Travelling to different places around the globe gets even more interesting when we understand the people and their culture. Take Marco Polo, for example. He spent 17 years exploring China. Now that was an authentic travel experience. New York City is, if anything, more diverse. If we want the real experience, perhaps it’s best to stay away from clichés.
Three Vital Clues For The NYC Authentic Travel Experience
1. There is a soul in the Big Apple that can be hard to get to grips with. One way to start is to understand the history New Yorkers have trod, since their settlement began in 1624. Take a genuine interest in their rich culture by visiting Building 92 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, for example.
During World War II, 70,000 people worked there tending ships. The Building 92 Museum has some amazing historic exhibits on display. But there is a sense of drama too, as New Yorkers come to visit the place where relatives sailed away to do battle, and never returned. When they sense your sympathy they will open up, and you will have a new friend.
2. Your next step on your authentic travel experience involves understanding the culture, and why New Yorkers are so exceptionally proud of their city. Do stop by the Queens Museum to view the Panorama of the City of New York. Over 600 people spent three years modelling the city, and their work spans 9,935 square feet.
The Panorama is a snapshot of New York in 1964, but volunteers bring it continuously up to date. Thus, you can spot the actual accommodation where you are staying, and the restaurant where you dined last night. They have a neat ‘adoption scheme’ where you ‘purchase’ an apartment or building, thereby contributing funds to the project.
3. New York City really is the whole world in one place. It has an amazingly diverse culture embracing nations from all over the globe. Consequently, you will find Italian Pizzas cheek-to-cheek with Middle-Eastern Falafel, and Kebabs. There is not one single New York Culture, but there is a buffet of many cultures to choose.
Therefore, your authentic NYC travel experience could start with choosing one particular niche for your journey. If you decide to stay in the Filipino District, take the opportunity to sample genuine Kare-Kare oxtail stew. When the locals see you eating what they eat, they will open up and start chatting.
Naturally, these are just a few examples where you can get close to, and experience the feel of the true NYC culture. Another fascinating way is exploring the visual and dramatic arts of communities. The Lower East Side is alive with the history of the district’s Jewish population. The sense of humor is great, and the bagels are divine.
Wherever we travel, and in whichever culture we should remind ourselves that we are visiting their home, and leave our own cultural baggage behind. So be kind to the people you meet, learn a few words of the home language, and don’t be afraid to make friends. You will have a more authentic travel experience, when you know we are all the same, deep down inside.
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