In the 80's I visited New York fairly frequently on business. My London based employers had an associated company based in the Financial District which involved my visiting Manhattan nearly every month over a period of 5 -6 years, each trip lasting for 4 to 5 days.
During these trips I formed a great attraction to the people of New City whom I found to be the complete opposite that portrayed generally in the UK and World media at that time. Warned of hard-nosed, rude, aggressive Gothamites, I usually only found a warm, caring, and often very interesting people whether it was Taxi Drivers, Hotel and Restaurant workers, Street Vendors or more or less just about everyone I came across.
I did take basic sensible precautions and avoided certain areas at night and certain areas 24/7 and went most places by cab but then the same applied to most if not all large cosmopolitan cities worldwide. The problem with business visits is that you are not left much time to actually get to know the city you are in beyond, hotel, offices and restaurants/bars and I harboured a great desire to get back to NYC and spend meaningful time learning more about it, its history, buildings, culture, entertainments and people.
My dream was fulfilled when my eldest son came to live and work in NYC, 3 years ago which gave my wife and I the strong reason to get our backsides off the proverbial sofa (having retired from work in the meantime) and hotfoot it across the Atlantic twice a year, staying each time for the best part of two weeks, and taking in as much of the city as our bodies will physically permit.
This blog is an attempt to pass on to others our experiences and sheer delight, gleaned through our endeavours to learn and see as much of this wonderful city as we can.
During these trips I formed a great attraction to the people of New City whom I found to be the complete opposite that portrayed generally in the UK and World media at that time. Warned of hard-nosed, rude, aggressive Gothamites, I usually only found a warm, caring, and often very interesting people whether it was Taxi Drivers, Hotel and Restaurant workers, Street Vendors or more or less just about everyone I came across.
I did take basic sensible precautions and avoided certain areas at night and certain areas 24/7 and went most places by cab but then the same applied to most if not all large cosmopolitan cities worldwide. The problem with business visits is that you are not left much time to actually get to know the city you are in beyond, hotel, offices and restaurants/bars and I harboured a great desire to get back to NYC and spend meaningful time learning more about it, its history, buildings, culture, entertainments and people.
My dream was fulfilled when my eldest son came to live and work in NYC, 3 years ago which gave my wife and I the strong reason to get our backsides off the proverbial sofa (having retired from work in the meantime) and hotfoot it across the Atlantic twice a year, staying each time for the best part of two weeks, and taking in as much of the city as our bodies will physically permit.
This blog is an attempt to pass on to others our experiences and sheer delight, gleaned through our endeavours to learn and see as much of this wonderful city as we can.
No comments:
Post a Comment