Hi trainlady!
I've been to New York City once and dream of going back. I had a BLAST! I was working for the Girl Scouts then and flew into NYC with my co-workers for training. We actually trained outside the city at a place called Macy's Traning Center (I think, it's been a few years) Anyway, we flew in early so that we could do the tourist thing for a weekend. My 3 co-workres had been there before and one had even lived there until she was 13. My advice is ewear GOOD shoes and walk, walk, walk! Enjoy yourslef as much as you can. We've all heard how rude New Yorkers are and I'm here to tell you it's a LIE! We ran into one rude person and that was while still in the airport at one of the cafes. My friend only had a $20 for a cup of coffee and the clerk was rude. Beyond that it was the most fabulous experience of my life. We walked Central Park, took the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty, though we didn't go there. It was an estimated 5 HOUR line waiting to get on the boat. I was content to just see it!
We of course saw the Emopire State building and Times Square. We went to Grennwich Village, Soho, China Town, Little Italy, visited the church that George Washington used to attend and saw the pew, still there! Walked in the cemetary behind the church that is so old you can no longer read some of the headstones.
We ate lunch in a wonderful little pizzaria where it was supposed to be order and pick-up yurself but the guy working there told us to have a seat and waited on us! He was wonderful. We ate breakfast in Greenwich Village. I shopped in Soho and made a friend. When I was done the street vendor shook my hand and said it had been a pleasure!
China Town kind of smells but what a wonderful place. A HUGE caution here though: do NOT eat at any restaurants in China Town where someone is hanging out the door waving you in. If you see people of the Chinese race eating there especially RUN the other direction as fast as you can!
We fell for this and had some of the WORST food I've ever had. I am NOT a picky eater but couldn't gag it down. They had fish tanks with tropical fish in it on a wall and I swear this food tasted as if they had used that water to cook it.
The Chinese were gobbling it down! My dd3 has a friend from NYC and she said never eat at a place described like that. i said that would have been nice to know then! We had dessert in Little Italy at a sidewalk cafe. We watched for "obvious" gangsters but didn't see any.
We took the subway without a single problem and even waited on a bus at 10:00 at night on a streetcorner. I think now that our guardian angles were watching over us for that one.
What a fantastic experience being there! I dream of taking my family back some day too. I'm just afraid it won't be as great or that they won't like it as much as I did.
Shop those street vendors! One girl bought a watch off of a guy just like the skits and cartoons you see. He walked up with a brief case full and she bought a "name brand" watch for $20. She was so excited until it quit working the next day.
I bought t-shirts off of tables on the street.
In Times Square, which we visited at night, an old drunk hit us up for money but we refused. He whipped it out and started peeing right in front of us then, laughing with glee the whole time. What was even funnier was a cop was standing there watching it all! We did give a homeless person a few dollars each since we stopped him for directions and he gave us good ones so I'm glad we all pitched in.
It has been a few years but the memories are still fresh. The street entertainers are fabulous, the people are friendly, and it wasn't all that expensive. Just wathc your change. I was thirsty and bought a bottle of water from a street vendor. It was .50. I gave him $1 and he kept the change!
I hope you get to go and that you have even half as good a time as I did. If so, you will have memories to cherish for the rest of your life.
Jayne
AKA
Special Member of the Family
It's time for another smiley story contest!
