Times Square Is Not New York City
My mom and cousin arrived in New York City tonight. I met them at the airport after riding public transportation for about 90 minutes. Let me just say that the subways in New York rock. The buses, however, rock significantly less. My back hurts just thinking about the trip. Fortunately, the seats on a Greyhound bus are more comfortable and provide more legroom. Unfortunately, I'll be on one for 13+ hours Tuesday night. I think maybe I should start investigating medical clinics in Michigan that offer back transplants, and have Greyhound drop me off at their front door.
The only thing they got to see tonight was the Times Square area because their hotel is in Times Square and they got in late. Makes sense. But this whole night was just painful to me because I was spending time with quintessential tourists, and I don't especially like tourists. They're two women who walk slowly, window shop, fail to cross the street in time when the don't walk light starts flashing yellow, browse through gift shops, and only eat at supposedly "famous" (touristy) restaurants like Stage Deli (overrated). They take annoying and/or embarrassing pictures of things that have been photographed ten million times already. Times Square! Tiffany & Co.! The Rockefeller Center ice rink! St. Patrick's Cathedral! Saks & Co.! The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree! Genious! Just buy the stupid postcard at 15 for $1.
Times Square is not New York City. I'm going to force that realization on them tomorrow. Fifth Avenue in midtown is not representative of how New Yorkers live; TriBeCa is. Greenwich Village is. Chelsea is. The Upper West Side is. Unfortunately, the only neighborhoods they're going to see are Battery Park City and Chinatown, and Chinatown doesn't count because it's just another tourist trap. If all they're going to do is experience the famous stuff, then they should have just watched a travelogue and saved $300/night.
I'm glad to see them and all, but two more days of this... I'm just embarrassed to be around them right now.
The only thing they got to see tonight was the Times Square area because their hotel is in Times Square and they got in late. Makes sense. But this whole night was just painful to me because I was spending time with quintessential tourists, and I don't especially like tourists. They're two women who walk slowly, window shop, fail to cross the street in time when the don't walk light starts flashing yellow, browse through gift shops, and only eat at supposedly "famous" (touristy) restaurants like Stage Deli (overrated). They take annoying and/or embarrassing pictures of things that have been photographed ten million times already. Times Square! Tiffany & Co.! The Rockefeller Center ice rink! St. Patrick's Cathedral! Saks & Co.! The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree! Genious! Just buy the stupid postcard at 15 for $1.
Times Square is not New York City. I'm going to force that realization on them tomorrow. Fifth Avenue in midtown is not representative of how New Yorkers live; TriBeCa is. Greenwich Village is. Chelsea is. The Upper West Side is. Unfortunately, the only neighborhoods they're going to see are Battery Park City and Chinatown, and Chinatown doesn't count because it's just another tourist trap. If all they're going to do is experience the famous stuff, then they should have just watched a travelogue and saved $300/night.
I'm glad to see them and all, but two more days of this... I'm just embarrassed to be around them right now.