What the movies don't show us about the Big Apple

Realities of the capital of the world that you should know if you plan to visit it for the first time

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We agree that all the inhabitants of planet earth have ever dreamed of visiting the great city of New York. One of the cities with the largest population, famous tourist attractions, scenes of acclaimed television series and movies, and one city with the greatest cultural diversity.

Personally, I recommend that it be traveled at least once in your life, in this way to be able to talk based on the good, the bad, the shocking or the negative. But in this article, we will focus on those aspects of the city that you should know so that you do not get an unpleasant surprise.

1. Excess garbage

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When I visited the city for the first time, I was surprised by the amount of garbage on the main avenues.

Of course, in all big cities, there is garbage, but in New York, in addition to the garbage thrown on the street, on the sidewalks, and in the subway stations, we can also see streets with complete lines of uncollected garbage bags, subtracting beauty from tourist places and hygiene from neighborhoods

2. Traffic jam

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If you want to get to know the city, I recommend that you do it on foot or by public transport. Renting a vehicle or asking an acquaintance to give you a ride around the metropolis is not a good idea.

The reality is that the traffic on the streets is unbearable and the lack of parking means that you can spend hours driving around before finding a good place to put up.

To get to know the most tourist attractions or visit friends and relatives, the best option is public transport, which brings me to the third point, which is not pleasant either.

3. The subway stations are neglected and dangerous

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The unpleasant panorama begins from the stairs to go down to the stations: graffiti, dirt, and lack of signage, are some of the things that welcome us before boarding the subway.

Already at the stops and inside the subway, dirt, unpleasant odors, and neglected wagons continue to accompany us inside. To this, we add the homeless, some of them can become violent, for which many citizens feel insecure.

The newspaper "El País" shows us in more detail what can be experienced when traveling on the NY subway, and although this report is from 2022, unfortunately, the panorama has not changed.

4. Environmental pollution

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Like any big city, pollution is present. But in New York, it is a mixture of pollution, garbage, and the smell of cigarettes, marijuana, etc. The image of walking around taking a deep breath and looking at the windows of shopping centers is not exactly what you are going to experience when walking through its streets.

The capital of the world is still wonderful

However, as I mentioned at the beginning, New York is a wonderful city, and although it has negative things, it is worth visiting it, getting to know its streets, its shopping malls, its theaters, its skyscrapers, and countless attractions that you will surely be able to enjoy and treasure in your memory.