At first glance NYC is so different from the way we live on a day to day basis. The sheer number of people on the move, their interaction with vehicles (especially in crosswalks… Yikes), the walls of lights and advertising, mass transit above and below ground, and the overall “hustle” for the dollar are classic big city! Pretty foreign to the kid from Canso.
However, this time we peeled the onion a bit… We walked through urban neighbourhoods, sat in eateries, peered through fences, and frequented the parks. When you dig a little deeper you find the smaller communities where folks call each other by name, see each other jogging in the park or walking the dog, laughing over a coffee in the local shop. Those things, in essence, are not so different now are they?
I’d be remiss if I didn’t touch on how busy the holiday season was in Midtown. Line ups everywhere, whether it be for clothing, attraction, food or even candy (Peter and I snuck into the M&M store). I sometimes think that when Yankee folk see a line up they jump in out of sheer curiosity… Lining up for the line up! My first instinct is to head in the other direction… But sometimes (ie Rangers Game / Broadway) it’s a necessary evil!
Ouch… Speaking of evils, the Canadian dollar has tumbled a bunch since our last visit, with the days of parity we experienced during our cross continent trek far behind us. Some items, such as gas, are still a bargain even after exchange but, for the most part, we were almost taking a hit at every turn. It was really noticeable in the accommodation and attraction expenses this time around. Didn’t hold us back though… If you’re gonna be in NY then you’ll be forking over the funds so might as well enjoy it as much as possible!