The New New York City

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 01:05:54 GMT

I just returned from a vacation where I visited family and attractions on the East Coast, spanning Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York City, Albany, Long Island. I'll be posting some interesting thoughts and observations from my trip under the Vacation category.

On my vacation I and my family stayed for a weekend in New York City, and it is a changed place.

All that I remember of New York City, growing up in nearby Long Island, is completely negative:

- The people are generally rude and obnoxious.

- Life has no value in the city.

- The city is filled with filth and litter.

- Pedestrians do not have the right of way.

- Corruption exists, widespread and at every level.

- Experiences with crime are unavoidable.

These perceptions were not based on hearsay. I lived and worked in this area for 30 years until I moved to the West Coast and this is how things were. When I visited the city in grade school on a field trip, a man took my lunch money. When I worked my last day at a job in New York, my car was stolen. The police couldn't even be bothered to take a report.

But that was 15 years ago. I'd heard some things about how New York had changed. Mayor Giuliani was said to have cleaned up the city. The city had more of a soul after 911, they said. I wasn't really convinced, but I did want my children to visit sites like the Statue of Liberty, so we decided to spend part of our vacation there...

...and it was completely pleasant.

Times Square is clean. The streets were spotless. I searched in vain for the ubiquitous litter of the 70s and 80s. The peep shows and other vulgar businesses of Times Square weren't there anymore. They've been replaced by family places like M & M World and Toys R US. I actually felt safe there with my family.

Even our taxi driver was courteous. He spoke English and was happy to dialog with my 3 year old son for the course of the ride.

The icing on the cake was when we forget a day's worth of souvenirs and shopping outside the Museum of Natural History. We realized this on our taxi ride to the hotel. We turned around and headed back, fairly certain our goods would be gone; but they were still there.

The New New York is a fantastic metamorphosis of the original. I have no illusions that crime has disappeared, or that mean people have suddenly become nice, but something has shifted for the better. Whatever it is, I hope it continues.

David Pallmann's Blog: Vacation

The New New York City