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Life in a city is so different from the one in the countryside. The city bustles with people, cars, shops, and vendors. Even the lively atmosphere flourishes so distinctly from my peaceful neighborhood. And best of all, it's always this way day and night, especially in a metropolitan city like New York City or NYC that never sleeps.

NYC seemed absolutely chaotic. I stepped out of Penn Station and into another universe in Manhattan. A universe of tides of crowds, neon lights, and flashing TV screens. It was a universe without rest. Waves of people clashed again and again like a war, making it tough to walk in a straight line.

Our journey to Penn Station in NYC took almost three hours directly from my home in the Greater Philadelphia Area. During this precious time, Mom and I drove to Metro Park in Edison, NJ, and transferred to the next transit train to NYC. It was a tiring trip even though I did nothing but tap on my iPad. But now, the easy part was over. We had to navigate from 32^nd Street to 48^th Street and then strode from 7^th Ave. to 5^th Ave. It became way, way more difficult than it sounded. They're the people in business suits and party dresses walking like machines, fast and unstoppable. I was tossed around in the huge crowds like a toy in a child's hands. Fortunately, I held on to Mom's hand with a grip that could probably bend titanium. As much as walking safely through NYC was a priority, sightseeing was another. Bulletin boards advertised a variety of products and new technologies, while TV screens showed even much fancier ads, especially in Times Square. It was full of skyscrapers, tower monitors, and splendid glamour. I just couldn't imagine what the night would look like. One I saw kept coming up and that was about the new Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies which came out this very day. Too bad, Mom and I didn't put the movie theater on our things-to-do list. Finally, our destination came into view. The Chinese authentic Szechuan restaurant Wu Liang Ye was just a block away. My spirit was re-ignited as we picked up the pace.

Inside the restaurant, the smell was so attempted that I could almost taste it in the air. Mom and I sat down and pulled out menus. After taking a quick scan, however, I let Mom choose on her own. Fifteen minutes later, five dishes appeared on our table. Instantly, I knew I had made a serious mistake. Mom selected so many appetizers that the main courses weren't even necessary. There were Sliced Beef tendons w/ Roasted Chili Vinaigrette, Ox Tongue and Tripe w/ Roasted Chili Peanut Vinaigrette, Sichuan Pork Dumplings w/ Roasted Chili Vinaigrette, Dan Dan Noodles w/ Minced Pork in Roasted Chili Vinaigrette, and Garlic Spinach. I gorged myself so full that my mouth was set on fire and my stomach got hurt. But the spicy food made me feel delicious.

To me, NYC is one heck of a place. It's hard to even think about living here after experiencing the countryside. Nevertheless, New York is New York.

【红霞译文】

城里生活与乡下生活截然不同，不仅人口密集汽车喧嚣，而且商店林立小摊成堆，都市气氛总是热闹火爆，丝毫没有荒郊野外那般静谧安宁。显然，像纽约(古英语“新野猪公爵”)市这样的大都会无论白天黑夜始终生机勃发，堪称名符其实的不夜城。

纽约市看上去熙熙攘攘，我刚从宾夕法尼亚(古英语“山丘森林”)车站迈出，便立刻陷入另外一个世界，仿佛刘姥姥进大观园，满处新鲜玩艺，叫人看得眼花缭乱。曼哈顿(印第安语“多山”)车水马龙，霓虹灯流光溢彩，广告屏发布最新快报，全城上下根本没有片刻消停。街头巷尾更是人潮汹涌，不时地交互碰撞在一起，穿梭于繁华地段宛若奔赴战场冲锋陷阵，人们根本无法保持直线行进。

从位于大费城(希腊语“兄弟之爱”)地区的敝家门口出发直奔纽约市山丘森林车站单程需要耗掉大约三个钟头，在这段宝贵的时间里，我和妈妈先得驱车开往新泽西州爱迪生(古英语“财富战之子”)大都会公园火车站，然后继续转乘州内通勤火车，虽说除了狂玩苹果平板电脑别无它事可做，一路下来还是非常辛苦，但这不过仅仅是个开头，后面很快就失去这番轻松的感觉。接下来，我们必须从32街到48街纵行跋涉12条街，再由第七大道徒步横穿至第五大道，说来容易做来难。瞧大街上，西装笔挺皮鞋锃亮的男士疾若流星，身着礼服脚踩高跟鞋的女士箭步如飞，个个像台跑动器快速地朝前赶路，人人身体力行势不可挡。我被挤在中间随波逐流，犹如捏在小孩子手中的玩具被任其摆布，幸好我紧紧拽住妈妈那只坚如磐石的手臂，才不至于流离转徙迷失于茫茫人海之中。交通安全固然隐患重重，但城市风光确实无以伦比，街道两旁电子布告既有介绍各种产品的，又有宣传新型科学技术的，更有随时提供最新报道的。时代广场独领风骚，摩天大楼、电视屏幕塔、奇光异色，我简直无法想像夜景该是何等瑰丽。走着走着，今天刚好上映的好莱坞新片《穴居人：五军之战》巨幅广告逐渐映入眼帘，遗憾的是我们并无闲暇将它纳入当日行程计划。终于，目的地与我们遥遥相望，口碑叫绝的中国四川美食酒家——“五梁液”近在咫尺。我顿时情绪振奋，重新迈出矫健的步伐。

“五梁液”餐厅内部味道格外诱人，空气中香气四溢，我和妈妈拾位而坐，拿起堂吃食谱研读起来。略微扫视了一番，我决定放手让妈妈全权点餐。十五分钟过后，五大碟瓷盘呈现桌前，我立刻意识到自己犯下严重错误，想不到妈妈一口气竟然要来这么多开胃头台﹕麻辣牛筋、夫妻肺片、龙抄手、担担面，结果主餐蒜蓉菠菜成了多余。我不管三七二十一大块朵颐，嗓子辣得冒火，肚子撑得难受，但嘴巴麻得过瘾。

对我来说，纽约市好坏兼容，习惯了乡下自然节律，很难把自己的天地锁定在靡丽的樊笼里。但不管怎样，纽约就是与众不同。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2014: A Wandering Life in Midtown NYC(浪迹纽约中城)

2013: Hindu in Mangalore, India(印度黎明城印度教寺庙)

2012: Easter Island—Navel of the World, CHL(智利复活节岛—地球的肚脐)

2009: 新西兰天籁之声(Sounds of Heaven, NZ)

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