New York, New York
People have different things they find cool, live-in relationships, computer hackers, fight club, catch 22, Playstation 3--- to me the very definition of cool is New York city
I have spent exactly 3 days of my 25 years in New York city. Once when I was 15 and once when I was 24.
I remember one of our Value Education classes in 10th std. where our teacher told us to talk about our five dream destinations. I remember jotting down NYC as one of the places. I don't remember what had me started in the first place, I only remember my writing it down on a piece of paper completely oblivious of the fact that my dream was about to be realized in a few months.
Sometimes good things come of bad deeds-- My mom and I were flown to my uncle's after the final exams. He took us on a trip from Niagara to DC to Orlando. On the way we stopped at my mom's close friend's house in Princeton, NJ. I was feeling awful for being so close to New york and yet not having the chance to see it. My uncle had said that the traffic was awful there and he would not be able to take us.
My mom's friend to whom I had mentioned my disappointment managed to convince my uncle to take us there. Traffic was horrible, my uncle didn't get a place to park the car so he dropped us in front of Battery park to take the ferry to the Statue of Liberty while he just drove around waiting for us. After that we stopped at a Subway grabbed some sandwiches, looked at the empire state building from inside the car and went back to Princeton. I was happy. I loved what I saw and to think that dreams could come true was a big thing for a 15 year old.
The second visit to New York came 9 years later. When my sister and I planned a trip with our parents. As this trip was under our control we saw whatever we could in the short time possible. We walked to Bloomingdales- through 5th avenue. I tried to find Serendipity 3 but missed that one. Went to the top of Rockefeller center, walked through Central Park, saw Park Avenue and visited the MET.
Almost did everything that someone in New york is supposed to do, including facing the bumper to bumper traffic as my bro-in-law drove.
I have always claimed that I was a city girl. I come from one of the most populous cities in the world and I am happiest when I am thrown into the chaos of a city. Call it romanticizing but no matter how distressed I get waiting for the traffic to get moving I much prefer it to the quietude of town/suburban life.
Yellow cabs, sounds of sirens, street food, crazy traffic, sidewalks filled with people, sidewalks filled with people of all colours and creeds, oh! the thought itself is so comforting. How you just get into Central park and it seems like you are far away from the hustle and bustle. Then there are the sounds of horse carriages clacking down, children playing, nannies gossiping, lovers whispering.
The buildings are so tall that even when it's sunny the by-lanes are always shadowed and Times Square is never, and I mean it, NEVER devoid of tourists. Yes it is dirty and sometimes there is a stench from the sewers but you look up to a building and you see the typical fire-escapes of Manhattan and you are reminded of the hundreds of movies you have seen that has neighbours climbing down to knock on the girl's window, or someone escaping from the bad guys - or you are reminded of Joey hanging on to Ross holding on to one of the stairs for a reason I don't remember now.
Being in a big city can be scary, the fear of the unknown and the dangers lurking behind dark corners have always been there for me when I was in Delhi, although I have lived there for 5 years it's still an unknown place for me. But New York city, in a foreign land, with many a dark corners and alleys felt like I had seen it all and know exactly what to expect.
Just like one can have a deep connection with other people, one can also have connections with places. I connected with New york even before I had stepped foot onto its lands. May be I love it because I don't live it. May be I love it because it's one of the few places I have read and heard so much about yet it had not ended up disappointing me Yes it was exhilarating being there, it was like caffeine in my soul!
I once sat in a taxi in Calcutta some 3 years ago, from Southern Avenue to home around 7 p.m.. The radio station was playing smooth jazz sax- probably Coltrane. I am eternally grateful to the taxi-driver for not changing the station- in those 15 minutes I was transported to the Village and back. It is probably why I love Calcutta, because it is like New york or is it the other way round? I'll never know.
I have spent exactly 3 days of my 25 years in New York city. Once when I was 15 and once when I was 24.
I remember one of our Value Education classes in 10th std. where our teacher told us to talk about our five dream destinations. I remember jotting down NYC as one of the places. I don't remember what had me started in the first place, I only remember my writing it down on a piece of paper completely oblivious of the fact that my dream was about to be realized in a few months.
Sometimes good things come of bad deeds-- My mom and I were flown to my uncle's after the final exams. He took us on a trip from Niagara to DC to Orlando. On the way we stopped at my mom's close friend's house in Princeton, NJ. I was feeling awful for being so close to New york and yet not having the chance to see it. My uncle had said that the traffic was awful there and he would not be able to take us.
My mom's friend to whom I had mentioned my disappointment managed to convince my uncle to take us there. Traffic was horrible, my uncle didn't get a place to park the car so he dropped us in front of Battery park to take the ferry to the Statue of Liberty while he just drove around waiting for us. After that we stopped at a Subway grabbed some sandwiches, looked at the empire state building from inside the car and went back to Princeton. I was happy. I loved what I saw and to think that dreams could come true was a big thing for a 15 year old.
The second visit to New York came 9 years later. When my sister and I planned a trip with our parents. As this trip was under our control we saw whatever we could in the short time possible. We walked to Bloomingdales- through 5th avenue. I tried to find Serendipity 3 but missed that one. Went to the top of Rockefeller center, walked through Central Park, saw Park Avenue and visited the MET.
Almost did everything that someone in New york is supposed to do, including facing the bumper to bumper traffic as my bro-in-law drove.
I have always claimed that I was a city girl. I come from one of the most populous cities in the world and I am happiest when I am thrown into the chaos of a city. Call it romanticizing but no matter how distressed I get waiting for the traffic to get moving I much prefer it to the quietude of town/suburban life.
Yellow cabs, sounds of sirens, street food, crazy traffic, sidewalks filled with people, sidewalks filled with people of all colours and creeds, oh! the thought itself is so comforting. How you just get into Central park and it seems like you are far away from the hustle and bustle. Then there are the sounds of horse carriages clacking down, children playing, nannies gossiping, lovers whispering.
The buildings are so tall that even when it's sunny the by-lanes are always shadowed and Times Square is never, and I mean it, NEVER devoid of tourists. Yes it is dirty and sometimes there is a stench from the sewers but you look up to a building and you see the typical fire-escapes of Manhattan and you are reminded of the hundreds of movies you have seen that has neighbours climbing down to knock on the girl's window, or someone escaping from the bad guys - or you are reminded of Joey hanging on to Ross holding on to one of the stairs for a reason I don't remember now.
Being in a big city can be scary, the fear of the unknown and the dangers lurking behind dark corners have always been there for me when I was in Delhi, although I have lived there for 5 years it's still an unknown place for me. But New York city, in a foreign land, with many a dark corners and alleys felt like I had seen it all and know exactly what to expect.
Just like one can have a deep connection with other people, one can also have connections with places. I connected with New york even before I had stepped foot onto its lands. May be I love it because I don't live it. May be I love it because it's one of the few places I have read and heard so much about yet it had not ended up disappointing me Yes it was exhilarating being there, it was like caffeine in my soul!
I once sat in a taxi in Calcutta some 3 years ago, from Southern Avenue to home around 7 p.m.. The radio station was playing smooth jazz sax- probably Coltrane. I am eternally grateful to the taxi-driver for not changing the station- in those 15 minutes I was transported to the Village and back. It is probably why I love Calcutta, because it is like New york or is it the other way round? I'll never know.
Comments