Misadventures in the New York City Subway
We spent two short days in New York City, had a great time. Will be posting about my adventures, such as they were 🙂
Misadventure in Penn Station!
Took the Amtrak from Hartford Connecticut to Penn Station in New York. (Note: was visiting family in the Hartford area for Christmas. I am from the Midwest.) Had to get up at 4:30 a.m., so I was not exactly daisy fresh or in top thinking form (am I ever…that’s another story). We got off the train and decided to find a place to sit down, have a cup of coffee, and plan our next steps. Easy peasy, right? Wrong.
We thought we’d stay in the underground as we were going to take the subway to the Met. We discovered there are very few places down under you can actually be seated at a table. Oh, woe. Finally ended up at Jamba Juice with Bee consuming a giant Mango smoothie. I refused to even drink coffee (though, as I mentioned, I had gotten up at 4:30 a.m. and only had 1 cup thus far), Jamba Juice not having any and not wanting some sludge from the donut shop nearby.
I started seriously overheating (it was HOT in there, people. Plus I was wearing 2 layers and having a hot flash) got crabby and took off my shirt. I had another one underneath, don’t worry. It was a long underwear shirt but it looked really fancy.
Anyway, our decision was to go straight to the Metropolitan Museum of Art via the subway. My most fond wish for NYC was to see the collection at the Met. And we couldn’t check into our hotel for another 4 hours. We’d beat the crowds! So we figured out how to get there, but, ahem, well, I had to pee.
Our GPS investigation told us we had to take the A or C train to the Natural History Museum stop, get off, and walk for 25 minutes across Central Park to the Met. No way was I off to first-time navigation of the New York subway system and a looong walk while simultaneously trying to cross my legs. Or trying to find a bush in Central Park. Eek! A piece of advice I had read and taken to heart: there are not a lot of public bathrooms in NYC, so when you find one, use it. As to finding one…
The Temporary Women’s Restroom Fiasco
Once off the train, we were going to find the bathroom, but what happened was this. We followed the rest room signs (for some considerable distance) only to find the men’s restroom operational and discover that the women’s restroom was closed. We were redirected to the temporary women’s restroom.
Followed signs, again, AWAY from the place we just followed signs TO, and the aforementioned signs were quite confusing. We finally came to one that simply said, “Temporary restroom, Elevator.” Interesting. When we located the elevator—with some difficulty—another sign said, “Go UP to temporary restroom.” Huh. I don’t want to get in a tiny elevator in the NYC subway, but I do want to pee. So, I guess I’ll get in a tiny elevator in the NYC subway. Waited a long time. Door finally opened, quite a few people in there. We inquire, “going up?”
Nobody answered. Everyone was crowded into the back of the car except a sad-looking guy in the front. Okay, thanks for your pleasant response, NYC subway tiny elevator occupiers! We got in. Then of course we go DOWN, wtf. Everybody gets off, we go back up. There seems to be a lot of wetness on the floor. Is it pee? Well, kinda smells like it. Uh huh. That’s why everybody was crowded into the back. So now we have just stepped in pee. Fantastic. We get to our destination, and of course, no women’s bathroom is in sight. Forget it! I say.
But, later, post hot flash, I’m thinking, gotta find a bathroom before we attempt the journey to the Met. At least we can start where we gave up before. We manage to find another sign we had missed—it’s at the top of the stairway and it points upward. Helpful. The temporary restroom is in the ceiling?
We ask someone—most official people have been terse, to say the least—and are told it’s “through that door and to the right.” Um, isn’t that the door to the street? However, we go through as instructed. Bee’s like, we’re outSIDE? Baffled, we turn to the right, and voila! The temporary bathrooms ARE outside, in a small porta potty enclave!
Who knew? At first glance, yuck, porta potties are scary, but these were actually pretty nice and very large. For a porta potty. With a sink and a counter and everything. Water, soap, paper towels, toilet paper, I couldn’t complain. I’ve seen much worse. Much. As has any traveler.
Thus relieved, I was (sorta) ready to embark on the next adventure: first time riding the NYC subway! See next post, coming sometime in the next 48 hours!
Next post: Riding The Subway: Nice New Yorkers!
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I had such a giggle reading this – thank you, it’s just what I needed on a miserable day.
This made me laugh so much. You have a way with telling stories. I found NY subways a bit confusing, but then I am not very good with directions 😁.
You and me both, lol! It’s always a steep learning curve for me but once I get it figured out I love taking public transportation. Was just in Chicago and took me a couple days of goofing up before I started getting around pretty well 😆 thanks for stopping by!
I love taking public transport. It’s the best way to experience the city and get the pulse of it. But same here I just take time to get a hang of it. 😁.
Absolutely agree, it’s a great way to experience a city!
Oh dear! Can’t bear not being able to find a bathroom at the crucial moment 🙁 But you’re right, there are obviously far, far worse ones out there – to be honest, the kind of bars we frequent aren’t known for having the best toilet facilities so we aren’t fussy but using them in train stations is never a pleasant experience!
Which wild wanderer am I talking to? Cuz it’s much easier for guys with icky toilets 🤣 one of the absolute worst toilets I’ve ever seen was in a bar in Paris. It was a squat toilet and so beyond disgusting, it hadn’t seen a clean in 50 years I’ll bet. I just turned around and walked out, I’d rather pee my pants 🙄 Thanks so much for reading! Xoxo
dear Cynthia, I have to be honest, I went to NY for the first time last April and some of my best memories are from the subway lol i took the subway 4 or 5 times a day and every time it was an adventure, specially thanks to the other passengers, it was so interesting 🙂 greetings, PedroL
Hi Pedrol! I’m glad to hear it! That is true for me as well. I had the nicest encounter with a New Yorker (see other post) in the subway. I found it frustrating to start with, but once I got the hang of it, I think it is definitely the best way to travel around NYC. And I certainly agree that every time it is an adventure! 🙂
Can’t wait to return to NYc eheh greetings, PedroL
NYC is on my bucket list and I am so glad I stumbled upon your post about your experience in the subway, Cynthia. Thanks for sharing your adventure. 🙂
Agness, thanks for stopping by! (Sorry for the late reply, you ended up in my spam folder somehow.) I’m going to check out your adventures in a Tuk Tuk!
Funny post, when I can’t find a restroom I drop in Starbuck’s or a bodega and grab a drink.
It’s so counterproductive to drink coffee though, then needing to find another restroom! Thanks for your comment!
I enjoyed your story!
This post made me laugh so much! I’m glad that you came out of the situation okay in the end. But really, there is a serious public restroom shortage in NYC isn’t it? #TheWeeklyPostcard
Thanks Neha, I really do think there is!
Misadventures are half the fun of travel and it definitely says a lot about a person depending on how they handle it! Thanks for linking up with #TheWeeklyPostcard!
Okay, not sure what the way I handled it says about me….Kinda worried! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Having lived in NYC I can relate to this. I quickly learned best restroom option is Starbucks! The only NYC public restroom I would still use is the one in Bryant Park – it has won awards! Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.
I KNEW I should have went to find coffee 🙂
Sounds like you had quite the adventure on the NYC Subway! Reading your post reminded me of traveling in Europe and how there are few public restrooms in quite a few European cities. I’m glad you made it through OK and found a porta potty!
Brooke, I think NYC should adapt the Paris system of the public porta potties!
Good point. I forgot about that.
I certainly would’ve wet my pants! Miss you Cynthia!
Oh my! I’m so scared to take public transportation for all of these reasons! It definitely makes for a great story though! Hopefully next time will go smoother!
It greatly improved! Please don’t be frightened of the NY subway, next post I meet a very nice New Yorker who helps me out 🙂
I would have used the men’s bathroom. 😉 But your way made for a more interesting story.
Or at least a longer story! 😉
Aww, I wish we’d had a chance to tell you that subway elevators are always “in case of emergency only”! (Well, this might’ve qualified, I guess.) The people in the elevator didn’t answer you because they were ashamed of being in one, or too busy holding their breath 😉
I hope the trip takes a better turn!
Yep, I think I should have listened to my intuition on that one! Subway elevator just seems like a bad idea!