My Time at Times Square

Being a native New Yorker, I'm frequently asked questions about New Year's Eve at Times Square.  My home town, Niagara Falls, is quite a drive to New York City, about nine or ten hours.  MapQuest will tell you it's six, but they fib.  Needless to say, it wasn't a trip that I took often.  I did experience New Years Eve at Times Square in 1993.  Things were different then.  My understanding is now you go through a security check-point and are ushered into a "pen" where you remain for the duration of the evening.  Kinda sad that things have come to that.  We were free to explore the city and experience everything it offered.  And what an experience it was.  People everywhere, packed in like sardines.  If someone started walking, you started walking simply because of shoulders seemingly glued together!  Mounted police on horseback everywhere I looked.  Vendors on street corners sold everything from warm cashews to clothing.  I still have the keyboard scarf I bought from a vendor.  Comes in handy in Minnesota winters!

Stopped at a Sbarro to grab a bite to eat and warm up.  Because I don't care for pizza, I was not impressed.  Finally time for the ball drop!  It wasn't at all what I expected.  In, fact, I was a bit disappointed.  Sure, it was exciting listening to hundreds of thousands of people yelling the countdown and sharing a new year kiss.  But the ball itself, well, it seemed so much smaller in person than on TV.  And just like that, the festivities were over.  Trying to find where we parked our car was the biggest challenge.  It is a night I will never forget and am happy to have the memory.  I believe everyone should take in Times Square on New Years Eve at least once in their lifetime.  I'm happy to kick 2016 to the curb and wish everyone a very happy 2017!