I'm staying in Manhattan, New York City, for two weeks with my brother, who lives and works here. I'll be keeping a log of my thoughts on this incredible city and posting here on my blog as often as I can.
Monday 4th May
@12.15
I've made it, I'm here in NYC and currently in the basement of a café just a few hundred yards from Grand Central Station. As I sit here and let the reality of being on another continent seep in, I'm reminded of the thought I always get when away from my homeland: being in an alien culture is great for the soul - it puts into context the bigger things in life, for example, your perception of your own nationality, your culture, your views and beliefs - your identity. By cross-sectioning your views and beliefs with an alien culture you can begin to see where your national identity ends and your unique self (separate from the conditioning of your country) begins. Like the nature vs. nurture theory, It's like having a peek at what part of you has been shaped by your environment (nurture) and what parts of you are derived from within you (nature). I never thought that a trip to New York would bring out the existential side of me! Perhaps the jetlag is getting to me.
A large sized American has sat on the table opposite me, he's exclaiming to the dining area what a great cigar he just bought and how annoyed he is that it's now damp from the rain. Now he's swearing at the lack of napkins in the café. He certainly has more of an audience to hear him now; the basement dining area is filling up - probably due to the heavy rain outside.
Time to leave my writing pad and force myself into the sodden and busy streets of New York for some serious sightseeing.
@12.25
I'm now sitting in one of the Reading Rooms of New York Public Library. As sad as it sounds - I love libraries. They are one of the few places where I feel I can truly focus, and the grander the library the better! They don't get much grander than here. The site of this building originally had a large water reservoir on - they have a photo on display showing the reservoir in the 19th century - it looks like a high-walled ancient temple with ivy covering the outside.
I'm surrounded by American students who are reading and studying. There is only the sound of traffic outside, the hum of the air conditioning, light footsteps on the wooden floor, the rustle of pages turning, creaks of chairs and the occasional cough. As well as people, I'm surrounded by American history; rows and rows of books on shelves covering the subject of American history. Considering that there is only 200-300 years of American history, the books must cover that short period very thoroughly.
Time to move on and leave the learners in peace.
@14.00
Stopped in Times Square for pizza and a coffee. It's still raining. I'm a little lost now - I was looking for the Rockefeller center, I know it's around here.
I've been reading in my guide book that Times Square was one of the most crime-ridden neighbourhoods by the 1970's, rife with drug dealing and porn emporia. the dawn of the 1990's saw the rebirth with independent organisations working to clean up and reglamorise the Square.
@14.35
Bumped into the famous 'Naked Cowboy' of Time Square. He's a busker who wears nothing but pants, a cowboy hat and a guitar. I didn't envy him in the pouring rain!
@15.55
I'm sitting in a pew in a Church, St Patrick's Church, which is opposite the Rockefeller Centre. This building is a great juxtaposition to the tall office buildings & skyscrapers towering above. The church has a gothic presence, which I often find is the case with catholic churches. The buildings flanking this church have a similar gothic appearence, due to their 1930's Art Deco style, which is what the Rockefeller centre area is well known for.
Unlike the cool temperature and still atmosphere that accompanies the interior of most churches, this one is alive with the hum of the air conditioing and has a temperate climate. The stained glass windows are beautiful and use the colour purple more than any other colours. I love the peace and calm that come with Churches; life stands still for you while you have a moment to breath and calm the ripples of your mind. I can see why they inspire people and fuel their faith. If one ever needs peace of mind to find their spiritual self then a church is the place to go.
It looks as though there is a single word covered in gold leaf on the ornate ceiling above, the word is 'the'. A strange word to have in the centre on a church above everyone's head. It is a word that precedes all nouns. Perhaps the word isn't 'the', but a Latin word that looks similar instead.
@16.40
I have walked into choir practise in another Church - the singers are accompanied by an organ and the acoustics of the church makes the choir and organ sound sublime. I know using the word 'sublime' seems like hyperbole, but the combination of the setting and the singing makes it spine tinglingly moving. The backdrop to these singers is a stone motif covering the entire backwall of the church - it is about 100ft high and features Christ in the centre surrounded by saints and disciples in a hierarchy of heavenly order.
