Whew! What a day. My guide, Edwardo schlepped us all over the city, and he still had to cross several things off his list. We rode the subway from the Bronx all the way to lower Manhattan just so Ed could have his daily cup of coffee while gazing across the Hudson into Jersey from Battery Park City. Manhattan, a cop and barricade convention, was a mad house because of Pope Francis' visit. This evening he said Mass in Madison Square Garden. The upside of his visit is that ordinary schmoes like us couldn't get near the reflection pools at Ground Zero. No matter, we just headed right across the Brooklyn Bridge, the most iconic artery that links Brooklyn to Manhattan. Nothing speaks "The City" like that Bridge. We wandered around some of Brooklyn's neighborhoods: Park Slope, Downtown Brooklyn, Cobble Hill, Prospect Park, Crown Heights, Dumbo, Brooklyn Heights, and just on the edge of Bed-Stuy. We saw the Brooklyn Library, the museum, and best of all we strolled the promenade before we walked back across the Manhattan bridge into China Town. We chatted up quite a few folks (Who says New Yorkers are standoffish?), but "best" human of the day goes to Suhyun Pak, a young Korean man who came to our aid unsolicited. We had flagged down a security guard and asked where we could catch the train uptown to K-Town so I could buy the ingredients for Kimchee (Actually, I call it Timchee) soup. The guard knew from nothing, and overhearing, Suhyun set us in the right direction. Once again, I'm bouyed by the goodness of the human spirit. Two other best human highlights today included a beautiful young performing artist, Carla Kasumi (carlakasumi.com) who was doing a chalk art piece on the promenade. What struck me is that she prefaced her art with a blurb about how
many days she'd been alive (12,410). I noticed it because I used to use that concept to teach my seventh graders about perspective (And because the silly Bozonians think they're immortal). At 64, I'm 23,360 days on the planet, and while I believe I'm not promised tomorrow, I do hope to be graced with a few more. I have an affinity for bright eyed, hopeful humans. Suhyun and Carla added to the treasures I'm gathering like jewels along my way, each in their own way polishing my spirit. The cutest set of humans I experienced today was an African American family (I only differentiate because in the lily white community where I live, the experience wouldn't exist). I didn't speak to them because the culture of the subway inhibits talking. They were four: dad, mom, third grade sister, five year old brother. I noticed them because their love for one another oozed from their space like the radiant awe the faithful demonstrated as they waited for the Pope's cavelcade to roll by. Little brother had a sticker of a third eye on his forehead. (Quite enlightened for a five year old). Sister gently chided him until mom reached in the sticker bag to place a bird shape on her forehead. She quiped, "I guess I'm just a bird brain." Everyone laughed, including Dad, the stoic. Mom and little brother got off at one stop, and a stop or two later Dad and sister got off. The last I saw of them, sister had her arm linked with Dad's. Stoic or not, I know that melted him because I've experienced the same with my own daughter To me, they were a clear picture of a loving family. I know we Americans don't hold a monopoly on familial love, but it was heart warming nonetheless. We crushed our "steps" record with 49,811, just shy of twenty miles because we added a few after we got back to the Bronx (Erica and I walked over to get pedi-manis; old school thinking may consider it girlymanush, but for me it's the sign of good grooming). We enjoyed Timchee soup, warming our stomachs and our hearts , thankfully and gracefully realizing that life is good, especially today.
The first of the new World Trade buildings.
Selfie of the day: Lower Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge.
Ed's private audience with the pope.
My Great Gatsby sandwhich from the Shelsky's Deli in Brooklyn (Cream cheese, locks, red onion, and hot mustard on pumperknickel...I should have had two).
The city skyline from Brooklyn Heights.
Suhyun, the most generous human I met today.
Thin gruel of the night: Timchee Soup.
May her ideal ever guide us.
I do agree with your final sentiments...... Glad you are enjoying your time.
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