Ten Things I Enjoy About Living in New York City

I was going to title this post "10 Months, 10 Disappointments" but eventually opted against it (clearly).  Upon reflection, I feel like I've been pretty hard on New York and, with at least another 8 months in this city, that's no way to live.  So, in an attempt to love this city I'm now calling home (at least for the time being), I'm lowering my expectations and starting anew.  Now, instead of 10 months and 10 disappointments, I've rewritten this post to be more positive (though I reserve the right to write about my disappointments in the future).

I have now lived in New York City for 10 months.  That's the longest I've stayed put since we left Seattle after 11 years of residency back in 2010.  And, if our experience in Seattle taught us anything it's that it can take a good two years in a city before feeling at home.  However, if our experience in London taught us anything it's that it can take as little as one month, too.  After 10 months in New York City I can tell you that NYC will definitely be more reminiscent of Seattle than London for us.  Still, although we don't feel at home quite yet, we are really enjoying certain aspects of our new city.  Here, in no particular order, are some of the things I'm enjoying the most.

The UN from a Tudor City rooftop

1.  Hidden New York
Everyone knows about Grand Central, the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building but not very many tourists know about Coney Island or the northern side of Central Park or Governors Island.  It's fun having the time to really explore this city.

2.  Transportation Options
I am no fan of the MTA and it's very possible this same heading will appear on my "10 Disappointments" list some time in the future but, at the same time, I do admit that having multiple transportation options is a good thing and something that should be celebrated.  However, the inane bureaucracy and outrageous costs associated with said options due to the MTA's incompetency is another matter entirely.  But, lest I get too negative in a supposedly positive post, NJ Transit is pretty awesome.

Travel to neighboring areas by train

3.  New Jersey
Speaking of New Jersey, what a freaking surprise!  I haven't had too much exposure to NJ but from what I have seen I'm rather impressed.  Hoboken is adorable and Newark didn't kill me (remember, expectations are low).  Plus, I got to both for only $2.50 each way.  Jersey gets a bad rap but it's looking better and better as time goes on, at least from this side of the Hudson.

4.  European Feeling
Upon moving here, it was very evident to us that NYC is much more European than we had ever noticed prior to living abroad.  Perhaps it's the history of the city or maybe because it's so international but, regardless, there are many aspects of living in NYC that have reminded us of our time in the UK.  From garbage collection to pronouncing French words correctly to not respecting personal space to crossing the street whenever convenient and not just at crosswalks.  New York City is exactly what someone missing London, but banned from residing there, needs.

Autumn in Central Park

5.  Seasons
There are four seasons here.  Really.  Four very distinct seasons.  The summers are hot, the winters are cold, the springs are filled with new growth and the falls are filled with changing colors.  And, the sun shines all year round.  This is perhaps my most favorite thing about living here.

6.  Rainstorms
Speaking of weather, it rains in New York City.  No, like really rains.  Like, thunder, lightning, flash flooding type of rain and it happens often.  Anecdotally, I'd always known it rains more in NYC than Seattle but I'd never really understood how that was possible.  Well, rather than having months of dreariness and days filled with mists of rain or small droplets, in NYC it's a gorgeous day and then, out of nowhere, you're drowning. And then it's gone.  It's awesome and diverting and exciting and fun.  And, since you won't be able to catch a cab, you might as well enjoy the experience.  Seriously, you can try but don't expect to successfully hail a cab in a rainstorm.  They're all taken.  Every single one of them.  Also, you should probably always carry an umbrella.

Sudden Rainstorm

7.  Fireflies
Everyone loves fireflies.  From the kids growing up in the city to the elderly who've lived here all their lives; everyone is enamored by these little sparkly guys.  They're fascinating.

8.  Street Festivals
These are random which sucks because I'd love to plan my calendar around them but the randomness may also make them more fun because when you stumble upon one it's like you've wandered into a surprise party.  For you. I've lived in two neighborhoods now and have awoken to surprise street festivals at least once in each of them.  It's so fun to wake up to a fried Oreo booth on your front lawn.  Seriously.  This is not sarcasm.  I love it!

Marine Park, Brooklyn

9.  Neighborhoods
The real charm of New York City is in the neighborhoods.  I guess that might be true of any city but it's one aspect of big city living that I truly enjoy.

10. Pop Culture References
One of the things I always enjoy is watching a movie or TV show that takes place in a city I'm about to visit or am currently living in or miss terribly.  The Bourne trilogy is good for eastern European cities, the new BBC Sherlock is good for London and Frasier, to a certain extent, is good for Seattle.  But, the depth of material for New York City is bottomless.  The reservoir spilleth over and it's fun to have so many options, especially when I move away and, inevitably, begin to miss this city I called home but didn't appreciate enough while I was here.

31 Things I Learned Whilst Living Abroad

In December 2012, which was my last month living abroad (this time around, at least), I compiled the below list of some of the things I learned during my time as an immigrant in the United Kingdom.  Though in all likelihood this post does not signify the end of Travelin' Bunny, I do expect long periods of silence between posts.  Until we meet again, I wish you all happy travels and safe journeys.

31. Every country has hillbillies

30. When in doubt don't use sarcasm

29. There's more than one way to make a bed (see Evidence A)

Evidence A

28. You don't know what you don't know

27. English, even when both parties are claiming to speak it, is not necessarily a common language.

26. I am not a small town girl.

25. European Christmas markets make everything better.

24. Mulled wine makes everything better.

23. Mixer taps (aka regular faucets) are 'new' technology". (see Evidence B)

Evidence B

22. Nothing beats a £3.50 chicken doner kebab. Nothing. (Except, of course, a cheaper one.)

21. It is possible to see Europe for £25 return

20. I am capable of sleeping anywhere (e.g. standing, sitting, on the floor, lumpy futon, hard mattress, surrounded by shouting/crying/thumping).

19. Some cities completely shut down their public transit systems on Christmas day (I'm looking at you London). You wanna go visit your family? Hope they live within walking distance. You have work? Better sleep there overnight. Wanna go see the lights on Kensington High Street? Eff you.

18. Travelling by train, not that great. Don't get me wrong, plenty convenient (at times). Just not that great.

17. Not putting your rubbish in a bin is okay (and not considered littering) because people are employed to clean up after you. Seriously.

16. The USA was referred to as 'the most liberal country in the world' in either an article I read or something I saw on the news. Either way, even if it was just one person's opinion, I didn't know anyone believed that.

15. Michael Bublé and Bruno Mars are very popular.

14. Hotels in the US often have signs near the phone which read 'local calls are free'. I've always thought, 'well duh'. But, now I know that they say that because local calls are not free everywhere - like in Europe.

13. For the most part, things are exactly the same

12. Those of us who possess self-awareness are at a disadvantage and destined to be slightly frustrated with others at all times. (#12b, Europe is full of people lacking self-awareness.)

11. Shower head placement is arbitrary

10. Escalators are complicated and sometimes deadly (this may only apply in Scotland)

9. Generally, low standards/expectations equals more happiness

8. New friends are just as valuable as old ones.

7. Sometimes different isn't wrong, it's just different. But, sometimes different is just wrong. And, sometimes the wrong-different stuff is still different because people are too stupid/stubborn to change it.

6. I have a very unsophisticated palate

5. Street food is a cheap way to sample local cuisine (and delish!). (See Evidence C)

Evidence C

4. Comments are often made about the percentage of Americans who don't have passports (among other unflattering American statistics), both by Americans as well as others. But, I was shocked to find a number of people here who haven't been abroad (not even to Paris). More people in Scotland than London but there are still a good deal of people in London who've never left London. Shocking.

3. Not having to worry about health insurance, just knowing I'm covered, is a huge relief which I didn't expect. I thought because I always had amazing coverage in the States that I was never concerned about it. But I was. And I'm not here. And it's nice.

2. I don't hate all Americans I meet abroad. I may still hate all tourists, though.

1. When I left in 2010 I'd had enough of the States. The politics, the entitlement, the patriotism, the guns, the religious zealots, the anti-choice ignorants, the second class citizen-making. I was ready to never return. But, after about a year, the honeymoon period was over and I started to miss the States, something I didn't think was possible. But, I do miss it. And, I'm looking forward to coming home.

The Journey: Edinburgh to Amsterdam to Brussels to New York City to Baltimore and Reverse

On a Saturday in early June, we experienced the best travel day ever.  We took the train from Dundee to Edinburgh and, to save money, we walked about a mile (with our bags) to the stop for the local bus to the airport (£1.40) rather than the Airport Express bus (£3.50), which picks up right outside Haymarket rail station.  We've done this once before and it was pretty straightforward but this time, due to construction for Edinburgh's tram, it wasn't as clear cut and we wound up getting lost.  We arrived at the airport less than 30 minutes before boarding.  Luckily, we were flying KLM (instead of one of the discount airlines) and we got the VIP treatment (escorted to the front of the line to check our bags) upon arrival.  We cruised through security and made it to our gate with time to spare.

Schiphol Train Station

The flight from Edinburgh to Amsterdam took us only about an hour.  We waited longer at the airport, for our bags and the train to Brussels, than it took to get there.  We grabbed the train (€25, first class) from Schiphol to Brussels Central (an excruciating 2.5 hours) and arrived at our flat in Brussels about 30 minutes earlier than expected, around 11PM.

The trip from Brussels to New York City wasn't as pleasant as our first leg because a) the Brussels airport is shit and 2) our flight was connecting rather than direct, but the flights themselves were fine.

Comte de Flandres metro station

Getting to the Brussels airport is pretty easy (subway and bus, €3.50) and Air Canada was a nice enough airline.  We could've done without the 1.5 hours in Montreal but the flights only cost £230 so if the connection made the trip £500 cheaper then it was well worth it. We arrived into LaGuardia and took the bus to the subway to our hostel in the Bowery ($2.50).

For our trip to Reisterstown, MD we had to get creative.  We took the Megabus from New York to White Marsh, MD ($9.00), a suburb northeast of Baltimore.  From there we took a local MTA bus ($1.60) into Baltimore where we then grabbed the subway to Owings Mills ($1.60).  Our only option at this point was a cab and, luckily, there's a taxi rank right outside the Owings Mills station.  The taxi from the station to our resort cost $30.00.

Happily, we made a friend over our weekend at the resort willing to drive us into Baltimore.  We forced $20 on her for the inconvenience though, since she would've been travelling in the completely opposite direction otherwise.

Megabus, Baltimore to New York City

To get back up to New York we just reversed the above; local bus to White Marsh and Megabus into New York City.  Once we got to New York we had to make our way to JFK which required the subway ($2.50) and the AirTrain ($5.00).

Our flight back to Brussels was uneventful.  This leg was on Brussels Airlines and, besides the flight staff seeming rather surprised to be there, the flight seemed short and the seats were the most comfortable we've experienced in quite some time.  We arrived in Brussels an hour later than expected, around 7AM.

This next portion was one of our worst travel experiences ever.  We had hoped to simply reverse the above but the bus ticket (€3.50) is only good for a free transfer to the subway within an hour from purchase and we were stuck in a Brussels traffic jam for just over an hour, missing our free ride to Gare du Nord.  Not wanting to pay again we decided to walk, venturing forth with a compass, no map, and luggage.  We eventually got to Gare du Nord around 10AM and checked in for our 12PM Eurolines bus to Amsterdam (€9.00) only to be told that it was going to be late and not to expect it before 1PM.  It eventually showed up at 1:45PM.

We arrived at Amstel station in Amsterdam almost two hours later than expected.  Furthermore, for some reason our Google map had placed the distance from Amstel station and our flat at a mere 1.4km.  The reality was that Amstel station is 5km away from our flat, which makes a huge difference.  Had we known the actual distance we would've sprung for public transportation.  As it was, we just walked.

The train from Amsterdam's Centraal station to Schiphol airport was €4.05 (including €0.50 credit card fee because only Dutch bank cards are accepted for no-fee processing).  Schiphol is a wonderful airport but we didn't have much time to explore before boarding.  Our KLM flight back to Edinburgh was uneventful and we were home shortly thereafter, 17 days after beginning this journey.

This trip had many legs and, though the return trip from Amsterdam to Brussels and the bus ride from Baltimore to New York City were very long, it didn't feel as though we spent a huge chunk of time travelling.  Even at the end of the trip, the two solid days of travel (from Baltimore to Amsterdam) had almost been completely forgotten, though I fear the horrible Eurolines experience will stay with us for quite some time.

Fife Coastal Path: Leven to Elie

For our last ramble in Scotland, we chose to explore a different section of the Fife Coastal Path.  Our experience this past September was so idyllic, we really hoped to duplicate it whilst seeing something slightly different.

On a recent Sunday, we paid £9.50pp for Dayrider Plus bus tickets, transferred in St. Andrews, and were in Leven before we knew it.  Due to our previous experience, we expected to encounter many cute pubs on our way to Elie so we packed a lunch sans drinks and resolved to turn this 12-mile ramble into a coastal village pub crawl.

Our first stop was right off the bus in Leven, on the high street at The Windsor Hotel.  We weren't terribly impressed by Leven, or The Windsor Hotel, so we didn't linger.  After a relatively fast round of drinks, we made our way to the water to begin our ramble.

The Fife Coastal Path is very well marked and, since this portion has many sections which skirt the water's edge, also has a High Tide Alternative which we wound up taking more often than not because we found we do not much care for long distance rambling with sand in our shoes.

Our next town was Lower Largo where we encountered our favourite pub of the day, the Railway Inn.  We lingered over our drinks whilst watching the locals enjoying their sport on the telly (we couldn't see the TV but we could see and hear the crowd).  When the sun started shining through the window we decided it was time to get back outside.

The weather was of the classic Scottish 'four seasons in one day' variety.  The weather, sand, and rolling hills actually proved quite tiring and as we approached Earlsferry (no pubs), we began looking for a bus stop to take us back home.  Unfortunately, the first bus stop wasn't until the neighbouring village of Elie and we arrived just in time to watch our once-per-hour bus depart.  Luckily, Elie does have a pub and we were able to warm ourselves at the Station Buffet Bar (Scotland's Pub of the Year 2008) before catching our bus back to St. Andrews.

We had wanted to walk all the way to Pittenweem for the full 12-mile section but had to call the game at just under 9-miles.  This section of the Fife Coastal Path was also slightly disappointing.  There was a lot of garbage (see garbage sculpture, left) along the path and the villages weren't as cute as previously experienced (save Lower Largo).  Overall, we still prefer our previous experience and, though Lower Largo was the highlight of this walk, would recommend Anstruther as the place to go along the Fife coast for a day out.

For more pictures, please visit my Facebook album.

Inverness

I went to Inverness in February and, though it's a lovely town, have been thoroughly uninspired to write about it.  If you're really interested, read my rant here.

For more pictures, please visit my Facebook album here.

Roma: Highlights and Disappointments

HIGHLIGHTS:

San Giovanni in Laterano

Churches - The churches in Rome are as varied and plentiful as in Paris and everyone has a favourite.  My favourite is St John's in Lateran, with St. Peter's in second, and Santa Maria in Aracoeli rounding out the top three.

The churches are free to enter.  If you like what you see, please leave an offering to help maintain the site for others.

The Spanish Steps - If you need to rest your feet and are anywhere near the Spanish Steps you should tough it out until you get there.  The Spanish Steps provide you with an excellent perch for people watching, a sunny spot for rejuvenating, and relative peace for contemplation.  I enjoyed it often and always with some wine and salami.

If you need something besides wine to drink, the water spewing from Bernini's boat at the base of the steps (not that Bernini but his father) is said to have the sweetest drinking water of Rome.  I thought it was okay.

Colosseum - It is everything you think it'll be and more.  I didn't go inside the Colosseum, so I can't speak to the virtue of that aspect, but the exterior is overwhelming.

If you can get to the hill at the back, by the Arch of Constantine, there's a couple of spots to perch and people watch (another spot I enjoyed often, usually with wine and salami).

Piazza Monti

Piazzas and Fountains - I had seen maps of Rome and, after observing the lack of green space, assumed the absence of parks would be a bad thing.  On the contrary, though there are lovely parks, mostly outside the city walls, the plethora of piazzas more than make up for the lack of lawn within the city walls.

Additionally, the art of every single fountain, the larger ones being located in the piazzas, is breathtaking.  What was originally just a way to get running water to the people became something else entirely when it was decided to create art for something so practical.

Vatican City - Not a place I expected to be impressed with so it makes it even more surprising that it's one of my favourite spots.  St. Peter's is beyond impressive (don't miss the Papal Tombs, they're a bit tricky to find) and the Vatican Museum is akin to the Louvre.  After you visit the Pope's Apartments and the Sistine Chapel (in that order), don't miss the contemporary arts section (seriously, it can be easily missed).  This section was almost completely devoid of other admirers, leaving us alone with Salvador Dali, Vincent van Gogh, Francis Bacon, Otto Dix, Paul Gauguin, Paul Klee, and Max Ernst (among others).  We kept pinching ourselves when we would turn a corner and come face to face with another masterpiece; completely unexpected and amazing.

Lido di Ostia, last sunset of 2011

Beach - The easiest beach to get to from Rome, Lido di Ostia is beautiful.  The beach is long and wide and the sand is lovely.  We whiled away many hours on this beach, even forgoing the much-hyped Ostia Antica for some wine drinking whilst ensconced in sand and the sounds of crashing waves.

Cheap Travel - Everyone I talked to about Rome before I left had mentioned that train travel is cheap in Italy, but I didn't actually believe any of them since my idea of cheap is entirely different than most anyone's.  However, in this instance, I should have trusted them.

It cost less than €6 for a return ticket to Tivoli, less than €4 for a return ticket to Castel Gandolfo, and €2 for a return ticket to the beach.  Had I expected travel to be so cheap I would've researched other day trips, perhaps even forgoing 25 days in Rome, opting instead for a few days exploring other areas of Italy.  Lesson learned.

Pantheon - Yes, the Pantheon is a church but it is also so much more than that and really is in a class of its own.  It's amazing.

DISAPPOINTMENTS:

Borghese Gallery

Borghese Museum and Gallery - This is one of those 'must-sees' but for €15 for two hours (each ticket comes with a two hour window with mandatory departure) and only one breathtaking piece, Bernini's Pluto and Proserpina, it's not worth it.  Bernini's Apollo and Daphne and Canova's Pauline Bonaparte do deserve honourable mentions, and I'm glad I saw them while I was there, but three pieces and a small palazzo do not justify more than I paid for the Louvre.  I want my money back.

If you insist on going, buy your ticket at the museum.  Contrary to all reports, you don't have to buy the ticket online and you'll save €3 if you buy it in person (you will most likely be buying for a future date, however).

The crowd at Trevi Fountain

Crowds - I was not prepared for the crowds.  I expected Christmas and New Year's to be low season but, obviously, I didn't take into consideration the number of religious tourists.  Apparently, Rome is big with the pilgrims during this time of year; something to do with the Pope and a Christmas message, I think.  Regardless, from 26 Dec to 6 Jan I was surrounded by people, ass to cheek.  I was not mentally prepared for that.

Additionally, one cannot go anywhere in Rome without being accosted by myriad aggressive street vendors. There are a few legitimate kiosks, and I strongly encourage you to patronise these, but the (mostly) men with the pashminas, scarves, glass cubes, tripods, and sunglasses were the bane of my days in Rome and may be the reason I was so disenchanted so quickly with the city.

If you're not sure if the vendor you're dealing with is legitimate, wait until a police car rolls around.  If the guy doesn't run, he's good to deal with.  If you can't find him, it's because he ran far and fast while you were pondering that purchase because the penalty seems to be pretty terrifying and definitely not worth the €2 you were going to pay for that scarf.

Admission Fees - The only thing free in Rome are the churches and that seems to be in some sort of limbo since the 'Offerta' signs are pretty egregious.  Some churches are completely dark unless you put money into a machine which then produces light (I'm looking at you, Popolo).

Vittorio Emanuele II Monument

The aforementioned Borghese Gallery was €15, the Colosseum was €12 (I think, I didn't partake), Ostia Antica had an admission fee (I bypassed it in favour of a free day at the beach), everything recommended in Tivoli costs (which leaves nothing free to do in the entire town but sit in the piazza), and none of the museums are free.

The Vittorio Emanuele II monument is free and the Vatican Museums are worth every penny but everything else just makes you feel dirty.  The only place in the entire city where I felt clean was in Vatican City.  St. Peter's doesn't whore itself for your €0.50 and even has a free exhibition about Gaudi's Sagrada Família which was interesting.

Food - The only street food kiosks are located at the tourist sites, making them extremely expensive. There are no cheap rotisserie chickens (€3 in Paris, £4 in London), no cheap falafel stands.  Besides the tourist sites, there is no street food.

Pizza is cheap, usually sold by the etto (I may have seen some tourist shops selling them by the slice, though).  Panini can be cheap if purchased away from the kiosks and tourist sites.  That's about it for variety.

Vino della casa, or table wine, was typically €4 for a half litre but rarely seen (I had expected every restaurant to have table wine).  Chinese food is available and cheaper than Italian, Indian food is available but much more expensive.