Thanksgiving took on a drastically different flavor for our family this year, as instead of sitting around the dinner table for a turkey feast, we instead joined a group of about 52 County residents on a trip to New York City.
My wife had been itching to go to the Big Apple for years, but I was apprehensive to say the least. I will admit it, the thought of driving to New York was not something I felt comfortable doing. Any city larger than Portland makes me uncomfortable to drive in.
So when we learned that our friends Tim and Erica Tweedie were organizing a chartered bus to New York, I knew this would be our one opportunity not only to ride in a bus, but also to go with a large group of folks we knew — and several of whom had been before and knew their way around the city.
After a lengthy 10-plus-hour bus ride, we arrived in New York Wednesday evening and were immediately impressed by the climate. Enjoying temperatures in the mid-50s was a great way to spend the long weekend, especially when it was in the low 30s here at home.
Arriving in New York City at night is both impressive and intimidating. The skyline was beautifully lit and our hotel was just one block from the Empire State Building, which was visible if you stood at the entrance and looked up.
Once our luggage was safely in our rooms, our group headed out for Times Square to take in the sights and sounds — and smells — of the city. While the sights were enjoyable, the sounds and often smells were not. I think the city gets overly “romanticized” in television and films as I was overwhelmed by the number of people, all in such a hurry to get wherever it was they were heading. I regularly had to keep checking to make sure we were all together for fear of getting separated and lost in the city.
Seeing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in person was a bit of an adventure as we were unprepared for such a large volume of people. Imagine standing shoulder to shoulder for as far as your eye can see, with rows sometimes 50 people or more deep. We were lucky enough to be “only” five or six rows deep and while I could easily see the action, the kids were not as fortunate, but luckily most of the more impressive sights were the large floats and balloons that were visible to just about everyone.
Visiting ground zero of the 9-11 memorial site, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island were other popular sites and all three were extremely moving. And no trip to New York at the holidays could be complete without a visit to Macy’s Department Store to see Santa’s Workshop. The amount of decoration in the storefronts is truly astounding.
Throughout our trip I was continually amazed by the sheer volume of people. I have to stop and wonder how people who live in cities like New York survive. The prices of even simple things, like a bottle of water, are easily two or three times what they are here at home. Getting around is next to impossible if you own a vehicle, so taxis, subways, buses, bicycles or walking are your options.
The number of homeless people huddled next to heating vents trying to stay warm, or individuals with no legs sitting in wheelchairs asking for any amount of change one could spare was truly heartbreaking. You want to be able to give, but the sheer number of people looking for help gets overwhelming.
We are so blessed to be living where we are. We live in a community that cares. We live in a place where benefit suppers are held for those who are in need; where fundraisers are done to assist those battling illnesses; and where free hot meals are provided on a somewhat regular basis to those who are hungry.
People do not make eye contact, and certainly do not say hello as you walk by them on the city street. I can’t imagine living in a place where the only green grass you see is in a park. Our trip certainly gave me a greater appreciation of the many wonderful things we have right here in Houlton.
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. He can be reached at jcyr@pioneertimes-me.com or 532-2281.
