Do you already have favorites in this big country?

My former colleague Andrea asked me this question, for whom I still have a job to do in Washington… 

Favorites, of course – quite a lot …

When I read this question, I automatically went backwards in my thoughts and remembered the experiences of this journey.

Of course there are favorites, even many – just as there are Oscars to be awarded in various categories that cannot be compared to each other.

Our seventh week has now begun – it’s hard to believe that we’ve been on the road for so long… – and I was allowed to put so many different, precious experiences into my treasure trove of experience.

Pure nature – soaking up the marrow of life

I still think back with joy to our “Whale watching”, especially after I saw other providers and their boats up to Boston. Our tour was offered by whale researchers on a small boat – we were really lucky.

The Baxter National Park kept what it promised for me – here I could walk for hours in almost untouched nature with Manfred along lakes and a raging river, without meeting many people. There’s no heavenly peace to speak of – you can’t imagine how loud nature can be: rushing water, birds, rustling leaves?

And then there are the many little moments when a magnificent view opens up around the next corner and I can simply enjoy the beauty of nature, especially the hilly landscape of the New England states.

I admire nature at home, too, but here I do it several times a day, because we are always on the move… we had a glimpse of the Idian Summer and experienced it in its beginnings. We did not want to drive further back to the north to see the further progress of the reddish discoloration. The mix of green and red, which we could marvel at again and again, I found already garndios and completely sufficient.

While I’m typing these lines, I’m sitting in my T-shirt by the sea. It got warmer again and therefore a wonderful place to rest a few days after exploring the big cities.
Our camping site is in the first row by the sea and most of the permanent campers are not there. The local, almost tame squirrels nibble and play the whole day in the immediate vicinity and the numerous rabbits, which are obviously pets, regularly scour the whole site.
When I showed David the campsite yesterday at Facetime, he witnessed how I could just prevent a squirrel from climbing into the Amigo – and of course had a lot of fun.

During our car trips we could observe many birds of prey again and again – one highway was even called eagleway…

And on a small hike from a national park to the city I stood there for half a minute and looked a deer in the eye. Only when I moved to get my camera into position did it run away! We have privacy statements in English with us…

just . being . now

Getting to the bottom of our motto is not that easy.

For one thing, I haven’t yet found a mode to practice regularly. There are always short meditative moments, but no new ritual.
On the other hand, it would be nice if more of you would take part in the survey. Thus I would get further impulses and you of course also… (To the survey)

I found my participation in the Monday Meditation in Worcester, the day at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health helpful and supportive, as well as the meditative hike in the surrounding area of New York organized by Insight Meditation Sociaty in New York. I love to practice with others in between, to remain silent and to share the experiences of the moment.

In the footsteps of the city neurotics!

In the last two weeks we were on the road a lot in big cities like Boston, New York and Philadephia. The complete contrast program to the nature of the north, but also indispensable on such a journey.

For me it was the third visit to New York. I was in New York for the first time in 1994, all alone and without having booked a hotel in advance; then again in 1997 with my mother – my father had given us this trip as a gift. And then now, together with my treasure and our amigo as well as our bikes.

A lot has changed since then. A perceived contrast is that I found the city completely harmless, which is confirmed by the numbers. Crime has decreased dramatically over the past decades. Nevertheless, there are enormous security measures everywhere. Entire streets have changed, everywhere there are these huge bollards to protect buildings and squares and ultimately the people there. It is very sad that we need this. Can it really protect in the extreme?

When we get out of the metro at the World Trade Center, my tears inevitably run out. It was many years ago. I have already stood on the old World Trade Center twice and now, the moment I enter this place again, I am aware of the vulnerability of our society and the special nature of this place. Completely overrun and surprised, I have to collect myself before I enter the new temples of consumption…

New York, Ansterdam, Berlin, Venice … are already special places in this world – unique. And even if Manfred and I could imagine living in Berlin for a while, we would deny that for New York – too loud, too high, too big – simply too many superlatives. We only stayed in New Jersey, Manhattan and Brooklyn now… maybe that distorts the view.

Nevertheless it was four days full of beautiful experiences. Amazing views on every corner, so many impressions that sometimes I just had to stop for a moment. A great converted MoMa with classics and new artists to discover. And of course very contrary districts like East Village, Chinatown, Central Park, Seaport, Midtown Manhattan…

I also experienced being on my own bike in this metropolis as something special. And to the surprise of many, there is a well-developed network of cycle paths that was developed in cooperation with an Amsterdam woman. In contrast to Amsterdam there are not so many cyclists here yet… to our advantage – two years ago in Amsterdam we had to share the cycle path with many different two- and three-wheelers, all travelling at different speeds.

What is striking and no different here is the fact that personal encounters and interest in one’s counterpart diminish as the population increases.

Ute had written that she had heard that New York was noisy. Yes, that’s it… there is always a carpet of sound to be heard, a bustling noise.
The location of our parking lot was top, directly at the harbour in New Jersey with a view of the skyline of Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. However, a new skyscraper was built next door and the work in the harbour could not be overheard. At night, however, only the sound carpet could be heard; I found that almost pleasant…

In Philadelphia we also followed in Rocky’s footsteps. When we watch a film about the city in the visitor centre, it becomes clear that here are the famous stairs on which Rocky trained. In the evening we watch the first two Rocky movies from the seventies. They manage with little action and the first even got several Oscars.

Personal Encounters

I would not like to leave unmentioned the many personal encounters. They are mostly short, but often very intense conversations – snapshots of people whom we will probably never meet again.

Two days ago in New York we were standing in front of a huge building and suspected that this was probably the prison. Immanuel speaks to us and informs us about the prison he had already fallen into. He gives a short outline of his life story and tells us how he sees things today. I have the impression that he is surprised that we listen to him, ask questions and are completely unimpressed that he once “lived” there. He is happy to hear about us and our journey and finally he asks a passer-by to take a picture of us three. Immanuel, if you ever read this – I’d love to have the photo!

And there are more and more scenes, for example at just before eight in the morning at the traffic lights in New City: The driver in the car next to us asks to wind down the window. I agree with his question whether our car is a small Thinyhouse. There are more questions and when the traffic light jumps green, we hear: Great to do something like this. I’ll do that one day …!

What do we do now?

After all these city views, we decided not to go to Washington, but first to Maryland for three nights via Delaware. We are “tired of the big city” and with this tiredness in our bones we would certainly not do Washington justice.

But slowly I’m looking forward to the days there and also to the further journey south. Even though we are really equipped with good clothing for wind and weather, I notice how wet and cold weather makes me feel uncomfortable and robs me of a part of my energy. Some days of rainy weather with temperatures around 12-16 degrees we were allowed to experience already. In the Amigo such days then become somehow longer and narrower…

It will be here “in the north” gradually more difficult to find camping sites which are still open. Some have closed with Columbus Day (14.10.). The so-called Halloween weekend (from 31.10.) seems to be another date for the end of the season. It’s not as if we’re always on campgrounds or dependent on them, but sometimes we need a dumping station, fresh water or a caress for the battery. And when there is no space in sight, we need ingenuity, eagle eyes and possibly a complete replanning. Driving in the dark and possibly in the rain, we don’t want that any more…

If you feel like it, take a look at some more photos. I upload some almost every day and arrange them according to months. For New York I have created an extra folder. You can find my photos under sa:digital or here.

Taylors Island, 27.10.2019

Saradevi