Fun In The Big Apple

"Once the 'what' is decided, the 'how' always follows. We must not make the 'how' an excuse for not facing and accepting the 'what.'"– Pearl S. Buck

The following are my impressions of the Big Apple prior to Sandy’s arrival.  Remember, I’m living in a small community, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada’s, about halfway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. My “backyard” is nestled up to the Bureau of Land Management land and is near the 16 mile marker on the Western States trail which is also the site of an aid station for that  famous 100 mile run. The contrast between New York City and my area is night and day.

NYC is vibrant, loud and exciting. I was not only impressed with the activity level of the people but also of the many languages spoken. Arriving at Grand Central train station, I saw people moving quickly in different directions within this magnificent architectural structure. Although congested, it was full of life and fun. There was ticketing, train tracks and a food court like none other. The array and wide selection of foods and smells was pleasing. We arrived from Connecticut by train, preceded to another level and left by subway to different locations within the city. What an efficient way for people moving engineered a long time ago.

Once on the subway, I found people both friendly and helpful. It was easy to engage in conversation and receive information about travel plans and good places to eat. The Subway trains were efficient with easy to follow electronic graphics marking the way of the train route. It was warm and comfortable underneath the city and we covered great distances quickly on the subway. Not only that but we didn’t have to wait very long between trains or connections.  Polite Individuals frequently offered their seats to Linda. In fact on a train going to Brooklyn, a young looking woman not only gave us good directions but got off at our stop and walked with us awhile showing us the pathway to the Brooklyn Bridge. It was people like her that contributed to making our stay super. Also, paying a senior fare helped as well.

Visiting the Statue of Liberty was another unbelievable experience. That lady is magnificent. She is tall pointing her torch in the direction of Europe. And from the back of her or a rear view, I saw her right foot raised on her toes suggesting movement. Liberty and freedom is not static but evolving and on the move. What a work of art and thank you Frederic Bartholdi and France. I also found out that newspaper man Joseph Pulitzer raised money for the statue’s base. Unfortunately, teenage Emma Lazarus   passed away before her poem “The New Colossus - Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free….. “was inscribed.

Going to Central Park was another treat. There was a bridal, biking and running path that totaled over 6 ½ miles that circled this magnificent park.  I viewed many groups of young runners racing at a good clip with their coaches with stopwatches in hand at the finish line. It was wonderful to see so many people involved in this healthy sport. Unfortunately, I didn’t have on my running clothes and shoes so I did not join the runners. Instead, I walked around the inner lake a few times. I must add that I did a lot of walking in the city and noticed and pleasantly observed that there appeared to be a lot of fit and trim people. That was good to see.

 NYC is a terrific place to visit and I recommend it.  In the meantime, do not forget to “keep moving.”