Electrifying & Inspiring – New York City, USA

With so much happening in the United States at the moment, I thought now is a good a time as any to write my first post set in the US of A.

New York, New York. If there was ever a city to write about, New York City would be it. I’m not alone in thinking that because of all the songs, books, movies & articles written about this place. There is just something about this city. Is it electrifying? Is it enchanting? Is it unforgettable? Yes, yes & yes. There is a bizarre rush of emotions when you visit a place for the first time yet everything seems so familiar. Because of the media attention the city gets, it feels like you’ve been & seen it all before. This feeling of familiarity is quickly rivaled with the feeling of being a tourist because of the fast-paced, unique nature of the city. I was awestruck for the majority of the time I was there.

When people say NYC is a melting pot, they really mean it. Yes, you will find people from every part of the world here. You will also see all kinds of people – anything from a businessman in a suit to a person crossing the street in a patchy clown outfit. You can’t expect what you will see next & somehow, everything seems interesting yet unsurprising at the same time. While cities like London & Paris have this type of diversity as well, New York City appears to have elevated this to the next level.

If you’re reading this blog, you are most likely waiting for me to tell you a short story about how I did something awkward & embarrassed myself. Unfortunately for you, surprisingly nothing of the sort happened to me while I was in New York. Maybe I am finally growing up. I will, however, tell you something I found quite interesting. I went to have breakfast & explore Central Park. I quickly noticed that the benches in Central Park have small plaques on them. Some of these had congratulatory messages for weddings or anniversaries, a few had what appeared to be inside jokes, but most of them were honoring someone’s life. It is quite moving to spend a few minutes reading some of the messages. One in particular which has stuck with me was a message written by the partner of a missing person & it ended with “My efforts to bring you home will never end, my love.” Whilst this bustling city is a novelty for some, these types of things make it evident that it is home for others.

I wish I had a bigger vocabulary & more elegant way of describing one of the most inspiring places in the world, but I just don’t have the words. Having admitted that, I don’t think any writing or description would accurately explain what it feels like to experience New York City. It’s something that needs to felt in person.

Keep traveling, keep safe.

DanVenture Travels