NYC and why you shouldn't rub chilis in your eyes

The other day, I touched a piece of red Thai chili (cut up with seeds and all) and then proceeded to rub my eye. Holy crap did this ever hurt. You should never under any circumstances do this.

I'm in NYC this week and having a real cracking time of it. You can see some of my pictures from this trip here.

We had to cut our fishing trip short since I had to teach this course, and to be honest, I really wasn't looking forward to coming here. I just didn't feel like having to deal with the crowds and the bustle and all of that. However, once I got here, those misgivings melted away in about ten minutes. There's just so much to do and see (and eat) here that it's tough to hate it. True the crowds (especially on rush hour trains) can get to you, but it's not that bad once you get the hang of it.

There's all kind of things that I love about this city:

The city's pedestrian friendly and people walk everywhere (using their feet and everything! It's amazing). This is not something you see a lot of in the US.

The metro totally kicks bum. Anywhere, anytime, with very little waiting for trains. If you come, get a map of the metro and take it with you everywhere. Tourists and locals alike carry them. Mark up your map with your favourite restaurants and hot spots. Also mark the direction of major one-way streets (like Broadway) so that you know which way you're facing when you come out of the subway. I just did this for the first time this trip and it was a lifesaver.

Carry your camera with you at all times. Many times that you will walk around a corner and see a great view that you weren't at all expecting. Capture it!

I don't understand why the meal limit here is so high. You can have a great meal at a trendy restaurant without even coming close (provided you know where to go). Street vendors have good food at supercheap prices. It's not just hot dogs and pretzels either. You can get chicken on a pita (personal fave), shish kabobs, and all kinds of other stuff (the hot candied nuts are a favourite as well). When I get a chance, I will post an entry on my travelog with some of the good places that have been recommended to me. I wish I had a nickel for every time I've said that.