This is a continuation of Blog #58: Farewell NYC (Part I).
New York is an ugly city, a dirty city. Its climate is a scandal, its politics are used to frighten children, its traffic is madness, its competition is murderous. But there is one thing about it-once you have lived in New York and it has become your home, no place else is good enough.
-John Steinbeck’s 1953 Making of a New Yorker in the Times.
We left the previous blog with a nighttime photograph of the Brooklyn Bridge taken from an extremely popular vantage point in Manhattan. Here we continue on the subject of transportation, which to the surprise of no one is always a challenge in New York City. From dodging homeless people on busy roads…
Source: Dark Passport Photography
…to finding parking once you finally get where you are going.
Source: Dark Passport Photography
Source: Dark Passport Photography
It is no wonder why everyone takes taxis, rideshares, and livery cars. Regardless of the option chosen, in New York City it’s almost a guarantee any hired driver is from a foreign country that lacks any traffic laws. Gone are the days of local cabbies who grew up in the city and took pride in their knowledge of the roads. Good drivers, like the very cabs they used to operate, are hard to find. The classic Checker Cab taxis haven’t officially been in service for nearly 30 years, but a few are still available to rent for special occasions.
Source: Dark Passport Photography
First responders, on the other hand, tend to park wherever they want – much to the negative attention of locals without such concessions. The X account @placardabuse has more than 12,000 followers interested in the illegal (and sometimes creative) ways that civilian as well as government-owned vehicles park in the city. Then again, if your work car was as cool as a Mustang with police lights, you too would be inclined to park it anywhere it could fit.
Source: Dark Passport Photography
Some street food vendors have such unique parking and traffic challenges that they resort to pulling their carts by hand.
Source: Dark Passport Photography
Amazon deliveries are not immune from the congestion of the Big Apple either. The unique e-assisted vehicles are seen constantly weaving their way through the hustle and bustle of the city.
Source: Dark Passport Photography
Source: Dark Passport Photography
Of course, Amazon packages result in an excess of cardboard and plastic. All that refuse must go somewhere. Trash and recycling days in the city make going for a walk a less pleasant experience as the bags pile up on the sidewalk.
Source: Dark Passport Photography
Source: Dark Passport Photography
Steam rising from vents in the street is as timelessly classic as the Big Apple gets. So much so that the New York-New York Hotel Casino in Las Vegas thematically replicated it (without the smell) in their shopping and dining areas. For those looking for the real deal, you’ll be happy to know the steam is still a real thing in the city.
Source: Dark Passport Photography
In spite of the cold, December is one of the best months to go for a walk in Manhattan. The shop windows are decorated for Christmas. Canada Goose jackets and Ugg boots are everywhere. And the usual odors of steam and trash are replaced by fir Christmas trees.
Source: Dark Passport Photography
Winter also means hockey season. The New York Rangers play in the famous Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. Like everything else in the city, the experience can most adequately be described as expensive and crowded. The trick, instead, is to travel just outside of Queens to UBS Arena on Long Island and watch the New York Islanders. The tickets are cheaper, the seats are better, and the crowds are smaller.
Source: Dark Passport Photography
The winter season in New York City is also home of the crowd of all crowds: New Year’s Eve in Times Square. People have differing levels of excitement about celebrating the arrival of another year. Standing for hours in freezing temperatures among a few hundred thousand strangers with no bathroom just to watch a collection of lightbulbs isn’t my idea of a good time. The size and symbolism also make the event a target for violence, thus chartering my involvement. Even with work privileges I still had a fairly miserable time. At least I can say I’ve been there and done it though.
Source: Dark Passport Photography
Source: Dark Passport Photography
As quickly as the Times Square confetti fell to the pavement, my time in the concrete jungle came to an end. I miss it already. Alas, I am needed somewhere else.
Source: Dark Passport Photography
Source: Dark Passport Photography
Anticipate blog delays during current geopolitical challenges.
The Dark Passport 