So I take my Chinese friend to NYC for a two day trip and we stay in a hotel in Chinatown (Hotel Mullberry... I give it an 8 out of 10) and since she is 100% Chinese the first thing I want to know is 'what does this and this and this say'.
Turns out that most of the Chinese in Chinatown is not using modern Mandarin. She even had trouble with the NYC Chinese accents.
Still had fun.
Empire State Building was a horrible experience. Riding the subway was fun... but had to endure an ton of 'In China the subway is much better'. And I completely agree.. the NYC subway is a freaking joke.