New York Trip 2018

It’s been more than a month since my last trip to New York, I still haven’t gotten a chance to talk about my experience. I still can’t get it out of my mind those amazing few days. It was just my younger brother, my mom and myself–We been talking for months to pay my older brother and his wife a long due visit. I don’t even know where to start. It was really one of the most satisfying, exhilarating trip I had experienced in a long time with my family. I miss the days when my family used to go on long road trips. We used to tell stories, crack jokes, play games. This trip was just like the old ones. It was so good seeing my family all together after a long time.

My brother has been living here for almost two years and he always talks about how much he loves the city. Back when we first moved to the US, we initially settled in a place close to NYC. We lived in a small apartment, went to a catholic school, had few friends in the neighborhood we would hang out with, and my parents went to work while we went to school. We had a very mundane life. We had few family friends in New York, so we made frequent trips. Even though we visited New York many times before, this trip was like no other. It was so special in a way that we got the chance to see New York how the locals here see it.

Day 1

On our first day, we took a walk around Jersey city in the evening. The view of the Manhattan skyline from the waterfront was absolute gorgeous. The temperature was very pleasant as well. There were a group of people doing yoga. It was a sight to watch with the soothing music and the beautiful waterfront in the backdrop.

We passed by Washington Square Park and grabbed a good spot by the fountain. We spent there for almost 30 minutes just catching up on old things and people watching. There were lot of local vendors selling ice cream and smoothies on the side of the road. There was a group of bangara dancers ready to perform in the center. The park wasn’t too busy even though it was a Saturday. It felt nice being outside, the weather wasn’t too hot either. What caught most of our attention was an unusually small-sized man painted in white posing before the arch. His detailed presentation was quite impressive– the stony texture of his skin, weathered look and his head covered with an off white head scarf.

We stopped at a nice Chinese restaurant for lunch. It was my first time trying western Chinese cuisine. We ordered Biang Noodle Soup and lamb dumplings for all of us. Our noodles came in a bowl with a variety of meat like pork, lamb and beef. It looked something close to bibimbap. It had the fiery red color, but the spices were well balanced. The noodles were chewy and the broth was so amazing.

May the lives remembered, the deeds recognized, and the spirit reawakened be eternal beacons, which reaffirm respect for life, strengthen our resolve to preserve freedom, and inspire an end to hatred, ignorance and intolerance.

After a nice lunch, we quietly walked around the south memorial pool to the oculus. We were still back in India at the time of the 9/11 attack. I remember watching the horrific news on TV, but I never felt the magnitude and the despair of those families who just lost their loved ones. A family right next to us was very emotional as they were looking at the name of their relative and putting roses by that name. The fountain is so simple yet powerful in a way that gives us hope. The oculus was so beautiful, and had a unique design spoke of promise and lightness. I loved the inside of the place more than the outside. It was around dusk when we got on the ferry. The view of the sunset was so pretty from the boat. The sky was colored in crimson gold as the sun was shining past the liberty statue.

Day 2

After morning mass, we went down to East Williamsburg to have brunch. It was a quaint, cozy brunch place in Brooklyn. Even though the line was long, it was so worth waiting. The pancakes were so delicious since they were made from scratch. We were fueled with enough energy for the day. We then took a Uber ride to Brooklyn bridge. During the ride, we got a chance to see inside of a Jewish Community. I wasn’t aware that NYC had a large Jewish community until then. There were buses and schools specifically for Jews. The women were very modest and most of them wore black. They wore pass knee length skirts along with a overcoat and a hat. There were men dressed in black and with long sideburns walking down the street. I thought the community was really far conservative compared to everything we have seen so far in New York.

As we came by the Brooklyn Bridge, we passed a bazaar underneath the Manhattan Bridge’s archway. The vibe was totally something you would feel in a middle eastern country. It had everything from modern antiques, vintage clothing to food from around the world. After spending a moderate amount of time in the market area, we headed towards the bridge. I was very surprised to find how narrow the pedestrian walkway was on the bridge. There were lot of speedy bikes zooming past us. I almost crashed into a biker because I was on the wrong side. It was quite windy up there, but it still felt really nice. The view of the manhattan skyline from the bridge was so admiring.

After walking across the bridge, we headed to Chinatown for lunch. After a classic Chinese meal with lots of dim sums, we went searching for a place to get ourselves a massage. The dense crowds in the street did make me feel a little overwhelmed, but I really enjoyed the vibe of this street. It was around evening and there were those red Chinese lantern balls lightened up everywhere. We finally found a place where they were doing massages for reasonable prices. I went for a foot massage but there was a miscommunication due to the language barrier. It was somewhat frustrating trying to make them understand what I wanted. In the end, it all worked out and we all had something to laugh about. 🙂 Afterwards, we went for somewhere nearby to get ice cream. Even through this traditional Thai ice cream (nitrogen ice cream) has been making waves in Instagram and has become a phenomena in the US, it was my first time seeing how they actually make it. For anyone who visits chinatown whether you come alone or with your family, there is something for everyone who comes here to enjoy a little piece of China in New York City. For the rest of our week there, we mostly spent time shopping in fifth avenue, going out to eat and watching Netflix at home. I was really hoping to walk around Central park, but we were all too tired from the previous days. And we thought it’ll be nice to save something to see next time we come here.

This trip was really worth remembering and gave us a chance to look into a city that breathes its own history and culture. One of my favorite part about this trip was our long mile walks and riding the subway. It was really a different way of traveling and the best way to explore this phenomenal city. There is so much to see in each corner. In the midst of standing next to the big skyscrapers and buildings, you really do feel small in this big world. I often wonder why people move to this city. People from all walks of life come to New York to find a job, build a family and come here to discover themselves. I think it can be overwhelming sometimes, but I don’t think it’ll be any adventures living somewhere you have no challenges. It forces you to think faster and make better decisions. I am amazed at the fact how much I love New York than when I was a little child. Back in 4th grade, I hated living in New York mainly because of the crowd, lonely feeling and living here in a small apartment, but there is a beauty behind all of that. In any corner of the city, you will come upon many people working in streets, restaurants, cafes and shops to make a living. Everyone has a different style and personality and no one is judging each other. There is a huge, diverse population living here and they are all just minding their own business. At first I thought people living here do not smile very much. It’s probably because I was here for a visit and everywhere I look around, no one is smiling and they are all in a rush going somewhere. They are rushing to catch the subway to get to their job or hurrying home to make dinner for the family. If you think about it, who has the time to smile in between all that. I think if I move to the city in the future, it will make me more resilient and grow into a stronger woman.