- The majority of New York smells like pee and/or garbage water.
- There really are rats in the subway tunnels.
- New Yorkers are not as unfriendly as they are made out to be. However, there are still some who will cut other people off when racing for a subway door.
- Nothing will compare to the size of New York. Toronto seems so small and tame now.
- Some subway station tunnels look like garbage dumps. This is probably heaven for the rats.
- If you don't need to ride the subway during rush hour...don't. I will never look at Toronto rush hour the same ever again.
- Harlem / Hamilton Heights / Washington Heights are not as bad/scary as they are made out to be.
- For $2 you can get the best coffee, toasted bagel with cream cheese and banana from any local bodega and it's the best breakfast you will ever have.
- Starbucks are EVERYWHERE and are a saving grace for a full bladder or technology in need of recharging.
- New York is always busy. Always.
- You can actually buy alcohol in pretty much every local/corner/major store. In DuaneReade (a Shoppers Drug Mart-esque store) you could fill your prescriptions, get a ready made pasta dish or salad, pickup up snack food, a frozen pizza, a pack of smokes, hairspray and some beer or a cooler.
- Be very specific with the taxi driver that is taking you to the airport or you could end up walking in the rain to the correct terminal.
- People from all over the world are in NYC; in any given spot at any given time. I thought Toronto was a melting pot of cultures...heh!
- You need to be very watchful of where you are on the bus as they don't call out stops unless you ask. On the subway it's a toss up for stop notifications. However, there are ALWAYS maps at every station and in every subway car.
- You can get cellphone reception on the subway.
- 4am garbage pickups and 6am store deliveries.
- There is a wide variety of street food vendors catering to everyone's needs and wants.
- Staying in people's homes might not be as private or swanky as a hotel, but it makes the whole experience more personable and welcoming.
There are more things I learned, for sure, but for now that is the list. My trip was excellent and really opened my eyes. I am so going again...hopefully soon!
