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Oh this brings back memories. Back in 2007 my dad needed a new Thinkpad which was like 2.5k EUR in NL vs 1k USD in the USA. He also wanted to push his kids to do something adventurous.

So he bought me (19) and little brother (16) tickets to fly from Amsterdam to New York (2x350) and get a cheap hotel for 2 nights (2x100). All to get a Thinkpad W500(?).

We had a great time. Got chased by a wild homeless person on Staten Island who followed us onto the ferry and we were scared stiff. Also walked all over Manhattan. Went to the Bronx but got stared at a lot so quickly went back to the subway. I can still hear the iconic "Stand clear of the Closing Doors" in my head.

Too bad the America from those days is gone.

4 comments

New York City has been a running sine wave of sketchy stories and memories for the past century!

Which part is gone?

Hah, indeed, the story could have happened yesterday. Except maybe thinkpad prices in europe have normalized a bit ;)

What I didn't write is that my feelings towards the USA were 95% positive back then. A bit less after the chase and the Bronx visit, but still. Obama made everything feel hopeful. The current situation is just depressing.

The fun one one, where a Dutch parent feels it's safe to send 2 teenagers unaccompanied to the US for a brief visit.

Apart from safety, the rhetoric of the US government regarding the invasion of former allies has led a lot of people to try really hard to boycott as many American products as they can.

I was going to say,

pretty sure this story could have happened last week.

Except for the hotel prices. And Thinkpad prices.

They need to go back to Staten Island and find one that fell off a truck. Tell ‘em Fat Tony sent you.

> Stand clear of the Closing Doors

bing boom

bing-bong**

Then someone yellin 'F--k ya life'

What? Not at all. I guarantee you I can find you a homeless man in NY to chase you.