Moonshine
04-25-2005, 08:44 PM
Just got back last night after spending three days in New York City. My first trip to the Big Apple. It was interesting, but definitely NOT my sort of town. Not a very car friendly city either. 98% of the vehicles are POS, with all four corners bashed in. The cabs run push bumpers front AND rear, and boat fender strips on the corners. All the cop cars were beat up and nasty looking, too. The other 2% of vehicles that I saw were very nice, mostly big MB's, Porsches, and BMW's that clearly didn't ever get parked on the street. Saw all the usual touristy stuff, including the post 9/11 style security, including NYPD ESU troops with slung M4's outside the NYSE. No probs carrying a gun anywhere. Actually, I got through security faster than the rest of our crew everywhere except the UN. The UN wasn't unfriendly about my gun, but they did make me secure it in a gun box since the UN building is considered international territory rather than US soil. Ground zero just looks like a construction site these days. Ate lunch in a restuarant where George Washington gave his farewell speech to his General's. Spent right at $1K on dinner one night (for 9), including a regular size chocolate cake that was $112. Surprisingly, the cake tasted like it was worth it. Never felt unsafe anywhere, although the masses of humanity made me really uncomfortable. When we went wheels up out of LaGuardia I felt like the POW's coming out of Vietnam. All in all, it was interesting, but I'm glad to be back in the land of open spaces. :D