NYC --> Shanghai, 7 days. Walking. Whimsy. Wonderment.

September 3rd, 2013. 7 days. One freaking week!

 I had an errand to run today. In Midtown. Over two miles away from my apartment. I'd normally take the train, but with one week left to absorb this magnificent city, I decided I'd forgo my gym workout for a vigorous walk to and from my destination. First, I absolutely love - and am grateful - for the fact that I can actually do that. It's completely feasible to walk over two miles - and way more than that, really - in New York City. There are relatively well maintained, perfectly comfortable sidewalks (both wide enough and buffered from car traffic), crosswalks, pedestrian signals - all the nuts and bolts pedestrians need to ensure a certain level of comfort and traffic safety. But that's not generally enough to get people to decide to go on a 5.5 mile round trip for an errand or two. There is also a constant stream of entertainment - from the oddball New Yorkers you're bound to encounter, to the diversity of retail you'll pass - from tchotchkes stands to high-end couture shops, to the myriad smells you'll have the pleasure and displeasure of walking through! And it's also the consummate whimsy of the City you'll most certainly come face to face with - like this huge "knit-bomb" in Madison Square Park. That's what compels me. That's what makes me feel alive. That's what makes me want to huff and puff and weave my way through pedestrians invariably walking more slowly than I instead of taking transit or other motorized transportation options. It's what I am going to miss most about this City. It's what I love about walkable cities. It's why I love what I do...

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