7/8/12
The beach is the place to be on the 4th
of July, and New York City is no different. I didn't even know that
they had beaches in New York City until all of the people I was
visiting mentioned the fact that they were going to the beach. I
sort of figured that the ocean around NYC is dirty and cold and rocky
and full of metal, but that is not entirely the case. What was the
case, however, is that the entirety of NYC attempts to go to the
beach on the 4th of July, and it was PACKED.
I found it ironic that on the day that
represents independence and “freedom,” people were tucking
themselves into an 8x8 foot plot of sand amongst the crowds of towels
and umbrellas, plunging into an ocean carefully so as not to run into
anyone else, people so thick that you could not see the water from
the land side of the beach. It was a bit claustrophobic for me, and
after biking 5+ miles of beachfront bike path, packed to the gills, I
was almost ready to leave without even dipping my toes in the water,
but I'm glad that I did. It was cool and refreshing, and the ocean
breeze felt nice. The new friend that I finally managed to meet up
with had found a not-quite-so packed area of the beach, and we walked
and talked and enjoyed the sunny day.
The other “freedom” irony that I
found on fourth of July is that of Americans who call themselves
patriots, and then try to pass laws based primarily on religious
dogma, in a country which was settled by those escaping religious
law. Tomorrow, I will visit Plymouth rock, where the Pilgrims of the
Mayflower landed in 1620, after fleeing England in the face of a
religious government. I feel that it will somehow mean quite a lot
to me.
I sit aboard a ferry to the island of
Martha's Vineyard. Yesterday, I kayaked and snorkeled with friends
in Connecticut after another ferry ride from the tip of Long Island
the day before. I spent a night in the middle of long island with a
man who flagged me down on the side of the road, told me that he had
a place for me to sleep for the night, and led to me to his home to
meet his fiance. They were lovely hosts.
Since I last wrote, my carbon
footprint has increased significantly due to a cross-country flight
to see my family in California, whom I had not visited since I left
last year on July 6. I spent 5 incredible days on the family
houseboat on Trinity Lake in Northern California, had a dinner with
old friends, and spent some quality time with the grandparents. I
then flew to Minneapolis, MN for 5 days, and reconnected with the
great friends that I now have there. It was en excellent, fulfilling
and jam-packed trip of fun and hugs.
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