Times Square
Amber Learn
English 1539(41370)
09/14/2013
Times Square Standing on the worn, gum-spotted pavement at the corner of 42nd street and Broadway Avenue, brightest of lights illuminated the crowd of tourists snapping pictures with their digital cameras. Billboards stacked one on top of another what seemed like for forever. All ages and races lowered their cameras to reveal their awe-struck faces. Lights were lit as bright as day even at 11 o'clock at night. As I realized that I was standing in a jungle of tourists who hailed from all reaches of the world. I cringed at the thought of this five block radius of pure madness. Tourists often think of the city that never sleeps and ask, "How could someone live in this crazy city?" Don't get me wrong, everyone should witness Times Square, but once! Hundreds of horns blare in my ears, streams of cabs scurry everywhere, and an array of conversations pollute the air. Plugging my ears forcefully, I can hear plenty of different languages such as Polish, Chinese, Arabic, and German. Pushing and shoving, the tourists squeeze through like zombies. Some stopped every other step to take pictures, blinding me with the flashes. As the different languages fly through the air, I looked up at blinding flashing billboards. Coca-Cola, Kodak, Wicked, McDonald's, and Designer Jeans illuminate the square in a blinding lay out of advertisements. It may be breathtaking to some, but for me it's a grotesque display of the consumerism that is plaguing a culturally rich and beautiful city. Times Square may be an amazing place to see, but it can be a trap. People are drawn to the lit-up chain restaurants like moths to flames, finding themselves handing out twice what they would pay at the same chain in their hometown. Street performers filled the congested area, selling comedy and Broadway show tickets. A man jumped at me like a jack-in-a-box and asked with an outrageous screeching voice “Do you like comedy? Like characters from
English 1539(41370)
09/14/2013
Times Square Standing on the worn, gum-spotted pavement at the corner of 42nd street and Broadway Avenue, brightest of lights illuminated the crowd of tourists snapping pictures with their digital cameras. Billboards stacked one on top of another what seemed like for forever. All ages and races lowered their cameras to reveal their awe-struck faces. Lights were lit as bright as day even at 11 o'clock at night. As I realized that I was standing in a jungle of tourists who hailed from all reaches of the world. I cringed at the thought of this five block radius of pure madness. Tourists often think of the city that never sleeps and ask, "How could someone live in this crazy city?" Don't get me wrong, everyone should witness Times Square, but once! Hundreds of horns blare in my ears, streams of cabs scurry everywhere, and an array of conversations pollute the air. Plugging my ears forcefully, I can hear plenty of different languages such as Polish, Chinese, Arabic, and German. Pushing and shoving, the tourists squeeze through like zombies. Some stopped every other step to take pictures, blinding me with the flashes. As the different languages fly through the air, I looked up at blinding flashing billboards. Coca-Cola, Kodak, Wicked, McDonald's, and Designer Jeans illuminate the square in a blinding lay out of advertisements. It may be breathtaking to some, but for me it's a grotesque display of the consumerism that is plaguing a culturally rich and beautiful city. Times Square may be an amazing place to see, but it can be a trap. People are drawn to the lit-up chain restaurants like moths to flames, finding themselves handing out twice what they would pay at the same chain in their hometown. Street performers filled the congested area, selling comedy and Broadway show tickets. A man jumped at me like a jack-in-a-box and asked with an outrageous screeching voice “Do you like comedy? Like characters from