I should have known that the crowds would be insane. I don't know why that never crossed my mind at the time. We parked on 67th and walked to 81st. Of course two blocks in I had to use the bathroom, damn my 80 year old bladder. Luckily being in the city you are guaranteed a Starbucks every other block. So as soon as I saw the glowing green sign I ran. Unfortunately when I got in there was a line and not just a line a LINE! Nine people in front of me. Five of which were kids and I'm sorry, but kids take forever in the bathroom. I mean what can they possibly be doing in there? Anywho after twenty minutes of waiting I was finally ready to continue our adventure to the balloons.
You knew you were getting closer as the size of the crowds grew and grew until you could barely walk by a single person without making some kind of contact with them. Across the street from where the balloons were on display was a road black and I waited for a spot right up to the barrier to try to get a better look. No more then two seconds later a lady pushed in front of me placing her three kids in front of me. First off I am not a rude person I was taught to say excuse me, please and thank you, so when someone with bad manners crosses my path I see flames. Secondly, this lady was so rude and completely unconcerned that I waited my turn to get that spot and that wasn't even what bothered me the most. What bothered me the most was the fact that she did this with her three children. You as a parent are supposed to be setting an example for your children and by doing this she is showing them that it is okay to cut in line, push your way through until you get what you want and to not utter a single courtesy. Great she's creating three more rude, inconsiderate and obnoxious people that will one day be showing their children that acting that way is okay. I know I am ranting and I apologize, but somethings just get under my skin in a way that I cannot let it go.
My boyfriend saw the line of people waiting to get up to the actual viewing area and he was like hell no, but I gave the look again didn't even realize it and then said that we drove all the way why not. So two minutes later we were walking up to the never ending line to get to the viewing area. Once in line we were like sardines, jam packed, unable to move unless the person in front of you moved a leg or an arm. Now again we are all in line there really is no where that you can go. Everyone is waiting their turn and then comes along a lady with a stroller. The family in front of us also had a stroller and they were like everyone else going with the flow waiting their turn. Now this lady with the stroller came off the curb where she was standing (we were standing in the street) and rammed her stroller into the other people's stroller, both might I add had children in them, and was scremaing out "Excuse Me, Excuse Me, Excuse Me!" with the dirtiest look on her face. As if they were in her way and not the other way around. My boyfriend looked at me and I could tell he wanted to say something but he didn't get involved. I said hey at least she said excuse me. Sometimes you have to look on the bright side. Still the audacity of this woman using her child as a bulldozer to clear a path for her and her impatience left me completely flabbergasted.
Once in the viewing area the rudeness died down and the excitment started brewing inside of me. I stayed to the right so I could be right up against the fence and be as close to the balloons as possible. It was still crowded and cramped, but with the excitement of the balloons being right there I didn't seem to notice as much. I was expecting pushing and straight up craziness, but it wasn't. I got up close and when there was a balloon I wasn't as excited about I was able to step out of line go around and get back on line for one that I fancied more.
What I found funny were the mom's who were freaking out about losing their children and the dad's who had their watchful eye on every move they made telling the mom's to calm down and relax. However, there was also several announcements for missing children which makes me wonder, how do you lose your child? Seriously how do you lose your child? When I was young and my parents would bring me in a crowded area my dad would not let go of my hand and I mean this was up until I was like 13. After that he would not let me out of his sight and if he for a single second thought that I was missing he would start screaming my name and usually I was just beside him. It might sound crazy, but no, he was a responsible parent and because of that my name was never announced over a loud speaker for him to find the closest police officer so they could bring him to where I was. Honestly, parents your children are the most important things in your life whether you think so or not so if you can't view the balloons without taking your eyes off your child then don't. After all it is not about you anymore and that happened the day you had your child. They are number one so please treat them that way.
When we came to the end of Columbus we had to go left to the next viewing area and if you did not want to go to the next viewing area you still had to continue left until the road blocks were open for you to get to your destination. Once again I got to witness parents acting like immature bratty children who did not get their way. One lady was arguing with a NYC cop that her car was right there and why couldn't she just go under the barrier. Now all I have to say is God Bless these NYC Cops because what they were dealing with would have sent many others over the edge. The cop politely told her that she was not allowed and she needed to follow the crowd. You would think that he just told her she was stuck in the crowd for all of eternity by the look of death she gave him. Didnt she understand that if he broke the rules for her he would have to break the rules for others and it would start a string of chaos? Everybody else was following the rules what made her think she was so special? There is a reason these barriers are set up. There is a reason there are rules that need to be followed. These cops are doing their jobs and their job is to keep you and your family safe and to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as it possibly can so the tradition of viewing the balloons can continue.
The second viewing area was a hundred times better. Most people must have got disgusted by the crowds and had enough, walking straight to the exit, instead of the viewing area. My boyfriend was almost one of those people, but I said let's just go in we can even stay on the outside perimeter away from the crowds. I'm so happy we went in. There really was no crowds and we were able to walk without getting elbows in our sides and hands accidently grazing our behinds. I got to run up to the barriers and take pictures of the balloons and with the balloons. I was in my glory. In the end it was worth it. However, it was something that I will never do again, but at least I can say that I did it once.
Now the fun part. The pictures:
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