Harlem and the Oasis

We've been wanting (or at least talking) about going to Harlem since we got here. On our last trip to NYC we went through Harlem on one of those big red open-air tour buses, which at the time, was close enough for us. It just seemed like a large, deserted, and unfriendly place compared with the rest of Manhattan. Not feeling like we approached the area with an open-mind we were determined to try again.

We started off with some coffee (I feel like a broken record writing this) and enjoyed the casual atmoshere of a Sunday morning in the Village. The Village is truely the place for us, as all the people, including the weekend tourists, have a laid-back attitude and we're finding as likely as not people will return a passing smile. No worries about trying to live here though -- a casual glance in the window of a real estate office showed a floor of $750k. We left this enclave for the unknown -- way uptown.

For some reason we found ourselves in subway hell today. All of the trains were off schedule, route, and we couldn't make heads or tails of the changes. We somehow wound up in, what is quickly becoming my least-favorite part of town, Midtown. We had to brave the bustling crowds gawking in the windows along 5th Avenue and trying to find that perfect pair of designer-knockoff sunglasses. We made our way to Columbus Circle and were more than happy to descend into the smelly darkness of the subway (which I've finally settled on is mainly the scent of axle grease accentuated with the occasional whift of urine) and continue on our journey.

This time we carefully read the subway signs and got on, what we thought, was the correct train. Our plan for touring Harlem was very simple and we took great pains to document our route without having to yank out the guidebook. This was recommended by the guidebooks, which seemed to have mixed feelings on Harlem -- they greatly celebrated the history and importance of the area, but seemed uneasy about outright suggesting a casual stroll. Based on our uneasyness in Morningside Heights (a bordering neighborhood) and the rock throwing (okay, pebble) incident yesterday, I was more than happy to have a complete plan. Part of this plan was to go early and on a Sunday, the thinking being that this would be the least likely time to encounter riff-raff -- which regardless of race, upbringing, or location in the country seems to be young males (I remember being a jackass too).

In accordance with our earlier experience, our train shot past the stop we wanted. Sick of trying to guess about where we might end up on another train ride we decided to hop off at the next opportunity and brave the outside with the plan that we could run and hide back in the subway if necessary. Looking back, this area was one of my favorite places of the day and, though I wouldn't hang out here on a regular basis, really no more threatening than anywhere else in the city. Most information says to not wind up in areas without other people around, but we broke those guidelines most of today and lived to tell about it.

We made our way back to our planned route without any problems and saw a few cool things that we would have otherwised missed (I haven't tracked down the name of the place, but there was a magnificent church perched on a large rock outcropping overlooking the city). In fact, we (gasp!) even had a car slam on it's breaks and the driver friendily wave us past with nary a honk or flip of finger. Back on route, we wound our way through the sights of Harlem -- which is better described as simply getting a feel for the neighborhood rather than encountering lively tourist sites. People were out and about casually conversing on their stoops and on major streetcorners. Though my guard was up, it was quite difficult to feel unsafe as little old ladies dressed in their Sunday best (which generally consisted of a smart dress, gloves, and a matching hat) sauntered past. We saw barely any tourists, or any other gringos for that matter, which really added to the feeling that we were in a real neighborhood. I enjoyed upper Harlem the most, probably because it was the quietest, had the most little old ladies, and seemed totally relaxed. I seriously doubt anyone noticed or cared about our passing through.

Lower Harlem is quite a bit different as this is a major shopping area that attacts large groups of people. Though I saw some unique and really cool brightly colored sneaks for sale on the street, we decided to leave the crowds and head down to a Jamaican vegan restaurant. Not wanting to miss the chance at such a unusual culinary opportunity we went in and had a wonderful lunch of vegan salmon (quite good!), fried pumpkin, and very tasty plantains. In the restaurant we debated what to do from here -- either go back through the crowds and find the subway or walk the 15 blocks down to Central Park. We figured that we could make our way through the area called Little Senegal without any trouble as I could probably whip out the name of a drum rhythm or two in their native language if necessary. It was neat to pass people talking in the street that speaking languages that I definitely had never heard before.

Nearing the park, we experienced the same sort of tension that marred our trip through Morningside Heights. I heard a few under-the-breath type of comments, but paid them no attention. My theory is that both this area and Morningside Heights are noticeably tense as they buffer two very different cultures -- much like the somewhat crazy border towns in Mexico have no resemblance to those further inside the country. Bidding a very pleasant experience in Harlem goodbye we entered the northern end of Central Park.

Ah, Central Park! Nothing short of an oasis! Even packed to the gills with Sunday crowds enjoying the first good day of spring, this place is awesome. I felt immediate relaxation as we crossed the street into the park. Only a few hundred yards into the park I noticed the familar white markings of chalk on a large rock outcropping. Bouldering! Though my shoes weren't the best I did my best to pull a few moves and felt the immediate calm and focus that climbing brings to me. We relaxed here for awhile and then enjoyed a casual stroll down through the park. Walking here is a like being a little kid again, as there is always an interesting sidetrail leading to a hidden archway or pond. I was in near heaven. We stopped to take a quick nap on the Great Oval (in the center of the park), visited the Strawberry Fields dedicated to John Lennon, walked in step with a lively beat provided by an animated group of latin drummers, and even got ice cream. I could probably live here.

With the sun slowly nearing the horizon, we made our way out of the park and back into the Twillight Zone - er, subway. Don't know what it was today, but we wound up on a downtown train that somehow stopped mid-route and headed back uptown (not kidding). Finally lucking out and finding a train going in the right direction, we got back to our neighborhood. Continuing our run of 30 straight meals out, we stopped off at a great barbecue place in the Meat Packing district and enjoyed the final glimmers of the sunset. Not needing any more adventure we called it a day.