A Walker in the City (in New York). Literature & Language Essay

A Walker in the City (New York)
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A Walker in the City (New York)
A walk in New York City is unlike any experience I have had walking in other cities. My personal experience of New York City starts with the slow adjustment of my eyes from the dimness of the subway station to the bright lights of the streets of St. Marks. As the buzz of the passing train fades away and I arrive at the top of the staircase and into the street, I hear the fleeting sound of cars, each rushing up and down the busy road. The transient vehicles leave a swishing noise behind, reminding me of the Lam Tsuen River in my hometown Hong Kong, China. My attention is grabbed by the calls from the merchants standing by their stands, calling out to passersby to purchase accessories such as bags and scarves.
As I move closer to the stands, I contemplate buying trivial items I know I do not need, but at this moment, the vast array of items presented before my eyes look like essential memorabilia to my visit to the city. I suddenly feel like a tourist in need of capturing the events of the day with a souvenir or a photo. The merchants spread out across the streets remind me of the street markets and shopping streets in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, you can amuse a child, redo a house, and dress a bride, one street at a time. The Hong Kong practice of grouping smaller businesses on one street is similar to what I was observing on the streets of New York.
As I walk down St. Marks, I notice all the shops around me, how different they are and how they cater to the varying needs of the population. I am astounded by all the swirls of color around me. Every direction I look, something captures my attention. I observe beautiful flowers growing out of a crack on the sidewalk. Suddenly, the air is filled with a loud “Come grab a hot dog, hot and fresh!” The hot dog cart, if there is such a thing as a New York Culinary icon; then the hot dog cart is undoubtedly it. Back in Hong Kong, the streets were also characterized by ready-to-eat snacks sold by vendors and hawkers at food stalls including egg waffles, egg tarts, stinky tofu and fish balls. Just like New York, in Hong Kong, everywhere you turn, you are met with street food. New Yorkers like to eat on the go, and they love their hot dogs.
Walking down Fifth Avenue, I am astounded by the giant buildings. Their sizes and shapes are magnificent. Some are shaped like staircases, others like checkerboards, and one particular one was shaped like a lipstick. Hong Kong, just like New York, has no shortage of impressive buildings. My eyes spot the Empire State Building. As a child in Hong Kong, my wish was to see this beautiful piece of architecture ever since I saw it featured in the movie “King Kong.&rdq...