A Spiritual Experience in New York
Posted on Jan 07, 2010 under Travel | No CommentBeing in New York City again was reinvigorating and I was looking forward to having a few days unfold before me. I had booked accommodation at a New York boutique hotel that I thought gave me the best advantage of being centrally located. After I got a good night’s rest, I headed off to explore the East Village. It was a crisp October morning and during my stroll, I noticed that as I crossed from 1st Avenue onto Avenue A, this seemed to be the demarcation of those in New York who have money and those who aren’t so fortunate. The streets were suddenly filled with graffiti, weeds, high-rise housing projects and lifeless playgrounds.
From Avenue A, I headed off to Chinatown in search of the apartment featured in ‘Flight of the Conchords’ a TV series on HBO. I took a few photos and waited around in hopes that I’d run into someone from the show, but no such luck. So, a headed back through Chinatown and made my way to Little Italy for some lunch. On my way, I saw a man with two gutted pigs slung over his shoulder. Quiet a site and truly unexpected. After a great lunch, I continued my search for locations featured on TV shows. I made my way over to the corner of Broadway and 112th street to have a cup of coffee in the restaurant in which Seinfeld was filmed.
Later in the evening, I checked out the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. I know I was chancing it, but I thought I’d give it a try anyway. My earlier attempt, two days ago, there was a queue going around three city blocks. This time though, I arrived an hour-an-a-half before the 7pm church service and was lucky to be granted a free tour of the history of the church. The church, at one time, had 15,000 members. I was so thrilled to experience this gospel church service, it will go down as the best highlight of my trip. All the spontaneity, the music, the positive experience was a very uplifting moment. I can’t explain the experience, but it was a true celebration of life. The sermon touched me so deeply, that I can actually say I was a changed person and changed for the better.
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