New York or not New York
Yes, I made it. I survived my day out in Manhattan.
Let’s start by saying that I love New York and this last visit did not change my feelings.
When I woke up on Sunday morning in my view-less hotel room in New Jersey I was so full of anticipation I could hardly wait to jump on the commuter train that would bring me to my longed destination.
Fully geared in urban attire I get out into the rainy and cold morning. Right outside the train station a young man is looking a bit lost and waiting for his date with a skimpy bunch of roses in his hands. He looks like he’s a soldier off duty and I think, this is America as you see it in the movies, it is going to be an exciting day.
I had made up my mind to skip the Broadway show and concentrate on the Metropolitan museum. I get off Penn Station and decide to walk all the 4,5km till the museum.
I get onto 5th Avenue, I look around and I see that I blend in perfectly with my Nike sneakers and my swaying coat over my oversized pullover. The question of course is: do I blend in with the locals or with the tourists? Let me delude myself on this, I definitely blend in with the locals.
The Empire State Building, the New York public Library, the Grand Central pass me by, I take a quick snap with my phone and I move on. Tiffany, Central Park, upper east side and the MET is almost in view. I feel I have just passed through the following movies
Let’s start by saying that I love New York and this last visit did not change my feelings.
When I woke up on Sunday morning in my view-less hotel room in New Jersey I was so full of anticipation I could hardly wait to jump on the commuter train that would bring me to my longed destination.
Fully geared in urban attire I get out into the rainy and cold morning. Right outside the train station a young man is looking a bit lost and waiting for his date with a skimpy bunch of roses in his hands. He looks like he’s a soldier off duty and I think, this is America as you see it in the movies, it is going to be an exciting day.
I had made up my mind to skip the Broadway show and concentrate on the Metropolitan museum. I get off Penn Station and decide to walk all the 4,5km till the museum.
I get onto 5th Avenue, I look around and I see that I blend in perfectly with my Nike sneakers and my swaying coat over my oversized pullover. The question of course is: do I blend in with the locals or with the tourists? Let me delude myself on this, I definitely blend in with the locals.
The Empire State Building, the New York public Library, the Grand Central pass me by, I take a quick snap with my phone and I move on. Tiffany, Central Park, upper east side and the MET is almost in view. I feel I have just passed through the following movies
- Sleepless in Seattle
- You have got mail
- The Untouchables
- The Nanny Diaries
- and last but surely not least Breakfast at Tiffany’s
I am overwhelmed!
Guess which thematic exhibition is going on? The Dutch Masters.....but of course!
I have a clear plan for my visit
- Medieval European art
- Medieval armors, they actually have the armor owned by Henry the 8th, unbelievable
- Egyptian wing, indeed all those American archeologists crowding Egypt in the early 20th century brought home quite a lot of amazing stuff
- Modern European paintings and sculptures...I definitely have no words to describe the impressionist bunch. I am sure you know what I mean
- Don’t worry I did have a look at the Dutch Masters, gave me hope for a new golden age in my beloved host country. I definitely need one
Done with the MET I am onto my next destination, popping in Brodo, the latest fashion in trendy healthy eating, broth.....by the cup.
To get there I take the chance to stroll through Central Park even though I don’t have a dog or a child or a lover with me, it’s just me. So the picture doesn’t seem to be complete.
At Brodo, I do my best to look confident and place my order but the waiter knows better and immediately spots me as a newby, damn!
The broth is a million degrees and permanently burns my mouth but I keep smiling confidently I can’t be shamed a second time. But hey all the other 30+ ladies in the shop are dressed exactly like me!
Time to head back, I stroll through Broadway and Times Square, it is getting dark. It has been an almost perfect day. What would have made it perfect? You might ask. Having somebody special to share it with! It is my answer.
Back at Penn Station I wonder why my train is on the board but no platform is indicated, looking carefully the platform is indicated for none of the trains. It only pops up a few minutes before the train is there and everyone is running, what a strange system I think and I am reminded that this is not Europe.
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