I Visited NYC During the Pandemic

“I know we were considered…”

She switched to a posh tone full of discrete satire,

 “…the epicenter, but… I don’t know, life is going on, things are going back to normal here? I’m telling you, today was really like a normal day, just that you pick up the food instead of sitting to eat it, and everything is open, we can go everywhere – we just all wear the masks.”

That’s what my friend who lives in the Lower East Side was telling me on the phone back at the end of May about the state of New York City in its beginning re-opening stages.

I have been trying to take a trip up to New York since the end of July, and last week – I got the chance to as Maryland was finally removed from the quarantine list. 

There’s a reason why they call Manhattan the city. It’s because it’s the city of all cities. 

 London, Sydney, even Tokyo – nothing comes close to it, and in my continued travels – I’m not sure that anything ever will.

Times Sqaure in September 2020

I read an article a couple of weeks ago at how the pandemic changed the city, and how it was never going to go back: with people realizing they can work from home, and that they don’t have to pay absurd rent or other exuberant fees to live in the city. 

But that article couldn’t have been more wrong.

 I was constantly surprised at how wonderfully normal everything felt up there. Turns out my friend was right: New Yorkers were all strictly adhering to social distancing guidelines and mask wearing. 

 It just went to show that if NYC, a city with 8 million people can get the virus under control – that so can the rest of us. 

We don’t need a vaccine to return to our normal lives; we need good government action (so, massive shout out to Governor Cuomo – you’re the coolest). 

So, is it worth a trip up there during all of this madness?

I’d click here to read more about my trip, but I will leave you here with this:

New Yorkers are tough, and being there – you will feel their resilient mentality, and be reminded in the most pleasantly abrupt way possible how temporary all of this is.

As long as you stick to all of the quarantine and hygiene measures, and aren’t hoping to go inside many common tourist attractions – you will be good to go.

I visited New York City during the pandemic. What came out of it?

An abundance of hope, a reminder that my love of travel, chatting with strangers, and walking multiple miles a day.

The view of the Brooklyn Bridge from Pebble Beach; September 2020.

But most of it all, it reminded me that some things will never change. As the world continues to spin, somehow – the more the world stays the same. 

Especially, Manhattan. Nothing will ever destroy the immortal perseverance of New Yorkers. 

And there was great comfort in knowing that some things won’t be a constant victim of vicissitude.