Chinatown in New York
Discussion
Just come back from NY and was wondering for those who have visited what your thoughts were on Chinatown. Personally i thought it was the biggest s
thole i've come across this side of Merthyr. We (me and the missus) got dropped off and felt uncomfortable more or less straight away. It wasn't the lovely gated community id been led to believe it was. Instead it was 'downtown' in every sense of the word, on every block we must have got asked "handbag handbag you buy rolex?" about 10 times, not too bad in itself but Chinatown is huge. We got to the end of one block and decided that if we'd gone any further we'd either get mugged or worse so turned back.
To compound matters we eventually
got a taxi out of there, the first questioned asked after "where to?" (Wall St) was "do you know how to get there?" great i thought, a taxi driver in New York who doesnt know where Wall St is. He proceeded to drive us around for 20 minutes, stop and ask complete strangers for directions, twice, then dropped us off on the same corner we got in at and said (in his pakistani accent) "i don't know how to get there..."
All seemed better when we reached a lovely bar in Manhatten called Thunderjacksons and had some lovely food, put my card behind the bar and got absolutely blotto...
Anyone had any other whimsical experiences with the place?
p.s. rest of NY, amasing...
thole i've come across this side of Merthyr. We (me and the missus) got dropped off and felt uncomfortable more or less straight away. It wasn't the lovely gated community id been led to believe it was. Instead it was 'downtown' in every sense of the word, on every block we must have got asked "handbag handbag you buy rolex?" about 10 times, not too bad in itself but Chinatown is huge. We got to the end of one block and decided that if we'd gone any further we'd either get mugged or worse so turned back.To compound matters we eventually
got a taxi out of there, the first questioned asked after "where to?" (Wall St) was "do you know how to get there?" great i thought, a taxi driver in New York who doesnt know where Wall St is. He proceeded to drive us around for 20 minutes, stop and ask complete strangers for directions, twice, then dropped us off on the same corner we got in at and said (in his pakistani accent) "i don't know how to get there..."All seemed better when we reached a lovely bar in Manhatten called Thunderjacksons and had some lovely food, put my card behind the bar and got absolutely blotto...
Anyone had any other whimsical experiences with the place?
p.s. rest of NY, amasing...
squareflops said:
It wasn't the lovely gated community id been led to believe it was. Instead it was 'downtown' in every sense of the word, on every block we must have got asked "handbag handbag you buy rolex?" about 10 times, not too bad in itself but Chinatown is huge.
Gated community? WTF kind of guidebooks were you reading?
Chinatown is a brilliant place and you weren't going to get mugged there, certainly not in broad daylight. Should've given it a chance.
Symbolica said:
squareflops said:
It wasn't the lovely gated community id been led to believe it was. Instead it was 'downtown' in every sense of the word, on every block we must have got asked "handbag handbag you buy rolex?" about 10 times, not too bad in itself but Chinatown is huge.
Gated community? WTF kind of guidebooks were you reading?Chinatown is a brilliant place and you weren't going to get mugged there, certainly not in broad daylight. Should've given it a chance.
Been to NY many times, China Town is lovely. where the gated community part comes from is beyond me..
In fairness it can be a tad dodgy after kicking out time (as most places can) other than that I've found the locals to be nice & friendly. There is the odd vendor selling Flendi & Cucci bags but oh well, you get that in London!
Not as cultured as Manhattan but worth a visit IMO
Symbolica said:
squareflops said:
It wasn't the lovely gated community id been led to believe it was. Instead it was 'downtown' in every sense of the word, on every block we must have got asked "handbag handbag you buy rolex?" about 10 times, not too bad in itself but Chinatown is huge.
Gated community? WTF kind of guidebooks were you reading?Chinatown is a brilliant place and you weren't going to get mugged there, certainly not in broad daylight. Should've given it a chance.
Went the in September, one of the girls we went with wanted to go there. Didnt know what to expect tbh but as soon as we got off the subway and climbed the steps to street level you could smell we were there.
But it is essentially an extension of China so its going to be like walking thru a Chinese town, traditional food stalls/shops/businesses, we walked past a guy selling an array of fish innards on a wooden pallet on the side of the road as well as little chinese men playing chess in a doorway.
We went for a chinese meal, me being a bit naive about the culture thought it would be like having a takeaway back home, ooooh no! Fish stomach soup, fried chicken feet etc etc. Managed to find battered chicken on the menu and some noodles so felt safe eating that.
An experience but certainly not the bit they show in brochures
But it is essentially an extension of China so its going to be like walking thru a Chinese town, traditional food stalls/shops/businesses, we walked past a guy selling an array of fish innards on a wooden pallet on the side of the road as well as little chinese men playing chess in a doorway.
We went for a chinese meal, me being a bit naive about the culture thought it would be like having a takeaway back home, ooooh no! Fish stomach soup, fried chicken feet etc etc. Managed to find battered chicken on the menu and some noodles so felt safe eating that.
An experience but certainly not the bit they show in brochures
squareflops said:
J...It wasn't the lovely gated community id been led to believe it was....
who on earth led you to believe that? The magic bean sales rep? 
I walked through it at night with a few friends - it was fine... granted, not very clean - but then neither is China!!
Some great sights in the windows (mostly dead hanging things) and some interesting book shops in the side streets.
I think you should of given it a little more research before you visited,
Me and the missus were in NY in february and we visited China town after doing some prior research, its actually incredibly interesting when you compare it to the history, if your feeling brave explore some of the underground structures where there used to be mafia blood baths, really interesting and quite eerie. We also saw the fresh fish at the side of the road/buckets full of frogs etc...All an experience!! but as people have said it is an extension of china, many chinese born in chinatown never ever leave! and cant speak english...although I must say the spitting habit isnt pleasent!
Pete
Me and the missus were in NY in february and we visited China town after doing some prior research, its actually incredibly interesting when you compare it to the history, if your feeling brave explore some of the underground structures where there used to be mafia blood baths, really interesting and quite eerie. We also saw the fresh fish at the side of the road/buckets full of frogs etc...All an experience!! but as people have said it is an extension of china, many chinese born in chinatown never ever leave! and cant speak english...although I must say the spitting habit isnt pleasent!
Pete
Gazboy said:
Must be bad if comparisons with Merthyr are being made. It's the Welsh version of Slough.
Worse than that, Gaz. The town formed around a set of industries that simply disappeared. Blessed with one of the most scenic valleys in Wales. Cursed to cover it in an unappealing town. Doubly cursed with an appalling lack of jobs. The place, by any stretch, ought to be great - being where it is. But sadly - It just isn't.
Don said:
Gazboy said:
Must be bad if comparisons with Merthyr are being made. It's the Welsh version of Slough.
Worse than that, Gaz. The town formed around a set of industries that simply disappeared. Blessed with one of the most scenic valleys in Wales. Cursed to cover it in an unappealing town. Doubly cursed with an appalling lack of jobs. The place, by any stretch, ought to be great - being where it is. But sadly - It just isn't.
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