Sunday, June 7, 2009

Lighst, Camera, Action NEW YORK


For starters I will advice you to sit down with a nice glass and lemonade because by the the end of the post you will be tired from traveling and running around with us and our journey to New York.



Nenas we pass by the first place I lived after I left the NYU dorms the area is called Jackson Heights a mix community although allot of Colombians, I used to live in the second floor. This was just a 10 minute walk to the subway or I could always take the bus, but walking becomes a natural thing when you live in NYC.








Afterwards we drove by my second home this place was a little a farther away from the subway so commuting to school and work was a long way, I can still remember waiting for that bus at 6:30 AM with snow or sleet freezing while I waited for that bus. Nenas nothing in life is easy, but when we work hard for things the gratification is greater. While I was taking pictures of the bus stop I felt so good that I did not give up and quit school I stick it out no matter how cold, or how long I had to walk.


Then we went to a nice Colombian restaurant in Roosevelt Ave. actually we went to the place we eat the last time before we drove down to South Carolina, I still remember Osha and Maria a couple of friends from New York met us there at around 6:00 AM to have breakfast with us and say goodbye. I think Queens is the only place after Colombia that you will find so many Colombian restaurants to eat at you can find bakeries, restaurants, bars is just hard to decided..


Samia you could not believe your eyes seeing so many cars and people walking in the street. I guess now that I am a mom I took the time to look around and see that life is not easy in NY for children, is amazing how you see this 3 years old crossing streets carrying umbrellas and hustling between the crowd. I also saw a little girl she could not be more than 9 walking from school alone crossing a mayor intersection. Although I love NY I could not have Samia or Gamila do that now, maybe because I am living where I am now and I get to see that life for children is better here. Everything still the same, people walking everywhere, children playing handball in a park in top of a busy street, however I did notice more graffiti in the streets and the crowd of people around Roosevelt has change.



Then we drove to Astoria that was where babathru the first dinner we went to eat, it was funny it was our first date and we had drive around for a while so we decided to stop and have something to eat. While we are eating baba's uncle decides to call and invite us over his apartment to watch a movie and eat popcorn. It was just so funny we wanted to be alone and he is inviting us. Then we drove by the apartment building baba used to live, then to the apartment we moved it after getting marry the same thing


After all of these driving around we headed towards the hotel to take a rest and then hit the city at night. I just wanted to take Samia to all of the places I used to go after work, but I had one place in mind that was Toys R Us in Times Square I will always go inside that store when I was single and admire it, now I had my nenas with me.

What can I say Times Square is breathtaking at nights the lights all over the place, people posing for pictures, people dancing in the street, food all over the place, people selling tickets for Broadway, just by walking there you can feel the rush from New York, the energy that you can only feel there, people watching the NBA game in the middle of the street with lounge chairs, you will see the unthinkable in New York and specially in this area.


Samia you could not believe your eyes inside Toys R Us you did not know which way to look what to touch, even baba was all over the place. Gamila you were still small I guess you were just excited by seeing so many people and things.


While we were there we also run into the set of a movie being filmed, once I saw the trucks I knew right away they were filming something that is something I miss, just walking down the street and knowing that in a couple of months you will see this in the big screen.


There are so many things, so many places, but nenas when you guys get older we will go again and I will explain in details so many things we did in NY.


The following day was the big arrival, we waited the whole day drove around again went to see some places we used to go to, I have to say I remember Amira so much there so many places her and I went to in NY she just love the shopping there. One thing I found new that was not there before we left was the Boca Juniors corner, nenas you will understand that by the time you grow up. Boca Juniors is the soccer team from Argentina that we are fans of because of Nono and here it is.


Baba also drove me around my beloved Indian neighborhood, maybe I was Indian in a prior life I just love that place, the stores, the jewelry places, the food etc.


I think this couple of pictures describes what Samia and Gamila felt this couple of days.


Then came the time to pick them up, Samia was anxiously wating for Guido and Zetu she even came up with a Zetu and Guido song/dance. After arriving we had to open the luggage and try to organize it since there was so many bags, the amount of food they brought can not be describe, nenas you guys would not believe how much stuff they brought back, nenas you will also become accustom that when we travel to Egypt or Colombia you bring the unthinkable. Is insane you have to be a foreigner to understand why we bring lemons from Egypt or pita bread, or pastrami, or cookies, dill, grape leaves YES everything passes thru customs hard to believe but it just happens. I think over all we had 6 luggage's and 5 hand bags plus the car seats.


There are so many other things to post mainly all of the keepsakes they brought back from baba's and Amira.


7 comments:

Stacy said...

Wow, looks like ya'll had a great time, reminicing the old days, seeing all the places you used to go. What fun! Glad your inlaws got here safe and you made it home!

on the edge said...

Fantastic trip !!! Thanks for posting it . I had no idea that NY is so neato ! Makes me want to go some day too .Love the pictures . The kids are really growing up fast !

Empress Anisa said...

Your girls are beautiful! And I was JUST talking about home and missing it... thanks for posting pics of the best city in the world!!! ;)

Unknown said...

i was sitting next to keith while reading your blog and he said i guess you guys are not fans of River Platte. But that restaurant looked cool, did they have true argentine food??

Looks like yall had a GREAT trip.

Mami said...

Stacy - yes we had a great time.

On the edge - New York is a great place to visit, I know my little ones are growing toooo fast is scary at times.

Empress Anissa - You are right the best city in the world..the capital of the world

KKGhoffman - River Plate is out for us. They serve parrillada all argentinian food, not the best food but the decor is worth the dinner.

Anonymous said...

You've got a beautiful family, your girls are lovely, A.M.P. I wish you all the best. Cheers, A friend.

Umm Omar said...

Wow, looks like you all had a fabulous time! Thanks for sharing!