Post-COVID travel. It’s a phrase we’ve all been waiting 20 months to finally say. As we cautiously emerge from under its shadow, the pandemic has done funny things to warp our sense of time. On one hand, my final pre-COVID adventure across Mexico, the US, and Canada feels like it was 20 years ago. It was actually in August and September of 2019. On the other hand, things seem surreally frozen in time from February and March of 2020, despite how much we’ve accomplished rebuilding our business to better serve you in this exciting next chapter.
Which is exactly why New York City was the perfect and unusually satisfying destination to kick off our post-COVID travel. Seemingly the antithesis of my standard adventures deep in the remote back country, New York became the piece that fit perfectly into this often warped and twisted post-COVID puzzle. Having grown up in Massachusetts as a die-hard Red Sox fan, going to New York always felt like walking into enemy territory. Only this time it didn’t. People seemed very welcoming, much like what I experienced when I would travel to Mexico prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Twisted and warped, indeed. At least we still got the quintessential New York experience of sitting in traffic and paying the ridiculous tolls to cross the George Washington Bridge.
Our destination in New York was the Cosmic Nature: Infinity exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden in The Bronx. After nearly two years of living through the pandemic, Infinity turned out to be an impeccable theme for our first post-COVID travel adventure.
Travel in a Post-COVID World
I’ll be honest with you. I had no idea what to expect in my first “real” post-COVID adventure. It’s been no secret how unpleasant so many of my previous encounters with the public throughout the pandemic. From the death threats I got in Arizona to derogatory slurs being hurled at me in Texas to the intimidating stares in just about every other state, I was pretty skeptical heading into New York City. The pandemic had seemed to bring out the absolute worst in everybody.
Despite their reputation, New Yorkers could not have been more friendly, welcoming, and respectful. Lines were orderly. Nobody was making a fuss over COVID-19 restrictions. What an incredible contrast from what I had to deal with in Arizona throughout the pandemic! Did it make any sense to me? No. Was I happy and relieved to see it? Without a doubt.
How has the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed Travel?
It has and it hasn’t. While many people expect a 9/11-style division between pre-COVID and post-COVID travel, I didn’t see it as quite that harsh. At least not right now. Flying out of Logan Airport in Boston less than 6 months after the 9/11 attacks was nothing like pre-9/11 travel. The endless lines, the extremely tight security, and the bomb-sniffing dogs didn’t feel real. Don’t forget that two out of the four hijacked planes in the 9/11 attacks originated in Boston, so we were grateful for the extra security at the time. But over time, we learned to accept that there was no going back to a pre-9/11 world.
While there will definitely be a pre and post-COVID distinction, I found a lot of normalcy visiting the Botanical Gardens in New York. Walking around looking at the exhibit felt eerily like pre-COVID times. You still have to wear a mask going into buildings, and there are signs everywhere to remind you that the pandemic is not yet over. But all the social distancing placards and blocked off areas were all gone. Those are so 2020, I guess.
New York City’s COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
Nearly all of the post-COVID changes to your travel will be entering facilities. New York City requires you to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter just about every public facility. If you’re not vaccinated, you will be denied entry, as negative tests are not accepted. Acceptable proof of vaccination includes:
- The original physical copy of your vaccination card
- An electronic copy or photograph of your vaccination card
- A photocopy of your vaccination record
Because they featured both indoor and outdoor exhibits, the Botanical Gardens were the perfect place to get a glimpse into what post-COVID travel may look like. Staff members verified our vaccine cards at the main entrance, and once we were inside, we did not need to show them again. My aunt and I both got our shots in the US, while my uncle was vaccinated in Canada. We had no issues getting in.
Both staff and security at the entrance to each building reminded us to wear masks inside and closely monitored foot traffic to ensure that the building did not exceed capacity. Other than that, though, it felt oddly normal.
Infinity: The Crossroads of Art and Physics
The Cosmic Nature: Infinity exhibit at the Botanical Garden was easily one of the most fascinating art exhibits I’ve ever seen. Artist Yayoi Kusama presented a captivating crossroads between land and water, art and physics, and indoors and out to showcase her lifelong fascination with the natural world. Unfortunately, we were there on one of the last weekends the exhibit was open. If you ever get a chance to see Kusama’s work elsewhere, I highly recommend it. It’s well worth the journey.
The grounds of the New York Botanical Gardens are beautiful to begin with. However, it doesn’t take long before you see Kusama’s touch. What originally feels like walking onto the grounds of The Masters quickly transports you Japan. The combination of all the flowers in bloom and the near-peak fall colors made it truly magical.
Our first stop was at a large tent where the public could make their own infinity art. Each person was given a flower and had to place it somewhere in the tent that was not on the fan, not on the fire extinguisher, and not in your pocket. When you walk into the tent, it is simply sensory overload for your eyes.
The First Taste of Infinity in Our Post-COVID Travel
Next up was our first taste of infinity at the Infinite Pumpkins room. It takes a second going from the bright, sunny outdoors to a pitch dark room, but I think that was done intentionally. Once your eyes adjust, you find yourself in a small room with a cube that’s roughly 4 feet in all dimensions.
A light underneath the cube slowly turns on, illuminating paper lantern pumpkins covering the bottom of the cube. As the light reaches full brightness, you look into the cube, and like magic, the rows of pumpkins look like they go on forever, into infinity. You start walking around the cube, and find that every side you look into, you’re staring into infinity. Look down, and you’re staring into a bottomless pit full of pumpkins. Since I have a degree in physics, my interest was particularly piqued.
So how does she do it? If you’re familiar with Kusama’s work, you know that reflection is a common theme in her art. The sides of the Infinity Pumpkins cube were all two-way mirrors, which gives you a truly unique sense of infinity regardless of the angle you’re viewing it. Photography was banned in the room, so I unfortunately can’t show you any pictures. However, you can find pictures of similar exhibits with a quick Google search.
Your Narcissism For Sale at the Narcissus Garden
In Greek Mythology, Narcissus is the god who was well-known for his beauty. He rejected all romantic advances, and ultimately fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. He became so consumed by his obsession with himself he stared at his reflection for the rest of his life, drawing the ire and vengeance of the other gods. If you’ve ever wondered where the term “narcissism” comes from, that’s where.
As part of a protest against elitism in the 1960’s, Kusama stood among 1,500 mirrored orbs with a sign that read “Your Narcissism For Sale”. She sold the orbs for $2 each. Later in her career, she built the Narcissus Garden, letting the orbs float around a large pond surrounded by plants and nature. In addition to seeing your own reflection, the orbs reflect the trees, sky, and water, allowing you to be one with the landscape.
Discovering Teleportation Inside the Conservatory
The Enid Haupt Conservatory is one of the most striking buildings at the New York Botanical Gardens. Housing exotic plants from around the world, the majestic Palm Dome ties the building together. And if there’s one thing walking amongst so many exotic tropical plants gives you, it’s some serious wanderlust.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the loop through the conservatory was only one-way. You start in the tropical rainforest, where you’re instantly transported to the lush jungles of South America, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. You’ll see everything from common houseplants to the most exotic and rare flora. And if you listen closely, you can almost hear the exotic birds, monkeys, and jaguars that call the rainforest home.
Towards the end of the rainforest exhibit, the path starts to descend, like you’re sinking into the ground. The exhibit surrounds you with swampy aquatic plants. Then, all of a sudden you reach a flight of stairs. Go down the stairs into an underground metal tunnel that feels like it’s right out of Star Trek. Walk for a couple of minutes. You’ll go up a short flight of stairs and be dropped right into the middle of the desert. I turned to my aunt and said, “if we ever figure out teleportation, I’m pretty sure that’s what it’s gonna feel like.”
The desert exhibit is just as exotic. While it features many staples of the American Southwest, it will also transport you to more deserts such as the Kalahari, the Australian Outback, and Arabia. Seeing the native plants from the Kalahari mixed in with American staples such as the Saguaro and the Prickly Pear did catch me off guard a little. But it was really cool to see them together. You can’t do that in Arizona.
Chance Encounters are One Reason Why I Love to Travel
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down travel in 2020, there was one thing I really missed from my adventures. Prior to the pandemic, I really enjoyed the short, chance encounters with interesting people when I would go down to Mexico. You can learn a lot about yourself and other cultures if you stop, listen to what they have to say, and learn from it. As I traveled more and more, I found myself having more of these interactions in unexpected places.
Not surprisingly, I had a really cool chance encounter in New York while waiting in line to see the Dancing Pumpkin exhibit. It’s hard to describe the Dancing Pumpkin other than it looks like a dancing polka-dotted octopus, so here’s a picture of it. You can get your picture taken in front of it and walk around underneath it.
A Blast From the Film-Era Past
As we got towards the front of the line, there was a group of three young women in front of us. I had my DSLR camera around my neck, so one of them turned to me and asked if I could take their picture for them. They told me the secrets to using their camera, and then went to pose for their picture in front of the Dancing Pumpkin.
As they walked over, I couldn’t help but notice their camera didn’t have a screen on the back of it. A closer glance at the back and I saw a label that said “Insert Film Here”. I hadn’t used a film camera in at least 20 years, so I thought this was pretty cool. But it gets better. After they got into position, I gave them the countdown. 3-2-1, and then pushed the button. You could hear the gears of the camera pulling the film through as it captured the image. Then I felt pressure pushing up on the underside of the brim of my hat.
I pulled the camera away from my face and looked down to see the picture coming out of the top. It was a Polaroid camera. I have a very high level of respect for people that still use film cameras, so I made sure to tell them. We had a good laugh over it as I gave the camera back to them. This may be the COVID isolation talking, but that brief interaction really made my day.
The Grand Finale at the Infinity Room
The Infinity Room is what people come to the Kusama exhibits for. Using nothing more than light and mirrors, the Infinity Room immerses you in an environment that fosters an out of body experience while at the same time heightening and arousing your senses. Remember the Infinite Pumpkins exhibit we visited earlier? The Infinity Room is the same thing, except instead of putting paper pumpkins inside the cube, you put yourself. And the other big difference? You can take pictures inside the Infinity Room. You only get 45 seconds inside, so be ready with your camera to make the most of it.
If you’re wondering where the worlds of art and physics collide, it’s inside the Infinity Room. When you step in, you’re instantly hit with visual overload. Prisms all over the wall and ceiling light up the mirrored walls with what feels like infinite colors. A slight echo subconsciously enhances your hearing, too. Make sure to observe the room from different angles. The optics will give you a sense for the many, or dare I say infinite, different aspects of infinity. Then just like that, the door opens and your time is up.
Final Thoughts on Post-COVID Travel
It felt so good to finally be able to get out and go adventuring. I really believe that post-COVID travel will feel much more “normal” than many people think. I got a bit of that feeling on a day trip to Boston a couple months ago, and this trip to New York certainly reinforced it.
However, just like after 9/11, we must remember that new practices, policies, and protocols are in place to keep you safe. Those 5-hour waits to get through security at Logan Airport in early 2002 quietly faded away as we embraced the new post-9/11 normal. And the COVID-19 restriction will do the same. Since the onset of the pandemic, I felt safer in New York City than I did in Phoenix, Boston, and everywhere else I’ve been in between. This is just the beginning of our next chapter, and as the world fully reopens, I couldn’t be more excited for what future adventures hold in 2022 and beyond.
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Want to See More Photos of Cosmic Nature: Infinity?
Can’t get enough of infinity here? Head over to the Matt Gove Photo website. You’ll find the complete photo album from the Cosmic Nature: Infinity exhibit there.
Top Photo: Kusama’s Tulip Sculptures Take Over a Pond at the Cosmic Nature: Infinity Exhibit
New York, New York – October, 2021