Last week I've been to New York for holidays with a friend. Wow! That city really is amazing! I can tell you a lot of stories about we've seen and what we've experienced in the city that never sleeps. One thing that really amazed me was a complete new experience to me - The world of Gospel.
On Easter morning we went up to Harlem, 120th street to join a Gospel ceremony. It would be the first time in my life to visit one. Of course I've seen it on tv and heard about it. Also in Amsterdam you can visit these ceremonies. Well ceremonies, I'd rather call them energizing parties. Wow, I was stunned. It already begun on the streets, the outfits of all the people. They'd really done their best: dresses, suits, heads, bags, socks, fingernails. Everything, everything looked great. And all the people were so kind. Of course what helped was that they were quite used to visitors with an extra stage for us and everybody who could not join all ceremonies from 8 Am till 2 PM.
The first person we met happened to be the priest's wive, we found out later on when she got up on the stage. The ceremony started immediately with singing and swinging. The priests I'm used almost fall asleep during their own speech, but these guys were full of energy. The crowd put their hands op in the air, shouting, singing, even crying - tears rolled over cheeks. Nobody was afraid to show their emotions and to share them.
Even now I think back about it I already get a smile on my face and wish I could go back. I think you should see for yourself and experience the joy and happiness.
On Easter morning we went up to Harlem, 120th street to join a Gospel ceremony. It would be the first time in my life to visit one. Of course I've seen it on tv and heard about it. Also in Amsterdam you can visit these ceremonies. Well ceremonies, I'd rather call them energizing parties. Wow, I was stunned. It already begun on the streets, the outfits of all the people. They'd really done their best: dresses, suits, heads, bags, socks, fingernails. Everything, everything looked great. And all the people were so kind. Of course what helped was that they were quite used to visitors with an extra stage for us and everybody who could not join all ceremonies from 8 Am till 2 PM.
The first person we met happened to be the priest's wive, we found out later on when she got up on the stage. The ceremony started immediately with singing and swinging. The priests I'm used almost fall asleep during their own speech, but these guys were full of energy. The crowd put their hands op in the air, shouting, singing, even crying - tears rolled over cheeks. Nobody was afraid to show their emotions and to share them.
Even now I think back about it I already get a smile on my face and wish I could go back. I think you should see for yourself and experience the joy and happiness.
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