New York - revisited

I rarely ever travel, but a decade or so ago I traveled to New York and it was winter time, meaning can't stay out for too long and I vowed to come back in a summer and I did this time.

First time ever on American Airline and its got an Android pad on each seat on one flight... There is the 3D World map app that is fun to play with which even give you a cockpit view.

New York is still the big walk-able city and a car is really not so recommended in Manhattan. Yes, its subway is complex and dark but they aren't that bad. They don't use smart card Ventra like Chicago, still magnetic stripes but you have to swipe it (not insert it). Good thing is it tells you balance and the smarter Ventra doesn't until you get the red x for insufficient funds. Yes, traffic jam everywhere in New York. So don't let that ruin vacation mood. Many street musicians there, probably broadway musicians wanting extra cash.

This time I do not see as many graffiti as was a decade+ ago. Still crowded in many places. Still bags of garbage on streets. Its Canal Street Chinatown has shrinked a bit, not many interesting stores, just many grocery stores with live seafood lying around just like Hong Kong. Not that many exciting Chinese restaurants there and still kinda busy. Mandarin Chinese seems to be more mainstream than Cantonese over there. Yes, There are other Chinatowns in Flushing and Brooklyn too worth checking out. Since the fire destruction of Penang restaurant in Chicago Chinatown I just never can find another Malaysian one, there is a couple in the Little Italy. Good food. Chicago need those! Chnatowns have only restaurants, toy shops and ladies clothing shops. Not much else. Not a single men's clothing shop where do they expect men to find clothes?

Time Square and its many interesting stores surrounding that area are worth checking out. The 9/11 memorial is worth checking out. Gosh how I wish I can visit the Museum of Mathematics. Wish have time to revisit the big Central Park too.