New York

How does one come about to write about a city romanced by so many ? After having had the SATC and woody allen influence, its hard not to look at the city through borrowed glasses.

Neveretheless I tried.

I journeyed in Coach USA to get down at port authority of New York and walk down the dreamy landscapes of central park. How can one not love central park! At first sight its kaleidoscope of people, couples, friends, teenagers, oldies, dogs, trees, foreigners, onlookers (like me) hit you like a storm. When you do settle down, there is just scope for being oneself. When the feeling of not belonging runs high, the idea of getting lost in the central park-ness of new york is just fine! And over the course of next 3-4 hours I read a book, walked aimlessly and sat on stones to answer questions about happiness and contentedness to a couple of chinese student film makers. You know I tried to sound profound to those guys. But blurted out saying, I am reading a book I have wanted to for a long time and that to me right now is happiness. Also told them that I was going to meet some friends later, which equated to contentedness. If at all I become a celebrity one day, one can imagine how boring tabloids will sound.

So on so forth. I walked and walked. With the sun going down as my indicator. At one moment I thought I could do this all night and for the next day and the day after. But boredom set in. Was frantic to be reunited with friends. Familiar faces. Took a turn on 42nd Street towards 5th avenue. Times square beckoned. In the wait to meet friends bought souvenirs. 'I Love NY' and the assorted bunch. Some Irish-ness and forever 21 later, I was taken. The glitz, the power, the wealth. It is this which makes people migrate to this city. I found Mumbai-ness in it. Because my liking for Mumbai has evolved over the years, NY liking came by easily. There is just so much to look at and soak in, it was not at all possible for me to remain unaffected. Promise to self - NY on foot and trains and buses. Sometime soon. Oh and a visit to the Public library in the day time. Not just to click pictures outside a closed one.

Taken!

On a slightly tight schedule the next day, Brooklyn bridge visit happened. This was my 4th bridge in the cities I went to in US, I did not feel the excitement. But it got me closer to people I had not really grown apart from. Some interesting conversations later, I thought to myself, may be this is the point of bridges. Literal. Metaphorical. Call me slow.

My most humbling experience in this trip was visiting Ground Zero. I am not sure what I felt, but it felt like a symbol of resilience and not a place of tragedy. The towering freedom towers make your jaw drop and feel small. 

I am awed by cities*. I may be a city-girl even! The most therapeutic thing about them cities is they make you lose you to find your way back. And because one finds strength in this routine. However cliched this may sound.

~nightflier

*Chicago love, you are the most loved!