Eclectic Vibrancy of the Streets I Wander

New York City; the concrete jungle bedazzled with bright lights and even brighter dreams. Visiting the Big Apple as a naïve South African, I am overwhelmed by the enormity that makes up this momentous city. However, beyond the twinkling of Times Square and the aptly named dirty-water-dogs of Central Park’s food cart staple, I wander into the true New York; the very places where I feel the pulse of the city come alive, the rhythm changing ever so slightly step by step. I happen into Koreatown and its extravagant buffets, where you fill your plate with unknowns but leave with a new appetite for East Asia. Stumbling into the bars of Williamsburg, Brooklyn snaps me into hipsterville at its peak, with craft beers flowing freely as the blues band keeps feet tapping late into the night. Just a few blocks over, the Hasidic Jewish population inhabits the area, and their stamp is apparent with the Yiddish signs and the silent streets on the Sabbath. A time warp seems to have transpired, and I feel like an alien adorning jeans and a t-shirt as my natural hair hangs freely down my shoulders. Union Square and its abundant farmers market lures me in with a similar persuasion that the bartering chess players steps away exude. A perfect picnic is easily assembled as I walk from one local vendor to another. The saxophone player joins in harmony with the sounds of the city as I enjoy my fresh baguette and perfectly aged artisan cheddar. Waltzing along the cobblestone streets of SoHo and Greenwich Village I am enthralled by the art that surrounds me. The people, store windows and once bare walls all radiate the deep creativity that runs through the veins of this eclectic city. The aroma of halal food mixes with the unidentifiable smell of the city streets as an unexpected cab driver jolts me back into reality. The tastes of Little Italy mesh with the neighbouring smells of Chinatown, and in its narrow overcrowded streets I forget for a moment which continent I am on. Venturing into the public transportation system of New York City, I discover a new world underground. All of New York gathers on the silver, old subway carts. From the organic-holding-a-tree-on-my-lap women, to the skater boy bobbing his head to the blasting music in his ears, to the French couple babbling on while the businessman with briefcase in hand goes about his day. This city is alive and well, its beat deep and strong, and all feel welcome to join in with a harmony of their own.