Back in Brooklyn

With my second visit to New York, it was like the philosophical saying 'you cannot step into the same river twice.' Many things felt familiar and known to me right away. I had no problem navigating the public transportation system and reached my accommodation in Brooklyn without any detours.

There were other things that I had forgotten, maybe even suppressed. One of them was the price level, especially the cost of basic necessities such as coffee, beer, sandwiches, or snacks - it was simply absurdly high in this city. It reminded me of when I first visited, especially during the first few days, when I wandered through the streets starving, searching for a relatively cheap meal. It took me several days to realize that a sandwich could easily cost $6 and a beer would set me back $8.

And yet, the city had changed in my eyes because I wasn't a tourist anymore. Without an agenda or a mission, I strolled through the streets of Brooklyn. In the evenings, I met Jairo, whom I had met five months ago. The reunion was heartfelt, and I practiced telling him about my trip without boring or bragging too much.

On the second day, I wandered through Manhattan in search of some culinary souvenirs. In my eyes, the rest of the touristy stuff was outrageously overpriced. And in the late afternoon, I even found a bar in Chelsea that served two beers for $8 during happy hour, a bargain.

In addition to this leisurely daily routine, I also spent enjoyable hours with Talib, the hostel owner. Hostel Riviera was located in the basement of a typical Brooklyn townhouse and felt like a hideout. Everything, really everything, without exception, was outdated here, and it smelled weird. Even the guests seemed strangely casted together.

Talib, who had been running the hostel for seven years, was a lovable eccentric who also dealt in aquarium supplies, which helped him make a living during the Corona years. He had an impressive DVD collection, and we watched James Bond and a spy comedy together.

I felt comfortable in Brooklyn. But I felt even more comfortable when I could answer the question 'Where are you going?' during my farewell with 'I'm going home ...'