My Time in New York City
In February I visited a place I have always dreamed of visiting- The Big Apple. After seeing all the movies which are set in it and all the songs etc, I have been desperate to go. When my dad muttered something which vaguely resembled 'we might go at some point', I kept badgering him to let me go. (He secretly wanted to anyway). I want to share some of my time there as well as giving a top 5 of places to go to when you visit.
My initial thoughts of the city were that it was a) very busy ALL the time, b) the buildings were gigantic and c) it was very much like a 'city'. After watching so many films about it I had imagined a place with celebrities left right and centre, with Ironman being chased by some bad guy and TV studios everywhere. However, it was more city-like than the films made out to be. However it was an incredible place to be in. Different cultures and languages surrounding you, steam rising from the street (yes, like in the movies), all giving rise to a very exciting atmosphere.
I wanted to go to all the famous landmarks in my time there- The Empire State building, Times Square, Grand Central Station etc… Luckily our hotel was a 5 minute walk from Times Square so I got to visit that on the first evening. Yes it is as breathtaking as the pictures make it out to be. We visited Grand Central station later on in the week and it was the most beautiful train station I have ever visited. I definitely recommend visiting it. The Empire State Building was probably the highlight of the trip for me. The picture above was taken from it. The views were breathtakingly staggering. Admittedly it was rather windy but once you were out of the wind it was an incredible experience.
Another brilliant place I visited was Brooklyn bridge. All you have to do is take the subway across the river, get out on the right stop and walk across the bridge. You get incredible views of the financial district, as well as downtown. You can also make out the Statute of Liberty in the distance (unfortunately I didn't manage to visit that… maybe next time). The bridge itself is also incredible.
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| The sun was very bright... |
Overall, the trip was amazing. The city lived up to my wildest expectations, and more. The food was also delicious, albeit unhealthy. If you have not been to New York already, make sure you go immediately!
My recommendations:
- Times Square, Grand Central Station and The Empire State Building are a must.
- Brooklyn Bridge surprised me and was one of the highlights of the week.
- The High line is well worth a trek- walking two stories high in the city is very enjoyable.
- If you're a Friends fan, visit the building they used for the exterior shots in Friends. Greenwich village is also a very nice place to walk through.
- If you're looking for a nice place to have a meal, Bobby Vans on Times Square is a nice restaurant with good food (I'm not promoting for any other reason than it was the best restaurant)
- Ice skating in central park is a great experience.
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| For all you Friends fans out there |
