. Not only for the noise level but also there is a very special atmosphere, almost surreal. There are many classical Greek style Mausoleums laid out as a townscape; it almost a miniature town, but there is no one alive here.
しかも、その静けさにあいまって、このランドスケープにはシュールリアリスティックな感じが漂っていてなんともいえない。ギリシャ建築のミニチュアのような家型の霊廟がいくつも並んでいる。生きているような町並みを作っているのに、しかし生きた人は誰も住んでいない。

I was thinking of Aoyama cemetery in Tokyo which is located in the center of the city, and similarly is vast like these cemeteries, but I have an image of HANAMI with cherry blossom picnics and people enjoying sitting under the cherry canopy every spring. It is quite different, people come and enjoy the space in Aoyama where the tombs are rigidly laid out as if the priority is how many tombs can be packed in, there is not even a place to sit down except on the monuments.
これが青山墓地ならば、お花見のイメージがあるので、こうゆう雰囲気にはまずならない。しかも青山墓地では地面を機械的に割り振って、墓石を置いてあるだけなので、なおさらこうゆう感じにはならない。

We decided to have a picnic here like Aoyama next time. Is it too disrespectful? I think it is a shame not to enjoy any kind of space at any time.
次回はここでピクニックをしようと決めた。不謹慎だって？この空間を楽しまないのはなんとももったいない。