They say it doesn’t sleep. Though we didn’t stay long enough to find out but from what I have seen, heard, smelled and tripped on, it’s probably true.
Disappointed. It wasn’t a total letdown if that’s how it sounded. There’s a lot for the senses to take in just a few hours. Remember, I don’t belong to any of the single-letter generations. My mental and emotional reflexes could be haywired by an overload of lights and sounds. Rowdy remains rowdy to me. Still, the streets made me feel brand new. The lights inspired me.
Dirty. I wasn’t expecting a Singapore vibe but I just thought it could do better with all the money it gets 24/7 especially from first-time suckers like me.
The smell of skunk literally at every corner, not because of the presence of wildlife in the area but because of burning cannabis. From sidewalk dwellers to dudes giving out leaflets to tourists who couldn’t get enough of it, they’re a-smokin’ lot. Masks covering our faces provided no resistance to the strength of its odor.
EXPENSIVE food. So expensive. Did I say expensive already? I am a Filipino so I multiply by 55 and compare every meal versus a Jollibee combo meal. My math skills came in handy but I found it a bit difficult to swallow each bite.
Do I want to come back? You bet I do. There’s still a lot to see, to experience, to learn from and to be dismayed at. My wish: a New York with the discipline of Tokyo sans its Friday night drink-spree. It may not happen in my lifetime but I can dream, can’t I?
Afterall, it’s in this concrete jungles where dreams are made of.
To you NYC, I raise my cup.
Cheers!
If you’ve been touched, amused, or entertained by this post, or it put a smile on your face, please favor me with a cup of coffee. I will continue writing.
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