Painting Thoughts Again...: How To Be The Perfect Tourist.

I've been meaning to write about my trip for a couple days now, but I have been hesitant: How can I convey in one blog post the incredible, once-in-a-lifetime adventure I had last week?

I am going to try anyway.

Read my comments, close your eyes, and imagine it TEN TIMES MORE AMAZING and you will come slightly closer to the real deal.

I LOVED NEW YORK! I never want to live in the city. But I would be perfectly OK with right outside the city so I can travel there when I want to. The buildings were gorgeous! And crazy dense. You could barely walk anywhere and everyone wore black trench coats with black umbrellas and a scarf. EVERYONE. It was a little dull actually. The New Yorkers probably thought me in my pink coat and teal dress and cowboy boots was a little out of place...Hey! They need a little sunshine in their lives I say. Ahem. The were pigeons everywhere and I sang Feed The Birds to them as I skipped up and down the never-ending streets! Night wasn't even night! All the lights were stunning and they lit up the sky so instead of black it was a light grey. The food was incredible (incredibly expensive too). I ate the biggest piece of Cheesecake I have ever had and I even tried some Lamb Gyro Greek pita thing which was yummy. Everything about the trip was just fun and fancy free.

I do apologize though, I was a tad bit...rebellious.

My choir director gave us a few tips before we entered New York. The first:

DON'T LOOK LIKE A TOURIST.
(I thought that was pretty impossible considering we are traveling in large hordes or teenagers all wearing the same choir jacket and talking and laughing loudly. But whatev'. She emphasized it)

She said a few other minor rules. Then again:

DON'T LOOK LIKE A TOURIST.
(Like that was happening!)

And again.

DON'T LOOK LIKE A TOURIST.
(blah blah blah blah)

She mentioned something about how we need to be direct and not draw attention to the fact we don't know our way around New York and we are naive and innocent teenagers from Happy Valley Utah. Something about not getting ourselves into trouble....and being safe.....always being with chaperons...(cough).....and all that jazz.

I ~~sorta~~ ~~kinda~~ blatantly decided I was better than this rule. In my rebellious nature (Good one right? Ha!) I decided to be the epitome of a tourist. THE EPITOME.

I even constructed some basic rules.

#1 Look with fascination
I was pro at this. "Look! It's Lion King!" "Look! That building is gorgeous!" "Look! That staircase leads to the subway. I've NEVER been on a subway before!" I started to feel a bit like the angel in Nephi's vision. But I just a-kept on a-lookin'. It made the trip more fun. And targeted me as TOURIST.

#2 Always have a camera bag and/or backpack and/or large obnoxious purse.
This was probably my most refined quality. I had a camera bag, and a backpack. Usually my camera was hanging around my neck because I never had time to put it back in the bag before I saw another fascinating scene before my eyes! So I had many things dangling around my neck at all times, in all things, and in all places.

#3 Skip and point.
I did this pretty well too. Like when I saw the statue of liberty. Most were under their black umbrellas. But, Not I! I was definitely skipping and pointing.

#4 Act like everything you see is something new and exciting and consequently--it deserves a picture.
As I mentioned previously, my camera never made it into the camera bag. It was TOO busy! Everything deserved a picture.

#5 Smile and listen to the people trying to sell you things (in other places this might not be a tourist thing. But in New York, it DEFINITELY is)
So...I did this the first day but I stopped. There are way too many salesmen and strange people to listen to them all. The first one got angry at my dear friend, Scott, who was walking next to me and yelled "Get your hand off my woman!". Scott wasn't even touching me. That's when I decided it was best to not give attention to all the crazies on the side of the street.

I don't know if Mama J would approve, but I think being the perfect tourist made this trip all the more wonderful.

And now, a few of my most treasured shots of the trip:

CHINATOWN! So fun. One of my favorite parts of the trip! I bought that lovely parasol I am holding. Although my bartering techniques were a little rusty..."Could I maybe have a discount?"

Look at these beautiful friends. That's us at Chinatown! We got slightly wet from the rain...

I haven't seen Durian in ten years! Not since Malaysia. Chinatown reminded me so much of Malaysia and my childhood! Durian not necessarily being a pleasant part of that--at least the smell

And of course, Carnegie Hall. They wouldn't let me take pictures in the Hall. But this is me right after our performance with the Playbill and ticket stub. And no, those aren't tears in my eyes. ;) It was my very favorite part of tour. The coolest experience of my whole life.

La Rumbleita! This was the party bus. It bounced up and down as crazies danced and it rode the streets! And no, I didn't ride it. I'm not THAT rebellious.

The choir outside Ellis Island. We sand the National Anthem. Both here at across the street from Ground Zero at the museum. Both were incredibly touching experiences.