How was I going to write a blogpost about my recent trip to New York without quoting West Side Story in the title? Right, I wasn't. It would not have been right.
But yes, NYC! I have finally been to the United States and what an experience it has been! It was truly refreshing to visit a new continent, and to just enjoy all the new sights and experience this illusive country (I joke.). I have to say that I have never understood the United States. Their politics confuse and annoy me and the stereotypes always looked very real from my European perspective. However, now I was finally going to experience the country of freedom (...), McDonalds, and Donald Trump (uhoh).
People who follow me on Twitter will probably be aware of my frequent rants about stuff going on in the USA (their gun laws, police violence etc.) and I have to say I was not entirely sure what to expect. The same went for New York City. In essence, it's just a big old city with a lot of people and a lot of tall buildings (sorry if I offend any New Yorkers, don't worry- praise is on its way!) and I was a bit scared there would not be enough to do to entertain me for a whole week. In hindsight, I was a bit foolish to think that.
NYC is huge. It's bustling, it's kicking, it's noisy, and it's alive. As a person who enjoys peace and quiet, I have to say NYC is too much for me. I enjoyed spending my days in the city, but I always felt very pleased being able to return to our hotel in Jersey at the end of the day. But it's a magnificent experience. NYC is in no way like London or Paris. There is a completely different atmosphere which I cannot quite get my finger on. The people there seem determined and busy, and they always seem to be discussing either the job they're working on or how their new house is coming along. I have heard more people talk about their new flooring and their most recent business plan than ever before. Why are ya'll discussing this stuff so loudly?
My favourite piece of New York is probably Central Park. I love that little safehaven in the middle of all that chaos. No loud phonecalls here. Just people eating their lunch, walking their dog or going for a run. You can really tell it's the place where everyone comes to unwind (which makes sense because it's a park but okay let's not kill the poetry here).
I really enjoyed the Metropolitan Museum, which has a great collection. The building is stunning, and it right next to Central Park (bonus points!). Going to the top of the Rockefeller Center was also very impressive. I've seen pictures of the New York skyline about a hundred times, but it doesn't beat the real thing-really.
The real reason I went to the United States was to visit one of my friends whose been living in Washington D.C. for almost a year. Originally I was going to visit her there, but it turned into a family trip and we decided to go to New York instead, and take a roadtrip to D.C. Biggest. fail. ever.
The roadtrip itself was fine. Americans are really polite drivers- who would've thought that!- and I had enough amazing American coffee to keep me happy during the four hour trip. However, the weather was terrible. I have never experienced so much rain, EVER. It poured down from the minute we left the metro, and continued untill after we had re-entered the state of New Jersey. Flood warnings, amber alerts, and queues for the Smithsonian Museum were the result, and basically we didn't get to see much, except for the White House. But really, standing there with your umbrella in the lukewarm rain that's pissing down on you relentlessly, it's not really a good time.
Except for that half-ruined day, the trip was awesome. I loved that our hotel was in this little town in New Jersey so we got to see something else besides the crowded streets of New York. Seeing those houses with their frontporches and newspapers laying on their front lawn was like all my Sims fantasies coming to life. This probably sounds really weird, but it's just interesting when something you are so familiar with through TV, films, and video games comes to life.
I ate a donut decorated with the colours of the American flag, I went to Walmart to marvel at how expensive everything was, I ate cheerios and had lunch in Central Park. My trip was a walking cliché probably but it was damn good. Thank you America for a wonderful week. I'm sure I will be back again!
(I will still rant though, that hasn't changed)
(Also, I realised I love being European)
