Survived NYNY

SW CQB 45

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Victoria, Texas
NO GUN, NO KNIFE and never would have needed it.

This was a HUGE CITY (much bigger than what I am used to...Houston/Dallas act), enjoyed every minute and planning on going back. did not get to do what we wanted.....planned to much.

my new best friend.....Brooklyn Lager Draft at Lombardi's Pizza (I drank it like water). Planning a tour of the brewery for next year.

Learned a lot about the city with the double decker tour. wished the Statue of Liberty was open.....would have liked to have gone up top.

Empire State building...lil scary for me. I don't like heights, luckily it was night time and I like the concrete build up on the exterior walls for added thickness to prevent me from falling through :P

Estimated walked 24 miles in 2.5 days....I am beat up. never felt any danger walking late night and at Time Square. Stay two blocks from Time Sq, small room, was clean and we took advantage of Cont Breakfast that was not bad.

Streets were dirty, trash build up and stinky in some areas, but expected with all those folks that live and work there.

Wanted to go eat in Chinatown and Little Italy, but never made it. Yellow Cab drivers drive crazy....and being LEO...I would use zero tolerance on them in my jurisdiction but HAY, I was off, not in my jurisdiction and it was my dime, step on the gas BUDDY.

Went to many locations and ended up at the 9/11 Memorial with no tickets. I asked how to get in, they said to go get free tickets at another location which we just came from. a Retired NYPD Officer asked me if I was a badge (I guess I stick out after 23 years) and gave me and my family the tickets so we did not have to walk back to get the tickets. Most of the LEO never looked or seemed friendly but this retired cop changed my mind. Those officers have a tough job dealing with those folks. I saw one incident where a person made his way up onto a light about 10 foot high. He would not come down and the officer seemed very easy going...more patience than I would have had. He talked the guy off without further incident. I thought about it and if he would have yanked him off, that would have looked bad for NYPD. He did the right thing.

There was many things we did not get to do so planning for a supplemental trip next year.

Overall, we liked the BIG APPLE and I would suggest to anyone its a must see, but do your homework as it completely different from what I was used to. I have never had to hail a cab...so that was an experience and learned that there is a Houston Street but its not pronounced Houston, but instead it pronounced House-ston Street.

thanks to all who provided information on my previous thread.
 
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Great summary....I feel like I have been there also.....thanks.
 
hahahha, me in a hat...I had a hat in the Urban Cowboy days. (late 70s, early 80s)

I bought 140 $$$ pair of sneakers hoping to keep my feet comfortable. I think my cheap ol crocs would have been better.
 
Most of NYC is fairly safe now. When I first visited in the 70's, it was pretty damn dangerous
 
Glad you had a good time.
Not for me though. Too many people
crowded in too small an area. I'd heard
about the smell problem from a friend who
visited. Did Bloomberg try to arrest you for
having a large soda? I'll stay away from the
socialist states. Plenty of the Western U.S.
i've yet to see.



Chuck
 
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Congratulations on a nice trip and a great write up
If you do get a chance to go back just a thought look into visiting
Governors Island. It sits aprox 1000 yards off the southern foot of Manhattan between Brooklyn and liberty Island,
For over 300 years it was a millitary garrison which was vacated by the Coast Guard as an active base in the late 90s and turned over to the state and city mid 2000s. The Island is being transformed into a wonderful park
with a ton of history some great views of Lower Manhattan, Liberty Island
Ellis island and jersey city etc. I have attached an old pic that we took one
night at work many many years ago.
I apologize If it is troublesome. Semper Paratus
2supertruck.jpg
 
here are a few photos of my visit....and yes I ran into the naked cowboy and the naked indian. when we walked out of Penn Station, there was a Fire Incident.
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Congratulations for surviving your recent trip in New York City. Lesser folks have tried and failed. Rumor is that there is a list of those whom have entered and never left. Glad you enjoyed your vacation. Frank
 
I have lived within 50 miles of NYC all my life and actually HATE going in. I ONLY venture there when I have no choice in the matter.

There is PLENTY to see, tons of history, culture, great food, shows, architecture, etc. etc. but IMHO (at least for me) it is just more of a hassle, rip-off, and p.i.t.a. than it's worth. I guess since I've been there so many times and actually went to H.S there, it's no great shakes for me anymore. But if you are a visitor I can definitely understand why you are exited about it. Glad you enjoyed it and while MOST of the City is OK, there are still plenty of parts you do NOT want to venture into - gun or no gun!!

Chief38
 
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I'm glad you enjoyed your vacation. Everybody should go to NY City one time. I have also been to Victoria, Texas. I don't have any desire to go back to NY City but I would like to go back to Victoria. Larry
 
Thanks for sharing that. I hope i soon get the chance to go, im sure ill get to, i have plenty of time only being 26. Are there any do's and donts in a city of that size?(from mid missori, dont go to big towns) :)
 
One more thing, THE WEATHER

Summers, I am used to and hate the heat....humid and hot with temps hovering or passing triple digits.

NYNY was nice. highs in the 80s, occasional humid feeling, but nothing like South Texas. it did rain (more like heavy drizzle) for at least an hour, but we were provided rain ponchos and just went along.

Empire State Building (the observation deck) with a refreshing breeze around midnight was in the brisk 60s.......YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
My wife Misty and I have been up there twice, never as tournists, but to make deliveries for the courier company we used to work for.

The first time I have never been so lost in all my life. I thought I would NEVER find the destination. At one point I looked to my left and read "Newark International Airport." Then right and said "Then those would be the World Trade Centers. At least we knew we were near NYC. (This was on a Friday afternoon, about 5pm. Probably a bad time to be lost on the interstate near NYC.)

The next time was a year or so later. When we spotted Newark Airport, and looked right this time, there was just a smoking spot in the skyline. It was about two weeks after 9-11. That was really a sobering sight.

This time we had gotten Mapquest directions to where we were going. Those directions took us right straight through the middle of Manhatten. It actually got to be funny, we were so lost. Misty was hanging out the window of the truck like a tourist. OH LOOK!! It's the Empire State Building!! I was just trying to drive.

Everyone we spoke to was just as nice as can be. We stopped to asked directions at one point, and a crowd quickly gathered, and a good hearted argument broke out over what was the "best" way to get where we were going. I couldn't understand a word they were saying, and they didn't speak Virginian either. Finally they more or less came to an agreement that we more or less understood and off we went again. When we got to the Holland Tunnel (I think it was anyway) the dog box in the back of my truck caused a bit of concern until the cops determined it was indeed an empty dog box.

As we got close to our destination, Mapguest, as only it can do, sent us in the opposite direction. Realizing that the residential area we were in was not our destination, we went back out to the main road, cornerd a UPS driver and asked him. He told us to follow him, and led us right to our destination. Thanks to that guy.

We found the customer and took in the package. "What is it?" I have no idea. "It could be a bomb!" Well if it is, it came from Capital One in Richmond, Virginia. "Suppose I refuse it?" Then I'll take it back to Richmond, and get paid twice. Your call." The fellow made a couple of calls and found out it was ok to accept the package."

We got back on an interstate, and praise God saw a sign that said "Washington D.C....thataway...I can find my way home from D.C..

I might never go back, but I can say, I've been to NYC.
 
...as long as you stay in the tourist areas...you'll probably be okay. When you start seeing alot of spray can graffiti and bars on all the windows...turn around and go back...quickly. I've taken wrong exits into so many cities now...I'm lucky I'm still here to talk about it.
 
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