I’ve been in New York just over 24hrs now. First impressions are favourable.
I’m here for a training course which is being held in the Empire State Building. We’re only on the 7th floor unfortunately, so no free views for me. The building has far far far too many lifts, it took just over 10 minutes this morning to get to the right lift, and then the right floor, and that doesn’t include the time it took to get through the metal detector, x-ray machine, etc, etc.
After the course finished a few of us headed down to the New York Google office, which is really impressive. It’s huge (and I only saw the fourth floor)! Even at 6pm at night the office was buzzing with energy and there were plenty of people around working, chatting, eating (they serve dinner at the cafeteria) and generally just having a good time. It’s a pity I don’t think we’ll end up living in America any time soon because the office is much much nicer than Dublin :p! Tonight was the televised CNN/YouTube debate, where people from across the country had sent in questions via YouTube to be asked to the candidates. It was democrats only, strange to see so many candidates from the same ‘party’ with such divergent opinions on some topics.
That finished up around 9:30 and I quickly dropped my laptop back at the apartment before going for a bit of a walk around the city, up 7th Ave to Times Square and then back down 6th Ave to the apartment.
A few quick thoughts and impressions:
- Taxi drivers really are crazy.
- The train that sounds like it’s about to hit you from behind as you walk down the street is just the noise from the subway grates below your feet.
- New York is hot and muggy. This is even worse in the subway. The trains themselves are airconditioned (thank goodness), but the platforms are hot (close to 30C), damp and have no airflow.
- Times square and the associated billboards are amazingly bright and gharish.
- No shortage of people out and about in the evening. I love big cities.
- The city isn’t as noisy as I expected.
I’m sure there is more to say, but I’m too tired to come up with anything wittier than that for now.
Comment from David on 2007-07-24
Well well, I suppose if Google New York outshines Dublin, then California Google will outshine New York again; being birth place and all that.
Big cities can have lots of noise and kinetic energy, but in my experience they can also become quite tiring given their extreme ‘distance’ from nature. A hotel room in Tokyo for instance, from which it was impossible to see any natural living objects such as grass and trees (that is other than people), did not feel at all comfortable to stay in even for a full weekend; but then again you are from another generation!
David.
PS Watch out for too much hot gas in New York.
Comment from Mark Brown on 2007-07-24
Great to hear you’ve found plenty to see and do and like about NY. Have fun!
Comment from matt on 2007-07-24
David,
Yes, I’ve been on the lookout for any more craters.
I haven’t found any yet, but It is worrying when they have road work cones sectioning off the middle of 6th Avenue, and a big “chimney” type device with steam billowing out of the top of it.
Comment from Gill on 2007-07-24
Hope you took over for awhile and gave the naked cowboy a tea-break while you were in Times Square!
Comment from Brownie on 2007-07-24
Sounds like you’re having fun, I hear the wife is back home in the rain sad…. You should probably find a little NYC prezzie….
When you’re going to the conference tomorrow tell security your name is Ahkmed and see what happens…