Times Square, New York City

Partial view of Times Square at night--click to enlarge

Within two minutes of arrving at Port Authority on the bus from Massachusetts, I was walking in Times Square. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the frenzy that is Times Square--the massive crowds, the insane shops, and the lights and noise. As tawdry as it was and is, I've always loved the place. It's different than it was...when I lived here, there were no chain restaurants, no bubba gump shrimp company, no olive garden. What is mainly different is what is different in NYC in general: you no longer feel threatened, and there are far more people on the streets (which is true of the entire west side, from Times Square up to the Upper West Side). Today after a play on Broadway, we walked through Times Square and I was just stunned. The vibe is still frantic, but it's now tempered. . .they've cleaned it up, and it's now for everyone... not just the brave. Sure, Rudy had a lot to do with that...but that doesn't mean I think he should be President. Or even Mayor.
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