Hey Team,
One of the strange things about this trip is that I very rarely consider myself a tourist. I don’t do touristy things and I’m usually staying with people that, regardless of how well I know them, I think of as friends. So it seems more like I’m just wandering around down the block from “home.”
Despite the fact that I feel comfortable in all of these situations I realize that I still have the ability to come off as “a tourist” in that I tend to pay attention to my surrounding and occasionally take pictures.
I spent the better part of my day wandering the streets of New York doing just that. The weird thing about this place is, even though they rely so heavily on tourism, they seem to have a pretty strong stigma against anyone who actually appears to be practicing tourism. I think it might as well be witchcraft. People will try to walk through you instead of around you and then give you a dirty look (cause obviously it’s YOUR fault they didn’t step three feet to their left).
Bottom line is this: If people have this weird stigma against people stopping to take in the atmosphere and the life of their own city then how do they ever manage to explore their own “hometown?” Sometimes it’s important to just take a deep breath and enjoy the scenery. Even if it is covered in grime. (ESPECIALLY in your hometown.)
Hey you know what might be kind of fun?! Why don’t you guys send me a couple of your favorite pictures of your hometown and I can post them on a blog next week!!! Fun!
Just send them to wwwwwh@amtrekker.com.
Okay, I’m done.
Brett.
Feel free to help me cross ANOTHER one off the list!
Don’t let me stop you.
I was in Manhattan a few years ago and stopped to take pictures of this cool apartment building that had human figures shaped like gargoyles doing various things (reading, holding a bowl, etc) on it. A man walking hurriedly by asked me what I was taking a picture of, looked up at the building, turned back with an amused look of surprise on his face and said, “You know what, I’ve been walking by this building for 20 years and I never noticed those until now.” And then he hurried past.
Comment by lizzz — February 8, 2008 @ 10:31 am
Oh I like this one! Your going to get some of the beautiful grime of Downtown Fresno!
Comment by Jess — February 8, 2008 @ 11:57 am
You know where they like pictures and tourists…. BOSTON! NY is full of yuppies and stress farmers. I was in NY once and they drugged me and took my kidney! Get out while you can AMtRekKER!
Comment by Mikey — February 8, 2008 @ 12:09 pm