New York
City has always been one of the top destinations on my list. I’ve heard about
the mesmerizing city lights, the constant hustle and bustle, and the crowds of
people peppered with individuals from every kind of background you could
possibly imagine. From the moment when I was bumping my way off of the plane
and stepping foot in JFK Airport to when I stepped out of the subway at 2nd
Avenue, I felt the city pulsing inside of me. I engulfed myself into the crowds
and moved my way up onto the street.
I stepped
out onto the street out into the hot, muggy July morning. I could already start
to feel my shirt sticking to my back. I took a few turns and made my way into
the relatively quiet part of the Bowery. I was surrounded by red brick
buildings and murals painted on sides of buildings.
Eventually, I reached my
destination. My friend was kind enough to let me sleep in his apartment while
he was out for business. I pulled open the door and made my way up the rickety
steps. As I fiddled for the key from my pocket, it hit me that I, Anatoly
Nirshberg, was going to be living like a real New Yorker for the next week.
“Anatoly
Nirshberg?” an alert voice called out. I turned to find an old man wearing a
plaid shirt and khakis that were a little too short. I nodded and he relaxed.
“Sorry,
son. Had to make sure. Never can be quite too safe in the city, as beautiful
and great as it is. Tom asked me to keep an eye out for him,” he cracked a
smile. We talked a little bit and then I headed to settle in.
After
dropping off all of my things, I decided to venture out of the city. The first
thing on my list, as it is whenever I visit a new place, was to find some
coffee. I will admit that next to Anatoly Nirshberg: the traveller, the next
descriptor would be “the coffee connoisseur”. I ventured in to a small coffee
shop on the corner a few blocks and ordered a mocha before settling into the
corner. The city was awake now. There were people of all shapes and sizes
bustling their way about. The shop was welcoming and comfy, my coffee was
delicious, and I had a vague idea of where I was headed to next.
I hopped
back onto the subway, standing in packs of people, listening to their stories,
and feeling the sway of the subway move me through the dark tunnels. There were
some who were hesitant to talk, others who were more than willing. I stepped
out at Bowling Green. The air was a little cooler near the water and the
buildings were of a more modern flare. Men and women who looked like they were
in a hurry for important business with their bluetooth headsets and briefcases
bustled pass. I walked along the edge, saying hello to runners and they passed
and found myself looking out at the skyline across the way from a little bench
elevated on a random structure similar to a treehouse. It was struck by the
calm within the city that seemed to be living and breathing. The rest of the
day, I wandered through Time Square, Little Italy, and ended my night at the
Rockefeller Center.
Never have
I seen such a mesmerizing show of lights and in a day, talked to so many
different people. It was living and breathing city with life pulsing through
it. And I wanted nothing more than to be part of it.
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