New York City in July
Over the years I have been to New York City (NYC) six times, thrice for business or work, and thrice as a tourist. In all those times I always found NYC an educational, informative, and interesting city not just because of its size and places to see, but because it is the most multiracial city in the world. All nationalities are represented there as residents and tourists. In my visit last July, there was a poster in Manhattan declaring that 52 percent of all NYC businesses are owned by emigrants. This city of 20 million that attracts 65 million tourists a year is the real city of the world and would not be this kind of city if it did not attract and retain this variety of people.
July is mid-summer in NYC and most of the USA and school will not be until September, so tourists and visitors from other parts of the US are most dominant. Foreign tourists are aplenty, but 65 percent of NYC tourists at this time of the year are really Americans from other states. It is probably because tourists from warmer countries do not want to visit when temperatures are as hot as in their countries. I do feel more comfortable being in New York in the spring or fall when we can be more fashionable in a coat or jacket. Last month, everybody went coatless and backless and bare midriffs were numerous in Manhattan and Queens.
NYC was our final stopover before coming home to the Philippines from attending a family event in Ohio, and I went to New York without any obligatory meetings. I just lazed around the city as my family members are old enough to take care of themselves. So my wife and I took leisurely walks around Central Park, sampled restaurants and delis, and did some shopping. We did the mandatory walking tour of Broadway and 42nd Street and even took the double decker New York bus tour, which was a disappointment as traffic was bad and weather hot we had to go down to the lower level. We joined our children in a long walk to “Shake Shack” which serves the best burgers in New York. I love their cheeseburgers but “In and Out” burgers in California and “Five Guys” burgers in the Midwest are as good. Shake Shack burgers have the softest patties and buns.
We already saw “Hamilton,” so the option was either “Book of Mormons” or “Jersey Boys.” We watched neither as Mormons was adultish and I had seen the Jersey Boys movie. Spent half a day in the Museum of Natural History and had a scheduled golf game that was cancelled due to my misreading of my flight schedule. My kids went to more shows, rode bikes, horsed around Central Park, and did more shopping, which just shows that they have much more energy. Went to the Saturday evening Mass at the St. Patrick Cathedral which had 80 percent attendance.
There were a lot of road and bridge repairs around the city as their infrastructure is getting old and ugly. They will eventually put some of the tracks underground as it is getting unsightly and noisy. The US economy posted a 4.3-percent GDP growth in Q2 of 2018 and NYC equaled this growth rate, so there will be federal and local funds to finance infra works. Crimes rate is down in NYC, but the usual sirens you hear at night are still there from ambulances, fire trucks, and the police. It must be because NYC is still getting bigger and more exciting.
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