Remember when we used to come back from summer and our teachers asked us to write an essay on what we did for our summer vacation? Well, here are my thoughts about my first trip to New York City. We just returned last night.
This past summer DD's dance team had a dance camp and the Danceline organization chose "elites" who had the opportunity to go to NYC in January. DD was one of the five chosen, so we decided that we were just going to make it happen. We did bake sales and some other fundraisers to cover some of the cost. We were really excited since we hadn't been on vacation in five years. The trip did not let us down but exceeded all expectations! As we flew in, we saw the Statue of Liberty out the plane's window, and the New York experience began!
First of all, seeing NYC for the first time after ALL these years of seeing it on movies, and on the news, and scenes from 9-11 and in magazines - it was SO surreal. I mean, I'm a Baby Boomer, so it's been many years of seeing these pictures. It was better than I had envisioned it yet very, very different than what I thought it would look like.
The one thing I wanted to see more than anything was the 9-11 site, yet it was the only big disappointment of the trip.... I don't know... I just thought it would be more reverent. More meaningful.... It needed pictures and music and videos. I mean, I have a t-shirt that was made just after it happened that says, "We Will Not Forget," yet it seems that they ARE trying to forget. We cannot erase that the radical Islamists declared war on us that day... in a big way. Yet all we have are two big fountain pools with plaques? It looked like they are working on a building that some said would be a museum, yet who could know? It was chaotic as they rush you through security while they yell at you, and it was just, well, just not right...
I tried to imagine that fateful day when the two largest buildings in this nation collapsed within a matter of minutes, but could not. I tried to explain to my 15 year old who was only 4 at the time and consequently has only seen videos on You Tube. And her 14 year old friend had zero knowledge, so I guess her parents didn't think it important to tell her?
But on the up side, I LOVED seeing all of the American flags on buildings all over the city. We don't see that in Texas, so that really lifted my spirits. Another surprise? How many foreigners there are. I expected a lot, but they are the majority. I swear the city is half Asian or Middle Eastern, 25% white and 25% black. Or at least what I saw. We hailed a cab six times and I always sat in front to talk to the driver. The first one was a super nice young black guy who lives in Queens, has 3 kids, and is studying to go to law school. The next one was super nice from India who talked to me all some Hindu religious celebration. The next was from Pakistan, a devout Muslim, about 60, disgusted with how the women in the U.S. are and kept saying "praise Allah." The next one was just scary. He looked like Bin Laden and wouldn't talk and seemed like he wouldn't have a problem being the next one looking for his 7 virgins. We had a black woman from Granada who was pleasant and the last guy was black from Haiti. Very eye opening. All had come from very poor situations looking for a way to support their families. They always seem to land in NYC...
Another surprise? I'd always heard how rude New Yorkers are, but they were almost all super nice to us. Actually much nicer than Texas. And granted, I get it, the service people are looking for money, but they are here too, yet aren't really all that into it. We had 2 different tour guides - our food tasting tour had a young, sweet Korean gal who was super personable. And our bus tour guide was an awesome native New Yorker in her sixties, who had great tidbits and loves her life and her city. We all agreed that it's obvious when someone loves their job and their enthusiasm is infectious.
Other observations? Being with some very cute high schoolers, we just didn't see very many attractive males. Texas has some really cute ones, so that was a disappointment. (Same for women by the way, but we weren't interested in that.) I also noticed that there were no fat people. I guess it's all the walking? But in Texas, clearly HALF the people are super overweight so that was surprising. The food was not more expensive than Texas like we heard it would be, so nice surprise there. And we saw two Broadway shows, "Annie" and "Wicked," which were entertaining but not as elaborate as I thought they would be. I've seen shows in San Antonio and Austin that were equally as good, and even in my artsy small town, we come pretty close, believe it or not. And the audience was very disappointing. No one really dresses up, and they are allowed to eat and drink in the theater which is kind of gross. Ugh. America has really lost a lot of class.
The Plaza Hotel exceeded my expectations and finally we saw some classier types there and at Tiffany's. But I wouldn't say they were better dressed than we were, just acted snobbier. Central Park looked like what I had imagined except that it's the dead of winter, so with no leaves on the trees, any park looks it's worst. The Statue of Liberty was closed since Hurricane (storm?) Sandy flooded the bottom of it and ruined many artifacts, so it's not open for the foreseeable future. But even far away, it was so iconic that we were euphoric! Loved it...
As someone who is trying to work on my iPhoneography, NYC is a photographer's dream -- SO many photo opps. Like the subway. Wow. Now THAT is exactly portrayed in movies and television. Everyone is like a zombie - completely dead in the eyes. I smiled at a few yet they stay frozen. We saw some of the African-Americans break into a circle of dancing both on the platform and a different day some older blacks dancing in one of the subway cars. And Times Square? There are no words to describe. The pictures just do NOT do it justice. It's sensory overload. Party atmosphere 24/7. And this is mid January when it's super cold!! There was a black guy in tiny black Speedo type underwear skating with a boombox when we were there the other night. Of course you see it all, so it feels like an adventure.
As I was people watching in the Starbucks across the street from the Empire State Building, this Asian lady says to me (in broken English) "Is this your baby??" and points to a baby in a stroller. I said, "No, I thought it was your baby." She asks young couple next to me if they know who's baby it is, and they agree they, too, thought it was her baby. So I go to the front and a different Asian lady who was at the head of the line figures out what I'm doing, and says, "my baby," so I turn around and tell them. The first Asian lady starts yelling at the Asian mom and it was actually kind of amusing. Except that someone did actually walk away from their baby for 20 minutes in NEW YORK CITY...
I had wanted to see more of the media headquarters like the New York Times since I've been in the newspaper business all of my life, but no one else did, so that didn't happen. And I would love to go on the tour that shows where all of the movies and tv shows over the years have filmed - like Blue Bloods, Law and Order, You've Got Mail, P.S. I Love You, just off the top of my head.
So. My final thoughts... Better than I thought. Want to go back. And wistfully, my secret wish is that most of the places I go would be like they were in the 60's or early 70's when life just seemed more innocent.
A girl can dream....
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