Until a week ago, I had never set foot in the United States—save for a brief layover at an airport—despite having lived in Canada for over seven years, just an hour’s drive from the U.S. border, despite having travelled to a dozen countries.

Even though I’ve experienced several world-class cities—having lived in Shanghai for more than a decade and visited Beijing and Tokyo, all of which surpass New York in population—spending three days and four nights in Manhattan gave me an understanding of New York’s unique bustle.

After driving for over eight hours, crossing the George Washington Bridge and entering Manhattan, the landscape in front of us dramatically shifted. If the first four or five hundred kilometres of our journey only offered us another glimpse of Canada, entering Manhattan felt like stepping into a different world altogether.

My husband suddenly asked a “naive” question: “Where does New York rank among U.S. cities?” My fifteen-year-old daughter and I answered in unison, “Of course, it’s the largest.” And perhaps not just in the U.S. Despite New York’s population of 8 million and area of 10,000 square kilometres being far smaller than Shanghai’s 20 million people and 60,000 square kilometres, this city remains the world’s first city in the eyes of many—once, and perhaps still.

Crossing the Hudson River into Manhattan, the skyscrapers stood before us like an impenetrable wall. But for us, a group from Greater Shanghai, this didn’t surprise us. What struck me instead were the densely packed docks along the river, reminiscent more of a seaport than a riverside; the enormous warship (USS Intrepid) casually docked along this incongruous urban riverbank, yet not out of place; and the miles-long pedestrian and bike paths that stretched endlessly along the riverbank, where leisurely strolls stood in stark contrast to the jungle of skyscrapers just a street away. I saw an elderly lady, burdened by a small backpack, trudging along this long embankment path, and I couldn’t help but wonder where she was headed and how long it would take her to reach her destination.

When we easily found a parking lot just a block from the river, located beneath a building, we were signalled by a security guard to stop at the entrance. Then, to our surprise, he produced a bomb detector—a device I had only seen in movies. My emotions were complicated at that moment; I wasn’t sure whether to feel uneasy or reassured. On one hand, such high-level security should make us feel safe, but on the other, it made me wonder if this level of security implied a real threat of terrorism. It reminded me of the “9/11” event that has lingered in my mind ever since—an event that has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on New York.

After entering the parking lot, we were asked to park our car in a central lane and unload our luggage, as most parking lots here offer valet service. I wasn’t sure if this was for safety, part of a service tradition, or a unique business opportunity. Anyway, having never experienced this before, we couldn’t help but ask a few more questions. Perhaps sensing our unease, the attendant who took our keys, with what seemed like typical New Yorker pride, smiled and said, “Take it easy! This is New York.”

Alright, this is New York. Stepping out of the parking lot and into the bustling crowd, still hurried under the night sky, I felt a mix of curiosity and excitement. I thought to myself: Let me truly experience New York, this city that was once—and perhaps still is—considered the “City of Dreams” by the world. How will it compare to the metropolis where I spent many years, Shanghai, and Tokyo, the city I’ve loved the most so far?

What will be different? Let’s find out!

( To be continued…)