My Trip to the United States of America-Treasure of Baghdad's DiaryLast night when Ivan and I were returning back home, the weather was very cold. We were barely able to walk. I expected snow to fall the next day. My sense did not betray me. I woke up to see snow covers everything. I looked through the window and was delighted to see how snow painted the streets white.
I took a shower and then Ivan and I left to work. We arrived late a little bit because it was really hard to walk and take the subway. We arrived at about 10:10. as usual, we worked, had lunch and left home. This time, we returned back to the apartment to meet Sevan, Ivan’s brother whom I did not meet since I moved to Ivan’s apartment. Then the three of us went out for dinner. Ivan suggested going to Arte Café, an Italian restaurant where he had dinner with a friend few days ago. We went there and had lasagna and pizza. The food was delicious and the service at the restaurant was hilarious.
After dinner, Sevan wanted to buy some music CDs. So, our next step was Tower Records, a huge Music and DVD store in Broadway at Lincoln Center. I was amazed and spent almost an hour in that store. I bought three CDs including America’s top 20 chart-topping hits. By the way, I am listening to it now, “must be nice” by Lyfe Jennings, to be specific.
After that we returned back home.
VISITING HISTORY IN ONE PLACE
December 10, 2005
Today is another wonderful day I spent in New York City. As everybody knows that today is Saturday, the weekend in America. Ivan and I decided to go to the barber shop to get our hair cut. We went their and I was surprised to see a woman ready to cut my hair. It was very surprising to me as we, in Iraq, are used to have men cut our hair. I didn’t reject this idea but it was surprising to be frank. The woman did her job perfectly. Then we went to get some breakfast to take with us at home.
Today, we were supposed to meet Heidi at the Lincoln Center. We went and found her waiting for us at the gate of the New York State Theatre. Our trip today was to the Metropolitan Museum in NYC. Before going there, the three of us went to Starbucks and now instead of having my daily regular coffee, I had Gingerbread coffee that I really liked although it was the first time for me to taste. We took the bus and went to the Museum. When I stood at the steps of that lead to it, I was amazed. It was big and huge. Hundreds of men, women, children, old men and women were heading to see this big phenomenon. Some of them were sitting on the steps reading booklets that describe the museum.
The first thing I saw when I entered was the Egyptian civilization that brought attention to many people visiting it. I stood near a Mummy that was surrounded by many visitors from different countries in the world. When I was gazing, I imagined how this Mummy was a human being and an influential one in the Egyptian history. I immediately remembered O who is overwhelmed by the Egyptian civilization. I remembered how ridiculous it was when they did not allow him to take photos for the Mummies while a Western country like the United States allow people to take as much photos as they want.
People were fascinated by the amazing design of the museum that can make thousands look at the art without feeling bored. Most of the visitors had their cameras with them taking photos for the pieces they found great. Children stood next to the tombs and mummies, parents were happy to take the photos for them.
The Metropolitan Museum is like a living encyclopedia of world art. Every culture from every part of the world- from Florence to Thebes to Papua New Guinea- from the earliest times to the present and in every medium is represented. The Metropolitan’s two million square feet houses what is in fact the collection of collections.
Then, we reached one of the things that I couldn’t imagine or believe to see in New York. It was The Temple of Dendur which was erected by the Roman Emperor Augusts during his occupation to Egypt and Lower Nubia, the area south of modern Aswan. I asked if what I saw was real or not and I was shocked by the fact that it was one hundred percent real. They told me the bricks were transferred from Egypt to NYC. The sign near the temple reads that it came to the United States as a gift from Egypt in 1965 in recognition of the American contribution in the international campaign to save the ancient Numbian Monuments. I really wished O was with me at that moment to see it. I hope he would have the chance to see it one day.
We left this section and went to the European section where I saw the French reception room from the hotel De Cabris which was built between 1771 and 1774 by Jean Paul de Clapiers. Now, I remembered by my mother who is really overwhelmed by the European furniture specially the French and English.
While we were moving between the sections, I bought a bulky guide of the Museum and its contents to make my parents whom I really wanted them to see it, see how what is inside the Museum and how amazing it is.
The Arms and Armor department was another amazing part of the museum. This apartment includes fourteen thousand items, ranging in date from the fifth to through the nineteenth century. Armor and weapons, often embellished with precious metals and jewels, proclaimed the wearer’s social status, wealth, and taste. Western Europe and Japan are the areas most strongly represented, but the collection also contains significant material from North America, the Islamic countries, the Middle East and Asia.
Then we kept moving till we reached the Rembrandt paintings department. It was fascinating. Paintings by the Dutch artist were hanged to draw the attention of the gazing people. The painting of Aristotle with a Bust of Homer, Flora, woman with a pink and some other amazing portraits were so great to look at for at least 3 minutes for each.
I just don’t know what to say about how great this museum is.
After that, Heidi, Ivan and I took a taxi and went back to Lincoln center. We had dinner in one of the restaurants and then went to Starbucks again to have some coffee. After that she left to work in the New York State Theater. Ivan and I went to Time Square to look for a movie to watch. We finally found one in AMC Empire 25, “Just Friends”, a romantic comedy. It’s about a man comes face-to-face with old high school crush- a woman whose rejection to him turned him into a ferocious womanizer. It was so funny. Everyone watching laughed out loud.
After that we returned back to the apartment to get ready for a new adventure tomorrow, starting from me moving to a new apartment the CPJ rented for me.
