Today’s edition is set in New York, a city I wanted to see for a very long time. Was wonderful to be here in June, from first arriving in Manhattan at Grand Central to walking the Brooklyn Bridge, at the Yankee stadium and the Staten Island ferry, to running in Central park like in the movies, MET museum, Metropolitan Opera, Broadway, and the skyline at night in Midtown, where I was staying.
I remember walking past Empire State Building on 5th Avenue and some famous filming locations, sightseeing in Tribeca, West Village, Soho and Chelsea. Plus amazing sports experiences and atmosphere in New York – joining in the city Knicks win celebration, World Cup fever, and spending a summer evening at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx with my collegues from all over the world.
The weeks leading up to the trip were filled with planning, and from choosing the itinerary to crossing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time, and managing to navigate by myself the subway system with jet lag from JFK airport in Queens into Manhattan, thinking ‘I am really here, I made it to New York’ when I first arrived at Grand Central.
My state of mind writing my first thoughts from New York, an emotional journey so far. The City (how locals call Manhattan) is huge, loud, busy, and very warm in June. First couple of days were exciting but also combined with little sleep, lots of walking, not so ideal meals, and learning orientation between Downtown and Upper Manhattan. But I’m fortunate enough to celebrate another birthday by exploring one of the world’s most iconic cities.
Then for the next days I enjoyed exploring Manhattan neighborhoods, sightseeing while getting a hot dog or NY bagel, walking through iconic streets and collecting genuine moments of wonder, skyline views, music in unexpected places, being part of this iconic enormous city even for a short time. And beyond the landmarks, I admired the people, energy, confidence and feeling of resilience New Yorkers seem to have.
From the Upper West Side with the Lincoln Center and Hudson river views, to the Upper East Side with beautiful buildings and art at The MET on Museum mile on Park avenue, home to amazing paintings, sculptures and also to the Costume Institute, which organizes the famous Met Gala each year, and the current exhibition ‘Costume Art’ is a dialogue between fashion and art.
Some of my favorite moments were planned, like seeing the Statue of Liberty and the Lower Manhattan skyline of the Financial District from the Staten Island Ferry, or the Midtown skyline at sunset from the 70th floor at Top of the Rock at Rockefeller center, and of course, listening to the Metropolitan Opera at the Summerstage in Central Park on a warm evening, that feels very ‘New York local’.
But some special memories were accidental, just happened to be there at the right time, like for example a last minute decision to be part of an American experience like a baseball match (tickets from SeatGeek). Or becoming more emotional than I was expecting hearing the organ in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and also at 9/11 Memorial near One World Trade Center and in places in New York that make you stop, feel something, and reflect.
Few of the best moments happened right before it’s time to go home: lunch in Bryant Park, the New York Public Library visit and Stavros Niarchos rooftop view. I’m the kind of traveler who gets excited by a library card, and because I did a course in New York and had a student ID, I could get a card, that become one of my favorite souvenir from the trip.
Lastly, one of my happiest memories was running in Central Park one morning. It was a simple thing, but it made me feel part of the city rather than just a visitor. Along with my NYPL library card and Knicks T-shirt, it reminds me that I didn’t just visit New York, I got to also study there and experience it in my own way.
Some of the magic of a first trip to Manhattan is simply being there.
Travel Journal 