In and Out of SoBro

I am currently writing a story for a Swedish travel magazine about my experiences from last fall’s visit to New York and the South Bronx. The story will be about the up and coming scene there. Most of the time spent was walking around and taking mental notes and documenting what I saw and felt. I’ve subsequently done a whole lot of research about the South Bronx and found loads of more or less interesting facts about the place. Like that Al Pacino, J-Lo and Stanley Kubrik were born there.

The visit granted me a couple of things. For one, I found the edge in New York again after losing it somewhere along Canal Street a few visits ago. Secondly, I have a better understanding of how bad things must have been in the South Bronx back in the 1970’s and 1980’s. In a way, I wish that I’d visited the place when I had a chance during a stay in Queens about 20 years ago.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have traveled to a great many places and the South Bronx was definitely one of the more interesting ones. Not so much from a tourist’s perspective but rather from a social and historical point of view. The fact that the South Bronx is now going through some serious changes for the better, economically and socially, makes the area a very interesting destination for those looking for something off the beaten track. I also realize how little I know about New York and that I will need to visit the greatest city in the world many more times.