I am a native of NYC and went back in June for the first time in 11 years. Stayed in midtown Manhattan and loved it. I could not get over the change in behavior of folks. At the airport, the taxi driver got out and put my luggage in the trunk. Same on return. The last time I returned to NYC, the cabbie sat in the taxi and I had to shove my luggage into the back seat. All the cabbies were friendly and courteous.

People in restaurants greeted me and said, "Thank you", and "Have a nice day." Hell, I thought I was back in California. Rudy worked on people's behavior early on in his first term. He has pulled off a miracle.

I hope it lasts, the new Mayor strikes me as cold and aloof. Rudy was able to connect with people.

Ditto here. My dad and I used to visit family in New York about 12-15 years ago. Rest of the family moved out, and we stopped going. We went back a few years ago...absolutely amazing. Three words: Rudy fixed it.

I visited NYC during the Thanksgiving weekend. It was my first trip to the city, and I must say it was quite impressive! The people were friendly, the streets relatively clean, and we felt very comfortable there. We visited Central Park, Times Square, the Empire State Building, and we took the 3-hour Circle Lines boat tour. I highly recommend it.

We flew into the airport at Islip, on Long Island, which made the airport experience very quick and easy.

I'd love to go back for a longer visit someday!

My wife and I moved to midtown Manhattan from LA in July of 2000, and have lived in many parts of the US before that. Until the 11 September attack, it was an entirely positive experience. I've found New Yorkers to be extraordinarily helpful and during our house-hunting trip we had so many instances of people going out of their way to be nice -- in the New York style, you understand, which is not the same as the Midwestern or Southern style. While the politics are atrocious and the rents insane, New York is a wonderful, exciting and stimulating place to live. It is life to the max.

We walked through Central Park as the sun was going down. We even took a hansom cab ride which I wouldn't be caught dead doing 10 years ago (Chalk that one up to age!) Even my most liberal friend said, "Although I think he's a Fascist, Rudy's really cleaned up this city!"

On a serious note, we walked down to the WTC area and shed some tears. The Memorials were still set up all around town. We did alot of walking in the four days and it was so wonderful to see how people were treating each other and respecting the Police and Firemen. Even the gift stores and sidewalk stands were selling Police and Fireman themed trinkets, along with mostly patriotic wares.

It was beautful.

I did have one chuckle...I did encounter one panhandler. He told me he needed $20!!!! Can you imagine. I told him that I needed $20 also...good luck!

Thanks for the first hand report! After hearing this, I wouldn't think twice about going!

Now, if Rudy would only move to San Francisco for a few years.

Willie Brown actually had the gall to say recently that he "wasn't interested in the Giuliani vote", i.e, the growing number of San Francisco residents who think the so-called homeless need a swift kick in the butt (and a felony warrant check), not another 200 million dollars in aid.

As a former New Yorker who also survived Koch and the little general, I echo your sentiments about what Rudy accomplished.

The only panhandler I ever gave money to here was a guy who said, as I was passing, "I accept American Express." I gve him a buck for making me laugh.

Thanks for the post, Hildy. Rudy tamed the untameable.

When I was in New York last summer, and staying in Times Square, the only panhandler I saw wore a sign describing in detail exactly what he wanted money for. He was unfailingly pleasant and when I gave him a buck so I could take his picture he insisted I take a second one (no charge) just "to make sure I got it." Unreal.

First time I was in NYC was before the cleanup. I've been back the last few summers on holidays and still am amazed at the change, not only in the safety but also the attitudes of people. Not being forced to live in a sewer does that to people, I suppose. I am not what anyone would refer to as a physically intimidating looking individual and felt no issue walking around (normal big city sense and precautions a given) anywhere in Manhattan.

Being from Toronto, we tend to take safe cities for granted up here. When I told friends about the rebirth of New York they generally didn't believe me until they went for themselves. It truly is the greatest city in the world, IMHO. Here's hoping that the new administration doesn't undo all of Rudy's great work.

I did have one chuckle...I did encounter one panhandler. He told me he needed $20!!!! Can you imagine. I told him that I needed $20 also...good luck!

Sounds like NYC. Everything there's more expensive; I guess even the homeless have decided to join in.

As a native new yorker I have to tell people that now that rudy is leaving office you might want to rethink moving back. A few days ago we had 10 murders in the span of one day and it seems like it will be getting worse.

Remember he took the city from 2,200 murders for one year to 600 a year and while to many people 600 might still be very high for a city of this size its quite a good number. I would wait a few months before making any long term decisions to see how the new mayor will handle the NYPD.

I graduated college from SUNY Albany.

From Colonial Quad to the Student Ghetto, SUNY-Albany was quite a place to be in the late 70's and early 80's. Back then at least, the University was ranked as "highly selective" and often described as "Harvard on the Hudson" and the "Paupers' Princeton." And while most of us studied long and hard, we also had the well-earned reputation as one of the top party schools in the Country.

BTW, welcome back to New York. Although there are times that I wish I had moved anywhere other than here, NYC is without a doubt the greatest city in the world -- second to none -- period -- end of debate.

Rudy worked a miracle, doing what no one believed possible.

It would be unrealistic to expect things to get *better* from here, but Bloomberg is far far more likely to limit backsliding than any of the other guys who ran.

I lived in New York during the Ed Koch into David Dinkins era. And for those who lived or live there, you know what I'm talking about.

Oh yeah. Things were pretty damned bleak here for a few years, especially during Dinkins. The city's done a remarkable job in bringing back Central Park, where I spend a lot of time (the BATHROOMS are open again, after being padlocked for at least a decade, and the paths and bridges are no longer an obstacle course of homeless and mentally ill people) and Times Square. You know how big the transformation was when people actually complain that Times Square is now "too clean".

I was tempted to move away myself in 1990, but things started improving rapidly after Rudy took office. Glad I stayed, and glad you enjoyed your visit!

I graduated SUNY-A in 1984. Unfortunately, I don't share the pleasant memories. It seemed to me to be overpopulated by obnoxious well-off brats from Long Island. Decent education, but I worked my way through and didn't really have that much of a party time when I was there.

Must admit, though, to this day, I can't drink Genny Cream...