3 new things learned on my 1st day in New York:
1. Germaphobic, Claustrophobic, and Thermophobic are three disorders a person cannot have in order to explore New York City.
2. Patience is a key when waiting for airtrains, subways, or in lines.
3. Persistance is also a key or you'd never cross a street when trying to wade through people.
2 comforting things learned:
1. Other people, including locals, find the airtrain confusing as well.
2. Rachel has her fridge stocked with things I love such as Haagen Daas Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and a huge bowl of fruit.
1 complete obvious observation:
1. New York is incredibly massive. One day here is like flipping quickly through a text book and trying to remember all the facts.
Rachel and Nivaldo (Junior) were kind enough to ride the subway and airtrain to come pick me up from the airport. On our ride to their small apartment, they aquainted me with the subway system. Although I hadn't been in a subway station before, I knew enough from books and movies what to expect visually. However, the mixture of pee-smell, heat, and the sight of scavenging rats had a larger impact than a novel does. I also was fascinated by the vastness of advertisements and intricate tile artwork in many of the stations.
In fact, many of the details in the city blew me away. The combinations of old and new stood out to me: a wrap-around screen on a two-century-old building, a new porsche zipping past a slow horse drawn carriage, young trendy women marching past elderly tired ladies, etc. While having a philisophical conversation with Junior about faith and religion, we turned a corner and witnessed Time Square. It may not have taken my breathe away, but it definitely stopped all thought processes in order to soak up the image of tall buildings, neon lights, billboards, and bustle.
Rachel met us at Chevy's on Broadway, and then we explored huge stores along that strip as well as 5th Avenue.
After that we got suckered into going to a comedy show. We got a couple laughs. A guy said he read a bumper sticker the other day that said, "If you can't speak our language, get out!"... well how are they expected to do that if they can't read the sticker in the first place?
After we rode the subway back from Manhattan, I finally took a shower. I am grateful for that cleansing of the uncomprehensible amount of germs. Now, with a book to finish and a fan in my room, my first day of vacation is coming to an end. Thank you Lord for all the wonderful opportunities and the chance for more exploring to come.
