Big Apple visit is vacation time!

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Big Apple visit is vacation time!

Mural by Eduardo Kobra at Chelsea Square Market, New York City

A very dear friend replaced her profile photo on Whatsapp with another in which she is wearing a cardigan. For a few minutes, I was the one sweating, merely seeing her in the cardigan, and then I remembered my vacation early this year.

Do not have proper jars? No issue, mason jars are
perfect for mixed winter veg pickle and kanji*

Most of us humans long for what is not. In winter we think of hot summers when the AC running at 21 degrees C brings comfort and one can enjoy endless mangoes/water melons/chhachh (buttermilk)/lassi/iced lemonade. 

These days when the mercury is banging its head between 40 and 48 degrees C in the column of the thermometer, we long for the cold when one sweats only on chewing on sharp green chillies, can bury themselves under the quilt and surface only to gorge guiltfree on masala chai (tea with spices)/roasted peanuts/stuffed parathas/pakoras (griddle fried Indian bread/vegetable fritters), mutton roganjosh, all things hot and buttery.

Despite the discomfort, I prefer winter and in this unbearable, uncomfortable heat, the two weeks in February we were in New York and New Jersey seem like a pleasant dream. 

While in India people were already saying goodbye to winter, washing or getting warm coverings dry-cleaned to put away, New York was cold at 1 degree C in daytime, very windy, and it snowed one day.

Looking at pictures of snow brings comfort on hot summer days!

Most people love New York because of the endless energy and movement in the city. Whatever be the weather and almost any time of the day, life goes on. We were in a relatively quieter part - calm, slow, peaceful, near the Hudson, in a ‘historic waterfront site’. If you wanted to be in the midst of all activity, you just had to walk a total of 500 metres and cross the main road to reach the World Trade Centre. Maybe the next time I visit, I shall see all the other historical monuments in the vicinity and share my gyan with you.

James Yaya Hough's art- glass panels with images to raise awareness about
mass incarceration in society! Pl magnify for a better look.

In this most populous city of the United States, you can go to any among the dozens of museums or parks, or roam around aimlessly gaping at tall buildings which prevent the sun’s rays from reaching the ground. You can choose to shop at the countless inexpensive souvenir shops and thrift stores or go straight to the most expensive 5th Avenue/Oculus at the WTC/Brookfield Place etc. You can gorge on any cuisine of the world available at a range of prices in any of the hundreds of eateries or restaurants, and come back home to brag about it. You may go to an opera or a ballet or enjoy a Broadway show for the pleasure of your visual and aural senses. If you have children with you, merely subway hopping can be great fun too.

Children and adults all enjoy their time
at the rink at Brookfield Place

In this city, said to have the largest Asian Indian population in the western hemisphere, it is often that snatches of conversation in an Indian language you can understand, trickles into your ear when you are among a mixed crowd. One smiles, and there is a sense of home if one is missing Bangalore/Hyderabad/Delhi/Amritsar noise.

Geared up to ride her scooter, cold
weather is no problem for little Leia!

Yet unlike some of the people I know, when I am visiting family, I stay inside the house and just hang out with them, sometimes giving them a hard time, but generally having a good time myself. There is no compulsion to go shopping, sight-seeing or trudging to other relatives’ houses. The only trip we made was a short, weekend visit to New Orleans. Yet, life greets me even if I am just going for a walk.

People would say being among family is a lot of work and is stressful, but God has been kind to me in this respect. For me, there is no rush, I have whole days to myself with no housework to do and nobody standing outside the door with his finger on the doorbell, demanding I answer. I can try out new designs or old favourites in knitting/crochet, cook something on demand or ask somebody to prepare their specialty, finish brother-in-law's Kahlua, watch soppy romantic stories, take long walks, dish out unsolicited advice on topics I know very little about, play with nieces’ children, and generally laze around. That is why I call it a vacation.

It has already been a quarter of a year now (that feels longer than counting in months). Ah, am I not already looking forward to my next vacation?

Top: Sunset in Franklin Park, NJ Bottom: Migratory birds have started returning home

* Kanji is a delicious, slightly sour, fermented drink made with red or black carrots.                                                                                  -Anupama S Mani

 

















Comments

  1. Anonymous8 June 2024 at 20:08

    Enjoyed reading

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9 June 2024 at 13:24

    Thanks sir

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous9 June 2024 at 13:24

    Thanks sir

    ReplyDelete
  4. Prakash10 June 2024 at 04:54

    You are lucky to have enjoyed winter in India. Mumbai where I once lived, had only two seasons, summer and hot summer. We never had winter.

    ReplyDelete
  5. S Manikutty10 June 2024 at 17:53

    A nice write up. Relax and have a nice time!

    ReplyDelete
  6. V.Anand12 June 2024 at 14:11

    Nice write up.
    Simply sitting in the Central Park and watching the world go by is a great way to relax in NY.
    Kaanji is best made with blue carrots.As the mustard exudes acid, the blue turns pink.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anupama S Mani12 June 2024 at 18:36

      Yes, we call them kaali gajar or black carrots, that kanji is magenta in colour. But I could not get those carrots at that time.

      Delete

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