New York! The Big Apple! Where people come from all over the world to take a bite of what the United States of America has to offer. Of course, this is merely one (however huge and diverse) example of what may be discovered in this widespread land of the free, but it is definitely an experience that is well worth the effort, no matter where you are from.
I recently had the opportunity to visit this fascinating city, thanks to my brother, Matthew, who provided round-trip airfare, hotel, and meals. Matthew came from Venezuela along with brother Mark and their mother, Laura. We met at JFK Airport and drove to Providence, R.I. to attend the graduation of Mark Jr. ("Marcolito") at Brown University. The 200-plus year old campus was an experience in itself, with its ivy-adorned buildings, ancient trees and brick walkways. The pomp and celebration of the three-day event was enhanced with music and dance, inspiring speeches, prayers of different faiths, laughter and the smiling faces of the graduates and their familes who came from China, Ecuador, Ireland, Japan, India, Jordan, and places in between.
Then there was the WaterFire event, with gondolas imported from Venice, expertly paddled along the winding river by their stripe-shirted pilots. Meanwhile, 100 fire bowls on floating pedestals anchored at regular intervals offered bright waymarks with the smell of burning wood, as people watched from the riverbanks and listened to a variety of music, including Armenian folk melodies and Tibetan chants, blaring from strategically placed speakers. WaterFire Providence is a summer-long feast for the senses, provided each year by an independent non-profit arts organization.
After spending three nights in the beautiful city of Providence - saying goodbye to Marcolito, his mother, stepfather, grandmother and two sisters - my brothers and I, along with their mother Laura, then drove the four hours back to New York.
I first met Laura when I lived with my father in Caracas, Venezuela, in the mid-1960s. In the mind of a quiet 10-year-old, she was the nice young lady who picked me up from school while my father worked. Only much later did I discover that she had two sons with my father. Over the years, the mild fascination with having "other" siblings living in another country became a burning desire to meet and share our lives. Especially when I found that there were two Venezuelan sisters as well. In addition, I learned (in November 2006) that my father had died in October 2002. Although he was not a true father to any of his nine children, some of us felt a special connection drawing us together, perhaps hastened in some way by our father's death.
Spending time in Manhattan, shopping at Macy's, experiencing the bright lights of Times Square at night, visiting the Museum of Natural History and the NY Botanical Gardens, and seeing the jungle of skyscrapers from the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building, we were in awe of the things that can be built by human hands. Yet just a few steps from the crowds, the traffic and noise, Central Park reminded me of the natural beauty found off the beaten path in places like East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. The biggest thrill for me, though, was just being with my brothers and sharing our lives, laughing at our individual quirks and telling stories from "back home."
(More about the New York trip later)
I recently had the opportunity to visit this fascinating city, thanks to my brother, Matthew, who provided round-trip airfare, hotel, and meals. Matthew came from Venezuela along with brother Mark and their mother, Laura. We met at JFK Airport and drove to Providence, R.I. to attend the graduation of Mark Jr. ("Marcolito") at Brown University. The 200-plus year old campus was an experience in itself, with its ivy-adorned buildings, ancient trees and brick walkways. The pomp and celebration of the three-day event was enhanced with music and dance, inspiring speeches, prayers of different faiths, laughter and the smiling faces of the graduates and their familes who came from China, Ecuador, Ireland, Japan, India, Jordan, and places in between. Then there was the WaterFire event, with gondolas imported from Venice, expertly paddled along the winding river by their stripe-shirted pilots. Meanwhile, 100 fire bowls on floating pedestals anchored at regular intervals offered bright waymarks with the smell of burning wood, as people watched from the riverbanks and listened to a variety of music, including Armenian folk melodies and Tibetan chants, blaring from strategically placed speakers. WaterFire Providence is a summer-long feast for the senses, provided each year by an independent non-profit arts organization.
After spending three nights in the beautiful city of Providence - saying goodbye to Marcolito, his mother, stepfather, grandmother and two sisters - my brothers and I, along with their mother Laura, then drove the four hours back to New York.
I first met Laura when I lived with my father in Caracas, Venezuela, in the mid-1960s. In the mind of a quiet 10-year-old, she was the nice young lady who picked me up from school while my father worked. Only much later did I discover that she had two sons with my father. Over the years, the mild fascination with having "other" siblings living in another country became a burning desire to meet and share our lives. Especially when I found that there were two Venezuelan sisters as well. In addition, I learned (in November 2006) that my father had died in October 2002. Although he was not a true father to any of his nine children, some of us felt a special connection drawing us together, perhaps hastened in some way by our father's death.
Spending time in Manhattan, shopping at Macy's, experiencing the bright lights of Times Square at night, visiting the Museum of Natural History and the NY Botanical Gardens, and seeing the jungle of skyscrapers from the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building, we were in awe of the things that can be built by human hands. Yet just a few steps from the crowds, the traffic and noise, Central Park reminded me of the natural beauty found off the beaten path in places like East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. The biggest thrill for me, though, was just being with my brothers and sharing our lives, laughing at our individual quirks and telling stories from "back home."
(More about the New York trip later)
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