To an outsider, New Yorkers are arrogant. I shared this sentiment for a long time, up until today. Now I am a bit more understanding. Right now, I am home, 10 minutes away from Boston. I consider Boston to be my city, the home of my sports teams and major cultural landmarks.
The most economical way of getting back and forth between New York and Boston is the so-called "Chinatown Bus," which costs only $10 each way. The catch, however, is that the buses are always packed, and communicating with the driver requires a passing knowledge of Cantonese or Mandarin.
Upon disembarking at Boston's Chinatown, nothing should have struck me as out of the ordinary. There were plenty of buildings around, and the subway (called the "T") was conveniently close. Yet, it was somehow different. First of all, my MetroCard (New York City subway card) didn't work. Also, the Red Line of the subway has only a handful of stops, and the map posted near the ceiling of the subway car seems pitifully short. Boston's subway lines are color coded, New York's relies on both letters and numbers. The "T" doesn't have express and local trains. Can I love Boston but prefer New York City's subway system? It weighs on my mind, ever so slightly.
I go back home tomorrow, on that same Chinatown bus. There's no attendant or movie, but you can't beat the price.
