Hidden Homeless In America Living In Transportation Terminals In Style
You may not have noticed the hidden homeless in America living in transportation terminals in a minimalist style. If you get up early enough you may get a glimpse of it.
As I continue my journey towards a more minimalist lifestyle I have been taking public transportation as much as possible.
I find myself at some of the most historic landmarks in the New York City area, sometimes at 5 am. These super busy places during the day are almost empty, minimalist, and tranquil at
These super busy places during the day are almost empty, minimalist, and tranquil at 5 am. The architecture is amazing and often overlooked during the busy hustle and bustle of the day.
The other attraction that is not seen during the day and that is obvious at 5 am is the hidden homeless in America living in transportation terminals. I use Newark Penn Station, Hoboken Rail Station, New York Penn Station, and Grand Central Terminal often.
The Amazing Architecture in Transportation Terminals
These transportation terminals at 5 am are breathtaking! The mood is almost zen tranquil. During the day you are doing everything to avoid collisions with the waves of humanity coming your way.
I once had a little old lady body check me out on her way to New York Penn Station. At
At 5 am you can look up and enjoy the design, structure, and artwork. All are amazing. Even the floors are special and have detail. The workmanship and attention to detail will never be repeated again.
These terminals were built in the day when quality in construction and workmanship was as important as cutting costs and profit.
I have used these transportation centers all of my life and I tried to get in and out of them as fast as possible. Now at 5 am, I am like a tourist. I walk around touching and looking at everything I once overlooked in the past.
Ironically I will not be posting a personal picture because taking pictures is frowned upon in this age of terrorism.
The combination of not having to drive and holding a nice cup of coffee while enjoying the world-class architecture, materials and craftsmanship are priceless.
I think the minimalist lifestyle is for reuniting me with these places. Sit back stress-free in structures built like they were built for royalty. I want to be whisked to my destination with almost the speed of flight.
The Hidden Homeless In America Living in Transportation Terminals
At many of these transportation terminals, you do not see much of the hidden homeless in America living in transportation terminals during the day. At 5 am I have seen the homeless resting comfortably, not so much at Grand Central Terminal.
I have noticed the police at the other terminals seem to relax restrictions in a humanitarian effort to limit suffering.
There is something strange about allowing the hidden homeless in America living in transportation terminals, to temporarily reside in a Palace structure.
Even more strange is allowing riff-raff like me (joke) to sip coffee in the Palace-like structure. LOL. There is a truce at 5 am that does not exist a few hours later.
There was a time when the homeless and the beautiful architecture were invisible to me. Now I enjoy them both.
I don’t enjoy the homeless situation, I just enjoy that they are allowed to take refuge for even a small part of their day in such historic and beautiful places.
Know it is too little too late for the homeless in America living in transportation terminals. Also, know there are many dark sides to homelessness but I will not be addressing them for the purpose of this post.
There was a time when the homeless and the beautiful architecture were invisible to me. Now I enjoy them both. I don’t enjoy the homeless situation, I just enjoy that they are allowed to take refuge for even a small part of their day in such historic and beautiful places.
Know it is too little too late for hidden homeless in America living in transportation terminals. I also know there are many dark sides to homelessness but I will not be addressing them for the purpose of this post.
What I Learn From Some Hidden Homeless In America Living in Transportation Terminals
There is a type of homeless person that seems to want to live that lifestyle. They have no mental disability in my opinion. They just seem to enjoy freedom. Just like being unplugged from the Matrix.
I can relate sometimes. I knew of this type of person all my life and just considered them mentally ill.
Now that circumstances in my life caused me to look at a more minimalist lifestyle I have come in contact with more variety of people. This type of homeless person fascinates me.
I love to talk to them and try to understand.
In a city like New York City, there are tricks to navigate her resources. I have learned to navigate the Transportation Terminals, indoor public places, and public park structures from the homeless.
Love to be out and about in the NYC parks and indoor public spaces. I work out in the field and do not report to an office.
Hate working from a home office and often leave and set up an office in the parks and indoor public places I learned from the homeless in NYC.
I love to be out and about in the NYC parks and indoor public spaces. I work out in the field and do not report to an office. Hate working from a home office and often leave and set up an office in the parks and indoor public places I learned from the homeless in NYC.
New York City has amazing indoor public places. The park system has places where you can get out of the rain. The homeless have shared them with me. During the winter the homeless have shown me some of the great public indoor spaces to hang out and work.
Before I would hurry through these spaces never thinking I was welcome to stay, socialize, and enjoy.
There are two large parks in NYC I frequent. The homeless taught me their beauty and how to make the best use of their resources. These two parks offer food, water, shelter, and entertainment.
The homeless have even shown me how to get electricity and plug in at these parks.
One day I met a guy as I was sitting on a bench with a portable solar panel charging up a portable battery and working on my laptop. After speaking with him for a short time a few days a week, he showed me a live power outlet behind a bush near the bench I like to set up an office.
He also shared with me the location of several others.
My favorite Parks and indoor open spaces to hang out at
I knew these places existed but spending time with the hidden homeless in America living in transportation terminals has shown me better ways to use them.
Before I became a minimalist I would just run through the transportation terminals, parks, and indoor open spaces just to get to my destination.
Now I enjoy these places because I now live a more stress-free life. I am not rushing past these places to get back to my car because the parking lot meter is running. Now that I rarely drive and now use public transportation I have time to enjoy my surroundings.
Hudson River Park
You can find me at this park at some point in the day many days of the week. Hudson River Park, the longest waterfront park in the United States, has transformed five miles of decaying piers and parking lots along Manhattan’s Westside into a beloved, urban recreational paradise. You can find me somewhere between 42nd St and The World Trades Center location many days.
There is everything you could want there, from entertainment, boating, sailing, skating, great lawns, biking, bowling, food, bathrooms, freshwater, Basketball, and even a Trapeze School.
That’s right, I said Trapeze School. These activities provide visual entertainment and something different for me to see on every visit.
The Highline
The High Line is a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues. This is an amazing and unique park.
I span many, many blocks elevated above the New York City neighborhoods.
The High Line runs through three of Manhattan’s most dynamic neighborhoods: the Meatpacking District, West Chelsea, and Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton.
When the High Line was built in the 1930s, these neighborhoods were dominated by industrial and transportation uses. Now many of the warehouses and factories have been converted to art galleries, design studios, retailers, restaurants, museums, and residences.
This is another place I love to set up an office and work on my laptop and enjoy the outdoors.
Park Avenue Plaza
55 East 52nd Street (Between Park and Madison Avenues). I have a customer in this building and like to set up an office in the public space when I am in the area. I have a huge indoor waterfall that produces the sounds of the outdoors.
The IBM Plaza
590 Madison Avenue (at 57th Street) – Take the 4/5/6 or N/R to 59th Street. This public indoor space is plush with full-size trees, the great artwork inside and out.
The Winter Garden Atrium
220 Vesey Street (West of West Street) – Take the E train to World Trade Center. I love this Public indoor place because the company I work for had office space there.
Now I am just a visitor when I visit. The Atrium was severely damaged in the September 11th attacks, as almost all the glass panes were blown out by the dust clouds, but it was rebuilt in 2002.
Overlooking New York Harbor, this is the home to several yearly arts & events programs, including the Tribeca Film Festival,
There are many other public indoor spaces in New York. Outside of the transportation terminals, the spaces above are the ones I frequent. Another resource for the Top 10 Indoor Public Spaces in Manhattan for Your Very Own Urban Oasis.
The homeless living in transportation terminals have filled me with a ton of knowledge I use on the streets daily. They taught me to be thankful and enjoy what I have.
Things can always be worst.
