by The GM on June 16 at 1:43PM
Overwhelming. That is the word that can describe my first ever experience of New York City.
This past weekend, I was able to take the trip to see a good friend of mine who lives in Jersey City right on the Hudson River.
Before I get into the actual sights and sounds of the "big city", I have to say that every single time I fly, I get stuck by someone that either is too fat to fit in their seat, or someone with a baby that wants to cry the whole flight. This trip was no exception.
OK, enough complaining about the flight. On with the trip. I landed at EWR in Newark, New Jersey on Thursday morning and was greeted by my pickup car. Within 10 minutes of being in NJ, I had seen enough chest hair to last two lifetimes. I noticed that a lot of people of Middle Eastern descent were around me, this was a bit of an adjustment for me, because in Indiana, we don't really have many Middle Easterners. I like to look around at things that most other people don't when I am on vacation. I like to notice the people that live where I am visiting, how they act, what they wear, their values, etc. I also like to see how they react to my values, how I dress, and how I act.
When the pickup car rolled up to the front of my friend's building, I got my first glimpse into the aggressiveness of the city. The street was narrow, so only one car could fit down it at a time. We were rolling along fine until a garbage truck decided to turn onto the street and head toward us. It was at this time that the driver decided he would just sit there and challenge the garbage truck driver. My driver sat with his hands in his lap and then honked the horn and said "You F**K, you see me here!" Then, I saw a lot of hands waving in the air and he started speaking a different language. I don't know what it was, I didn't ask! After my driver decided to back up and let the garbage truck through, he turns to me and says, "Look at him, his face looks so stupid, that dumb mother f**k." I just laughed, he dropped me off, and I was then standing in front of my friend's building.
Now, I also had a small checklist of "non-tourist" things that I wanted to see or do:
I couldn't believe the pace of life in NYC. If you aren't walking somewhere, you are either waiting on or riding on the subway. I'm used to getting in my car, driving for 10-15 minutes to where I need to go, then coming back home. In New York, my friend said that it was normal to leave the house at 6am and not be back home until 10 or 11pm. With that thought in mind, I noticed that 98% of the people had some kind of bag with them, an ipod, and/or some kind of smart phone. I don't think I could get used to all of the walking and not being able to get home until later in the evening if I had to do other things.
On Saturday, we were supposed to go see the Mets take on the Rangers, but like every other vacation I've been on, the last day is always filled with rain. The rain started around 4pm and last well into the midnight hour. The game was rained out, and I didn't get to see Shea Stadium.
Overall, I had a great time and I would like to go back to see and do some things that I didn't get a chance to. I think New York is a great place to visit, but this laid back, Indiana boy couldn't picture a life without a car!
Oh...I was asked if Indiana is part of the "Dirty South." I'm not saying it's everyone in New York, but please, learn some common United States geography!!!
This past weekend, I was able to take the trip to see a good friend of mine who lives in Jersey City right on the Hudson River.
Before I get into the actual sights and sounds of the "big city", I have to say that every single time I fly, I get stuck by someone that either is too fat to fit in their seat, or someone with a baby that wants to cry the whole flight. This trip was no exception.
OK, enough complaining about the flight. On with the trip. I landed at EWR in Newark, New Jersey on Thursday morning and was greeted by my pickup car. Within 10 minutes of being in NJ, I had seen enough chest hair to last two lifetimes. I noticed that a lot of people of Middle Eastern descent were around me, this was a bit of an adjustment for me, because in Indiana, we don't really have many Middle Easterners. I like to look around at things that most other people don't when I am on vacation. I like to notice the people that live where I am visiting, how they act, what they wear, their values, etc. I also like to see how they react to my values, how I dress, and how I act.
When the pickup car rolled up to the front of my friend's building, I got my first glimpse into the aggressiveness of the city. The street was narrow, so only one car could fit down it at a time. We were rolling along fine until a garbage truck decided to turn onto the street and head toward us. It was at this time that the driver decided he would just sit there and challenge the garbage truck driver. My driver sat with his hands in his lap and then honked the horn and said "You F**K, you see me here!" Then, I saw a lot of hands waving in the air and he started speaking a different language. I don't know what it was, I didn't ask! After my driver decided to back up and let the garbage truck through, he turns to me and says, "Look at him, his face looks so stupid, that dumb mother f**k." I just laughed, he dropped me off, and I was then standing in front of my friend's building.
Now, I also had a small checklist of "non-tourist" things that I wanted to see or do:
- Subway rats
- Street bums
- Street card games
- A guy with a trench coat on with watches on the inside of it..."Hey buddy, I got watches..."
- Eat a hot dog from a New York vendor. I assumed they were different than here.
I couldn't believe the pace of life in NYC. If you aren't walking somewhere, you are either waiting on or riding on the subway. I'm used to getting in my car, driving for 10-15 minutes to where I need to go, then coming back home. In New York, my friend said that it was normal to leave the house at 6am and not be back home until 10 or 11pm. With that thought in mind, I noticed that 98% of the people had some kind of bag with them, an ipod, and/or some kind of smart phone. I don't think I could get used to all of the walking and not being able to get home until later in the evening if I had to do other things.
On Saturday, we were supposed to go see the Mets take on the Rangers, but like every other vacation I've been on, the last day is always filled with rain. The rain started around 4pm and last well into the midnight hour. The game was rained out, and I didn't get to see Shea Stadium.
Overall, I had a great time and I would like to go back to see and do some things that I didn't get a chance to. I think New York is a great place to visit, but this laid back, Indiana boy couldn't picture a life without a car!
Oh...I was asked if Indiana is part of the "Dirty South." I'm not saying it's everyone in New York, but please, learn some common United States geography!!!
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Comments
Thanks!
I definitely feel like I saw so much of the city, but I know that it was only a tiny slice of the pie that it offers!
Good post dude.
I am glad you got to hit up NYC...I liked your list too.
I liked the looks I would get in the city when I would open the door for someone. There was a definite, "what do you want from me?" type look...
I know what you mean. When I said excuse me, which was often, people would look at me like...tourist!
I offered my seat to a lady on the subway and she looked at me like she was puzzled. I wanted to say, "I didn't pee in the seat!"
NYC is an interesting place, and it's fun to read a first-timer's description of the city. I am especially entertained by the road rage.
So were the hot dogs way better in nyc? I haven't had one for a long time..but I bet they use nyc rats...so it's extra yummy!!
Great write up! You've taken your first step into a larger world.