New York City is astounding. There is no other place in the world that encompasses the same amount of diversity as that within its 468 square miles. The Hudson Heights neighborhood visit exemplifies and is a testament to this wondrous quality of NYC. The impression that Hudson Heights radiates is unlike any other part of the city—one that emulates a quaint, peaceful Victorian village full of Gothic era apartment complexes, rather than a booming metropolis that never sleeps. It’s hard to imagine that this area, which is comprised of less than 50-blocks, and a 15-minute trip by public transportation from mid-town Manhattan, truly exists amidst the all too stereotypical viewpoint of New York City. The amount of history that is contained in Hudson Heights is overwhelming; the area has been subject to so many influences over the course of its relatively short life span, and all of these influences have culminated into what is currently observable.

Fort Tryon Park was an esthetically pleasing park. Although it was a rather overcast day, it would be safe to say that on a beautiful sunny day during the pinnacle of Spring, the park would be glorious. The views of the Hudson River and New Jersey on the other side were juxtaposed with the West Side Highway that ran underneath us. This juxtaposition demonstrates how much we have advanced as a city and in doing so, how much we have altered the natural beauty of the area, to make it all possible. One of the biggest losses as a result of urbanization is the loss of the natural beauty of NYC.

During the last part of our neighborhood walk we visited Dyckman Farm House. It is amazing to see how antiquated this building is and what it currently represents; for example sustenance agriculture. Again, the juxtaposition of the old with the new is incredible. Dyckman Farm house is surrounded on all sides by tall buildings, billboards, restaurants, supermarkets, and everything in between.

New York City is such a wonderful place to be because there is such immense dichotomy everywhere one looks. I have always known that this existed, but this vision was made so vividly made and so much more evident from our visit. From Chinatown to the Bronx, you never know how wonderful and diverse the city of  New York City and its inhabitants are until you experience it yourself.