Welcome to Manhattan-Not, Canada-Not

I had been to Manhattan uncountable times, however this visit was my ‘first time’ in multiple levels: my first time staying for more than a week, my first time not having a tourist’s life but a local’s life, my first time not staying within walking distance of Central Park.

I was thrilled by the perspective of discovering this new side of NYC and by the couple of weeks ahead. Inwood is obviously not the Upper East Side or the Upper West Side or Chelsea, but it has some undeniable appeal – courtesy of Nature. This North, narrowed tip of the island is blessed with big parks on both Harlem and Hudson Rivers, enhanced with neat trails from where you enjoy some neater views. In Fort Tyron Park the steep hills are not only great to get your cardio workout, but also to enjoy gorgeous views of the Hudson; particularly once you get to the top, at The Cloisters. The Cloisters are like a treasure found at the end of a trail, at the top of a hill, your prize waiting for you. You feel transported to some medieval-like times, while enjoying those fantastic views. Just a few blocks apart from Fort Tyron Park, is the flat Highbridge Park, which follows the Harlem River for over 40 streets. This park –in the shape of a narrow strip- offers a decent extension along the river and beautiful views of the Washington Bridge.

Other than the Cloisters and Washington Bridge, architecture in this part of the city is anything but a ‘must-see’. If you ever come to “Canada” (this is how New Yorkers refer to Inwood), you are better off to come with a spirit of exploration and open mind (you can leave your expectations for glamour and latest trends in the subway!). Yet, as “Canada” as they want to label Inwood, I guarantee that you are still better off than in Canada -at least in terms of proximity to the pulsating heart of Manhattan! If you need to stay in this part of the city, you can always appear in the magic of 40 minutes (what takes to slide along more than half of the island underground) in the middle of Central Park. Thankfully Inwood is well connected through public transit, so when you crave the glamour, or the very well crafted New Yorker anti-glamour, or going to those best-kept-secret restaurants or jazz clubs, or the one thousand other things that you know are waiting for you in the Big Apple, the subway is your passport. There is no Toronto-Manhattan subway yet–and nowhere in Canada have I seen such a strong Latino community as in here!