City Overloaded

Arrival, May 8th

It took around one hour to fly from Raleigh to New York, shorter than transferring from JFK to Midtown Manhattan through subway. I left the luggage in the hotel and went to have a tour. Today I walked from Chelsea to Midtown, and approached Times Square. Life in the city must be stressful. People are pushed to move fast; pedestrians cross roads without seeing traffic signals; car drivers tap horn frequently. If it were not the fancy stores and tons of skyscrapers, I would guess I am in a developing country. Maybe this is the cost of being the world's biggest and funniest city. Just staying in half day, I knew this city is not a place for me. Smaller cities, e.g. Boston and Charlotte, are supposed to be helpful to my career. I need to keep the distance from the crowd or I couldn't think and work. But the good thing is there are many grocery stores and people don't need to drive to buy toothpaste although the sum of driving cost and the product price is cheaper in Raleigh.

 

Manhattan

I left my baggage in a small hotel.

Then I went to visit Flatiron Building.

Madison Square Garden

First lunch in New York is Chicken Pita in food kiosk. I shared some bread with birds in the park.

I walked a long way to New York Public Library on 42th St.

In a busy city like this, can people sit and think in the library, or it is another attraction to tourists? Update: A few days later after I came back to Raleigh, I received emails sent from the library that informed people who signed the appeal for stopping the incoming substantial budget cut the progress. I think staff really care bout the development of the library. Although I am an outsider, I wish the fight succeeds. http://www.nypl.org/speakout?hspace=1

 

Byrant Park

 

 

EEA Annual Conference 2013, May 9th - May 10th

I spent two days in the conference. The first day, I presented a paper and discussed another paper. There was a heavy rain in the morning so I was afraid the sessions or even the whole conference today would be ruined. Fortunately, the rain stopped in the noon and every speaker was present on time. The paper I made comments on was about proposing a policy that keeps people in the military enlisted. I thought the mean is good to some people, but it hard to achieve the desirable end, particularly the positive economic effects. I tried to present my comments in a way not too critical. A lady in the rear row disagreed with my opinion and said she thought the authors' proposal was very good. Apparently, they were zealous to support a benevolent policy without considering the people's reactions to the policy, which could neutralize desirable effects. If they want to have their proposal being approved by the legislators' consultants, they have to either come out with a more full-fledged policy or marginalize its economic effects.

Moved to a big hotel in Times Square - Theater region.

 

After finishing the presentation, I visited Rockefeller Center.

Nintendo World in Rockefeller Center.

Radio City Music Hall

Grand Central Terminal

 

And this strange Building...

 

St. Patrick's Cathedral

 

Occasionally I found a Japanese grocery and bought my dinner there.

Sushi

 

 

The next day, I served as a session chair. Being a chair, I leant how to take things easy. One emailed me his paper for comment one day prior to the date I came here. One speaker told me he couldn't arrive at the US because his visa couldn’t be issued on time. One sent me updated slides three hours before the session. What really surprised me was that one speaker and one listener were talking too much about something unrelated to the paper. I had to stop them for time control. As expected, the conference didn't give me too much. It is just an excuse for me to visit New York City and have a talk with some people. Even so I prepared for it and had all my jobs done. 

 

My session was in the afternoon, so I had time to look around in the morning.

Broadway

 

The Phantom of the Opera

 

Central Park

 

The Lake

Sheep Meadow

 

Metropolitan Museum of Art. I didn't have time to see the precious displays.

 

Friday night, Times Square was full of people. How crazy.

 

Horse Riders

 

Good Night.

 

City of Diversity, May 11th - May 12th

The next two days were all mine. Saturday, was the date of the graduation ceremony at NC State. I gave up attending the ceremony and stayed in New York. Being an economist, I should have known the tradeoff is inevitable in one's life. My choice might be the best since I had received all blessings from anyone who cares about me and the diploma would come soon. I couldn't stop feeling there is a little regret in heart.

 

Checked in another hotel. The quest room is simple and expensive room.

 

St. Paul's Chapel 

 

Not a well known attraction, but there are quite some visitors.

Wall Street, where I'd like to find a job.

Federal Hall National Memorial

 

New York Stock Exchange

 

Chinatown

 

 

Court House

Court of Appeals

Foley Square

City Hall Park

 

I moved to the Financial District. Finally, I saw the short peaceful moment in NYC. Saturday morning, in Downtown, people and tourists got up late. I headed to World Trade Center. 9/11 in 2001 was a tragedy; my personal tragedy was about to start at that time. Like the new Twins are under construction; my pride was growing from the trough since then. There is tram, however. Two black pools remind people that date; my journeys repeatedly imply me there is a barrier I cannot jump over. "Come with me to a new city" is hard to utter from my mouth. It is just because I fear the answer is negative. Then I schedule the trip, come to the destination and go home to avoid embarrassment.

World Trade Center Site

9/11 Memorial - North Pool

9/11 Memorial - South Pool

Robert Wagner Jr. Park

Battery Park, the most healthy area in New York, maybe. It composes of a long running trail, trees, the river, and nice houses.

 

 

In the noon, I took free the ferry to Staten Island.

Staten Island

Statue of Liberty

Left: Manhattan Bridge; Right: Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn

 

On the way to the hotel, there was a Sunday market.

Golden Calf

 

 

The pro is I am a complete individual while traveling. My schedule is subject to my will. I decided to go to Museum of the Natural History instead of Brooklyn Height because I had tired of walking all morning. I went to the Central Park twice for watching all small attractions in it. Manhattan is undoubtedly one of the most interesting cities. Immigrants from each corner of the world come here and infuse a bit of their original cultures into the city. Today's culture in NYC is winded between countless origins; separating them from the mingled one is impossible. Everyone is a minority, and everyone can find a spot in this city. I think that is why people stick here in spite of the steep living cost. I am too unique to stand it craziness. After the 5-day trip, I flew back to Raleigh.

Reviving from the energy depletion, I went to visit American Museum of Natural History.

Sea Lion

The last spot, Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir in Central Park.

 

Subway. It was not until the date prior to my departure did I understand the difference between "Local" and "Express" Train

 

 

 

I went home. The job contract was there. I signed and sent it back. The next journey to a place called Henan comes soon, and it is expected to last for a while.