Happy 4th! Yeah, that's what I heard at work. People were happy the day before, maybe more because they were off the next day (not everyone though) and they had a reason to party/eat&drink, and not because they really know what there is actually to celebrate...Sorry for every American reading this, but that's what I've noticed with the people I've talked to. Not generalizing though.
I was off on the 4th, and since I've never seen the 4th of July fireworks I said that I'd head to the Hudson river in the night to see them. So, after 1 hour at Brighton Beach (1 hour only and I'm still red like a lobster!), I headed to Manhattan. The streets were flooded with people. Everyone heading to the fireworks spots (there were a few).
I was supposed to go with one of my flat-mates but he passed it after all, so here I was alone in Manhattan a few hours before the fireworks (that were supposed to start at 9PM). So, after having a slice of pizza ($1/slice at 2BrosPizza) I found myself walking toward Central Park. I just walked, stared at people, sat on a bench and stared some more at people, and took some pictures. Finally, it was time to go at the Hudson River.
Oh my God!!! Too many people! From 57th St to 62nd St there were police officers everywhere directing people towards the places where the fireworks could be seen. It was crazy! For at least half an hour I kept walking to find a good spot to watch the fireworks and still wasn't successful. Why? Well, first because the river banks and piers were closed by police as they were filling up. And then because of the heat. The humidity and the huge crowd of people made me feel dizzy, like fainting. So I quickly left my spot (anyway it was already 9:20 and the fireworks haven't started yet) and found a place to sit on the ground. A few minutes later, the fireworks were up in the sky:
The music, or actually the beat you can hear is from my headphones, it's Rain's Rainism.
So, yeah, I was actually disappointed in this whole 4th of July thing. I really don't get it, why do people go to the beach or to see fireworks and just take their whole house and fridge with them?! I saw so many families with the grills at the beach, people with so many luggage that they seemed to be going away on vacation for a month, not a few hours at the beach! And waiting for the fireworks on a blanket in the street (yeah, on the sidewalk!!!) with pots and bowls of food, along with pets and kids. Speechless...
Moving on, I must tell you how grateful I am for having thrift shops in USA. I love them! Today after work I went to the neighborhood where I lived last year- Astoria, Queens. Nicer and closer to my workplace than where I live now unfortunately. And I headed straight to the thrift shop that I knew there: Second Best Thrift Shop at 3007 Astoria Boulevard. The same place where I got The DaVinci Code last summer for only $2 (yeah, in Romania is somewhere around $10 and with that money you can actually eat a few days). Now I got Kept by Y.Euny Hong (a Korean American journalist) for $2 and is in great condition.
I actually read some already on the train back home. Even if the cover made me think twice before reading it in public, I actually had a few good laughs reading it.
About thrift shops, I highly recommend them for almost anything. From books to clothes, and from kitchen tools to furniture. It's cheap, and much of the stuff has barely been used.
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