When a foreigner thinks of New York, one's thoughts are ultimately drawn to the idea of jungles of skyscrapers proudly eager to be as mighty as the sun, the infamous noise and raucous crowds that just send you berserk, the poignant smell of the subway stations creeping on your nostrils, the aftermath of reckless, intoxicated people entertaining you on the subway, the blinding nightlife promising you to never want to see the sun to rise again.
Whether one perceives NYC to be an epitome of a dream come true (which for me will always be despite its shortcomings), or the complete opposite, the thing about New York is that beyond the city life, there is just so much more to see. Sure, the city never runs out of hip culture stuff to see and do, of flavors from about every single mile of the world, of percent-off sprees, and maybe, even love. The city is indeed a place where all of the world and all of the human interests are compressed, but not so much compromised, into just a couple of subway stops, or even just a few blocks.
But what is the city missing, when it offers as much as everything? Upstate, that’s what.
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| Minnewaska State Park. May 2017. |
Most probably, when one speaks of nature, New York isn’t one of the first few things that pops on an individual’s mind. Even I myself was surprised to know that New York is more than just Frank Sinatra's song or Alicia Key's song, or all those movies and tv shows set in the city. Well, I hope that is about to change after this. Because, for a fact, New York’s beauty extends from its enthralling man-made architecture to the captivating mountain trails with overwhelming mountaintop views, the harmony of the rocky terrain and the green scene, the clashing of tranquil, crystalline lakes and rigorous rivers and falls.
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| Lake Minnewaska |
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| My aunt and the Awosting Falls |
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| I could just live in this place, take pictures and drink coffee all day |
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| I'm gonna want to have hiking as my hobby when I grow older |
From Queens, I, along with my grandfather, my aunt, and my uncle made a more or less hour drive to get to Minnewaska State Park. The park, located somewhere in Ulster County, New York, usually opens at 9, and we got there just in time it opened, so that we were about the only people there to bask in the entire scenery (although somewhere near noon, we had to share the place with some other people, and my favorite other guest was the big and beautiful Golden Terrier I met while hiking up the boulder).
We visited the place last May 2017. Sad to say, the waters were not warm enough yet for any of us to enjoy a swim (the waters are usually opened during the summer), although I really wanted to because the water was just so clear; it kept tempting me to take a dip in the serenity of the lake encompassed by boulders of rocks and the beautiful greenery. That would have been a lot fun, also because it reminded me of the scene from IT (2017) where the kids were just swimming around the lake, all happy. It just gives me the carefree vibes.
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| Aunt and uncle being goals |
There were no tour guides, or at least we didn't have any, but there were guides to follow a certain trail of your preference. There were three trails, if my memory serves me right, the easy, moderate, and the difficult. There was a color coding for this, but I couldn't quite remember which color went with which level. We took the moderate level. And yes, we made the effort to see most, if not everything, the place was willing to offer.
Our first stop was Lake Minnewaska.
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| This is how clear the water looks |
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| My favorite photo of me from our trip. My uncle takes really good photos, too. |
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| Coffee and this view. Always. |
Then we took our first hike up to the boulder that overlooks the Lake Minnewaska. That view, to this day, is still one of my favorites. Truly underrated, it was just an overall magical experience like no other. Nature rocks! Literally.
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| I found this bridge really cute |
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| This bridge was really pretty. I love wooden bridges, I bet you could tell by now. |
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| Grandpa and my uncle cheering from up above |
Then, we took another hike. I didn't know the name to it but although it was Spring, little did I know that this place as well had a view of its contrary equinox. I've never really experienced the Fall season, but at least now, I've gotten a dip of how it looks like and I am already in love.
Then there is this other lake. At that time of day, it was quite gloomy. So our view of that lake was rather more melancholic than our previous encounters. Nevertheless, the beauty, of course, was consistent.
Our final stop was the Awosting Falls and Lake Awosting. So far in my life, I have seen countless waterfalls and fell in love with every encounter. About Awosting Falls, this one was different from the rest because of how the falls veiled a wall of conglomerate rocks behind it.
This is Minnewaska State Park through my lens; a mere representation of its beauty. Just among the many picturesque natural landscapes found in the Empire State. It’s not always in the city that you will find love, especially not this kind.
Then there is this other lake. At that time of day, it was quite gloomy. So our view of that lake was rather more melancholic than our previous encounters. Nevertheless, the beauty, of course, was consistent.
Our final stop was the Awosting Falls and Lake Awosting. So far in my life, I have seen countless waterfalls and fell in love with every encounter. About Awosting Falls, this one was different from the rest because of how the falls veiled a wall of conglomerate rocks behind it.
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| My aunt and uncle being goals. Again. |
This is Minnewaska State Park through my lens; a mere representation of its beauty. Just among the many picturesque natural landscapes found in the Empire State. It’s not always in the city that you will find love, especially not this kind.
