I had a post written about traveling during the Corona outbreak, but now that 80% of the world is closed, it is a moot point, since it is hard to go anywhere. When I told people I was going to New York last weekend, you would have thought I said I was going baby seal ‘clubbing’ with a team of Neo-Nazis…. “You will spread it to everyone” or “There is no way you won’t catch it and die” were common themes. This was at a time when only around 100 people had it in NYC … Foolish me, since we are at 12K and counting now.
My friend who joined us on the trip had someone curse him out, on his way to get a cigarette. I guess lung cancer and heart disease are OK, but Corona is a death sentence? It is funny how we are terrified of the things we are told to be, but tune out, other, obvious risks.
I have traveled during some interesting times in the past. We went to Istanbul during Easter, during the referendum, when the leader was holding a vote to increase his power. The area felt almost warlike…probably due to the tanks and rifles… as always, there is an eeriness in the air whenever you are traveling during a crisis…
So what was New York like? It was a complete dichotomy; the world was ending and yet, no one knew it (or cared). Yes, a lot of things changed, it was like the city was closing down around us. Below are my experiences with traveling to New York during the Covid 19 outbreak…
The Build Up
The day we left, mayor Bill De Blasio was encouraging healthy people to go to restaurants and bars. By Saturday, all bars and restaurants were ordered to remain at half capacity. By Sunday night, all bars and restaurants were closed for any dine in meals. Lucky for us, we were able to eat our fill before New York shut down.
Empty Plane
The airport was nearly empty when we got to Charlotte. Our bus from the parking lot did have a fair number of indestructible millennials on it, but for the most part the crowds were significantly reduced. We get to our gate and there were around 10 people waiting for the plane. Three of those people were waiting for another plane, so there was a total of 7 on a usually full flight from Charlotte to New York. I have to give it to American Airlines, they could have canceled the flight, but decided to keep it running…
When we landed in LaGuardia it was also creepily quiet as well. Some people had masks, most still didn’t, but the airport on a whole was empty. The roads were still crowded, but we were traveling in New York during rush hour. Getting to the hotel we saw more (or less) of the same.
New York Half – Full
One thing I noticed almost immediately were the streets were much more manageable than usual. Our first stop was the Chelsea Market, and it was surreal. The place is usually prohibitively crowded, but there was almost no one there. Check out the picture below.
Chinatown (yes, I had to go to Chinatown) was also empty. At least the restaurants we visited. We went to Shanghai Dumpling (formerly Shanghai Cafe) there were only around 15 people eating there at 1PM; this was a place that at 11:00 am typically had a line out the door. It was a theme I noticed throughout the city and even the streets; as you would expect, there were fewer people…
Times Square
Look at the difference in crowds…
Now look below…
For those of you that know me, you know that I would rather tour the streets of Wuhan and let people cough in my mouth than visit Times Square…but I was traveling with out of town guests, one of which had never been to New York. Seeing Times Square when in New York is like getting a colonoscopy, everyone has to do it at least once, but it’s a pain in the ass. The last time I went, I couldn’t walk the streets they were so crowded; this time it was a different story. Well, here is hoping dirty Elmo and discount Mickey are starved off the streets!
The End was Not Near
Turn on the news or read the internet and you would have pictured New York during Corona to look like Mad Max. Contrary to popular belief, there were not bodies lined up on the streets. For the most part it was empty, comparably, but there were still people enjoying life. Some bars were a third full, but some had a line out the door. We went to a Starbucks Reserve which was full, but not overwhelming, one morning. Nobody seemed to blink at the Corona virus in many places. Yes, people were talking about it, but they didn’t feel the impact or weight of the city…
For example, the bar in my hotel was empty the first night, but people spilled out on the street on Saturday. We went to a comedy show that was half empty…or half full, but there were people making fun of the virus and not panicking. My group took a cruise around the Statue of Liberty, ate out a lot, and even went to the top of the Empire State Building.
Precaution Not Total Isolation …
I would rather live my life and risk getting a disease that kills 1% of the people affected, then hide in fear for 6 months. Of course things have changed a lot since last week, I am not taking any trips today. If I do go somewhere (14-days after I got back), A. the place has to be open, B. I avoid crowds if there are any. I did self-quarantine when I got back. Having said all this, I am starting to think the cure is worse than the disease…
We all have to explore our own personal risk appetite. I don’t think it is fair to bow to the whims of the most paranoid around us. The virus is real and scary, but there are reasonable steps and there are “close the whole world down and hide under the bed steps.” I have been held up for the past nine days to make sure I have no symptoms, so I am not a complete monster… I am glad that I went, as New York may never be the same after half the independent restaurants/bars go out of business…
The City Was Closing Around Us
One strange thing was watching New York closing around us. When we arrived many of the museums were closed, but a lot were still open. As mentioned, the bars and restaurants were at mandatory half capacity. This was a law that was not enforced very well, as there were signs on the tables just made the available tables more crowded.
On the Statue of Liberty cruise, we learned that One World Trade center closed. They even roped off the street so you couldn’t see the memorial pools. While Essa Bagel was hopping, the bars were already on a delayed opening by Sunday, and as we were leaving, it was announced that they were shutting down for good. The city that never sleeps, was officially put to bed…
Conclusion: Visiting New York During the Corona Virus
Some call me crazy, some selfish, but I am going to live my life. As mentioned, I did self – quarantine when I returned. I have been working from home since I left, and limited my time outside. Ask the restaurant owners if I was selfish, or the bars that are barely hanging on because of this virus. Some of us have to be selfish, or there will be nothing left to go back to…Charlotte may be where I live, but New York is my home, and I was not going to allow a virus to scare me away from it, I know we must be hypervigilant during this time….but the life lived in fear, is the life half-lived…
It’s up to you, New York
New York
New York
