I used to live in upstate New York almost 20 years ago and came down to the city quite a few times. Back then, coming from New Zealand and being younger, it was a big, exciting city that I thought I could live in. Going recently, it’s got busier, dirtier and sorry New Yorkers, but the vast majority of people are rather rude to the point of arrogance. Or perhaps it’s just me being the cynical twat I am!
For sure, New York has a buzz and vibe like no other. It’s alive and there always seems to be something happening, but this time around I found the people unfriendly, not accommodating and in general the service and hospitality was ordinary at best. It’s so culturally diverse though and there’s people from all over the world so no matter where you’re from you’re never going to look out of place or like a tourist.
The food is not that cheap, and in 5 days I didn’t have a single meal that I’d say was even half decent. Sorry, but Gordon Ramsay was right when he said Americans don’t know what good food is. It’s basically greasy, heavy, yeasty junk that is served up in portions so big you can literally order one dish for the whole family (2 adults and 1 Child), and still have some left over.
What I enjoyed most this time was Central Park. I’d never really considered or thought about the size of it, but it’s massive. Despite how big and good it is, a lot of sections and grassy areas were closed, but it didn’t really matter because you can always find another grassy area nearby. It’s not the most manicured or pretty park in the world but I really do agree that’s deservedly one of the most iconic parks anywhere in the world. I’d almost visit here again just to go to that.
The following was written before my last visit, so you can ignore it and just read the above most updated version.: Even though it’s been a while, I still consider New York one of my favourite cities to visit. It’s got a buzz and a liveliness about it that’s not matched by many other cities in the world, including Bangkok, Hong Kong and Japan. It’s got it all, shopping, arts, sports, the outdoors, water, fashion, tech, hipsters and this is part of what makes the city so good – there’s so many different cultures and types of people here. You could walk down the street in shorts, a singlet and jandals, or dress up in a ball gown and nobody is going to give you a second look.
It was a bit of a surreal experience when 9/11 happened. Being a kiwi living in upstate New York, and just having been down in front of the Twin Towers one week prior, looking up and thinking how big they were and seeing them go down. My American boss asked me what I thought being an outsider, and I could only think of one thing, which was not surprisingly “shocking”. Anyway, if you ask a local now, and it sounds so cliche but it’s true, the city and the people have come back better.
It’s not the most peaceful city in the world, it’s not the friendliest, it’s not the cleanest and it definitely isn’t the cheapest. But to me, this is America. You’ve got the rich like the Trumps and the Rockefeller’s who have come from a long line of money. You’ve got wealthy second, third and fourth generation immigrants and the new ones struggling to make a living washing dishes, hoping for a break. (Perhaps not so much now Trump is trying to get rid of them all).
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