"Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self."
—Cyril Connolly

Fits well with my attempt at a "blog"...

A much delayed summary that I had started but never finished about my trip back east.

All of my pictures from the trip can be found at NYC Pictures

I read the following thought on my flight home from New York and thought about it for while. Nothing too extraordinary said, but I thought it fit what I was thinking at the moment.

"Early on I recognized that to truly learn about a town you need to get lost there. The first time I tourned in New York, I stayed in Times Square, and I decided to find the Apollo Theater. I got lost, twisting my way north. Eventually I landed at the theater, and it was a life-affirming moment. Since then, I've intentionally gotten lost all over the world, in six of seven different languages. There's a way to do this right. Eat a farmer's breakfast. Pack cash, and ID, and your hotel's phone number. Then walk. Do not continually stick your hand into your pocket - your cash is there. Rely on locals. Don't ask directions from a guy walking quickly. Couples will help you; when approaching them speak slowly and softly. Don't bring a map - you don't want to walk with the thing hanging off your nose. Be brave enough to be truly lost for a day, a half-day, or however long your schedule permits. I like museums but has any walk of any distance ever worn you out as much as four hours at a museum?"

Ben Harper -- Outside Magazine July, 2008

The constant attention it takes not to get lost in New York City, or any city for that matter, itches you until you scratch it. With the ease that things like GPS and the internet now guide us it is only a matter of time before it will be almost impossible to get lost in almost any city. There are obvious reasons that these advances are good things, but overall people are losing much of the responsibility to notice anything at all around them. Most are lost without these technologies. People don't know how to find their way if they are actually lost.

I spent my last day in Manhattan by myself, just riding the subway, meandering around the streets, Central Park and other areas. I had no idea where I was going, just a general direction and time I had to catch the bus to the airport. I will just say that it was a most enjoyable day. Something I wish could be done more often. Personally, I don't mind being lost in a city where I don't know the streets, sights, people or even the simple directions north, south, east and west. It actually might be my favorite thing to do when in a foreign city. We spent the majority of our hours literally wandering the streets of whatever town we were staying when in Europe. We had some of the best experiences during these times.

Let's face it, as humans in today's world we don't like to be lost, we like to be connected to things we are used to. We truely are creatures of habit. We like to know we are going in the right general direction and we don't like to be uncomfortable (in life and in this context). I am not entirely sure why this is but I think that those are the times you really learn things about yourself and the people around you. In either case, until you trust yourself enough to find a way through situations, it is tough to get unlost.

A few things that came to mind about New York during the trip or shortly thereafter.

-- Public transporation will get you where you need to go every single time. It may take you a little longer than you wanted it to take, but you don't ever have to worry about traffic, pedestrians or other drivers.
-- I also admire the way people are able to drift into their own thoughts while on the subway/bus/train etc. I think this might be the single biggest benefit of taking public transit (beside $4.85 a gallon gas of course). People don't spend enough time in their own thoughts.

-- Park Slope, Brooklyn (the neighborhood that our pension was located in for the first 3 nights and pictured below) exceeded all expectations. It is an area that put out a small-town vibe much more than I ever expected in a city/borough so large and densely populated. There were a number of these small neighborhoods in Brooklyn that I really had a great time visiting.















-- Taking the subway up to Yankee Stadium was something I've always wanted to do. There's just something great about taking mass transit to a game with other fans that just isn't present in L.A. or Denver.
--The stadium itself is an icon. Maybe the most famous stadium in the world given its history and location. Not the most graceful, nor does it give the old-timer feel that you get when you see Fenway and Wrigley. Everything from entrance to concessions and restrooms are very simple. Part out of necessity I guess, part out of a nod to a simpler time when the stadium was in its earlier days.
--It was impossible not to think about how many events have been seen from the seats; events big and small, important and insignificant, some historic. I never knew football and soccer were played there too.
--Someone asked me for directions on the way out of the game. "I'm not from around here," I answered. "Well do any New Yorkers go to !@#ing Yankees games anymore?" I expect this conversation is not unique during the 2008 season.

--If possible seek out people who are the best at their craft, have devoted their life to it and are therefore obviously passionate about it. I watched a 70+-year-old Italian man make every single pizza pie by hand for 30 minutes and it changed the way I look at the food and how it is made. Unfortunately craftsmen and artisans like this are a rarity today. They may be close to extinct when our oldest generation passes on.
--If possible seek out areas that are 'off the beaten path' especially if you've seen the major attractions in a city like New York. It always gives you a better picture of the 'real' city than the areas that are visited most often.

--I had to talk myself into setting my alarm for the butt-crack of dawn to drive up to Belmont, but once the horn sounded for the first race I knew I made the right decision.
--The anticipation for the 'big race' continued to build all day, by the time it finally went off people were almost insane from the heat and the waiting.
--Never did find out what happened down the final stretch of the race, but the first 90 seconds to two minutes were as intense as sports can get.

--I love to see the places my parents and grandparents grew up, and then listen to them tell me how they've changed.

--The Argentina v. U.S. game was the biggest soccer match I've ever been to. (2nd place goes to the Superclasico ver. 1 2008 haha) The U.S. looked as good as they have in 16-18 months, despite the fact that Argentina could have been up three or four goals at halftime. I think the Argentines might be on a short list for the final four of World Cup 2010.
-- Soccer might be the single best sport to watch in person when played at a world-class level. I need get my plans in order for S. Africa in two summers.