Journey Europe – An Unexpected Pleasure
Mustang Livi does Grand Central Station
After months of planning and several unexpected changes, Olivia and I left the ranch on time with an obscene amount of baggage and as many warm wishes. But as fate would have it there was one more change in future. Once we reached Atlanta we experienced, as so many travelers before us, unexpected delays. So when we arrived in JFK our flight to Milan had already departed. Some would have considered this a misstep, we opted to consider it another adventure. Thanks to the support skills of my amazing husband, our hotel was booked and all arrangements had been made for us to comfortably overnight in New York.
This morning we awoke refreshed and headed for the subway on the complimentary shuttle, nice planning Barney. The gentlemen from the front desk rode along with us to the subway and provided all the necessary information on getting a metro card and the correct line to take to get into the city. Armed with a sense of adventure and a wealth of local advice, we headed into Manhattan. I have to admit I was a little apprehensive heading into the city on the subway dressed in our full cowgirl attire with the only piece of luggage we had not checked, a sleeping bag in a stuff sack. Since its four pounds had made the difference of an overweight bag, it seemed easy enough to carry it at the time. Had I known we would be spending the night in New York I may have chosen something more useful, but these are the things that make the difference between a trip and an adventure. So, off we went cowboy hats, boots, sleeping bag like country mice into the city. Much to our surprise and pleasure we were treated with kindness and friendship throughout our tour of Manhattan. The transit authority workers were friendly and helpful as we tried to locate the platform, the trains were well kept, and everyone had a pleasant comment about our hats. Instead of being a target for harassment and crime because we stuck out like a sore thumb, we were treated with the kindness and respect one would show family.
Our shadows on the 9/11 Memorial
Our shadows on the 9/11 Memorial.
Our first stop was the 9/11 memorial. It was a sobering way to start the day. Like most Americans, I remember every moment of that fateful morning. Time has eased the pain and the trauma has healed, but the memories remain vivid and clear. As Livi and I walked around the memorial and talked I was struck by the realization that although she is old enough to remember 9/11 she does not remember life in a pre-9/11 world. The only world she knows involves body scanners, taking your shoes off, and nothing sharper than nail clippers in order to fly. She has been raised in a county immersed in war and controlled by fear. Life on the ranch is so far removed from the harsh realities that so many Americans have faced over the past years, that it is easy to lose sight of what we lost that day. Today I was reminded of the price of freedom.
Haven’t seen them shine like that since they came out of the box!
As we continued our tour throughout Manhattan, New Yorkers continued to impress us with their friendly greetings and thorough knowledge of their beloved city. I think every school child in New York must be forced to memorize the entire subway map and all points of interest in heir city. Everyone we met was willing and able to give us detailed directions, and in each case the directions were spot on. Coming from Santa Fe, where the standard answer for the question “how do I get there from here?” Is “you can’t get there from here.” I was amazed. We spent half the day walking our way across Manhattan visiting grand central station, Wall Street, Times Square, and spots in between. Finally we worked our way back to JFK where our final exchange with a local was as pleasant as our first. Our boots were treated to the best shoe shine one can imagine. With the care and precision that comes from practicing a trade for fifty years, our boots were cleaned and restored while we were entertained with stories and kindness. As we boarded our flight to Milan, our boots were shining as brightly as my opinion of New York. In the morning we will touch down in Italy and Journey Europe will be underway, but today was most certainly the beginning of our adventure.
Category: Charity, International, News, Other
