New York, New York, the city that never sleeps…..!
New York has 8M population and comprises besides Manhattan (NYC) the Bronx,
Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. New York is the 6th city most
visited in the world with approximately 8,7M visitants.
First of all, to travel to NYC you need a vista,
ESTA https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/.
After, at the airplane they give to you an family authorization that you
need to fill with name, flight number, address to stay and other items.
Info Guide:
Info Guide of quick reference:
Best Time to go: Near Christmas (despite the low
temperatures at this time of the year, I think is the best time to go – to enjoy
Christmas spirit all over the island, as well as, shopping with super discounts!)
To get Manhattan: From the airport is very easy to access to Manhattan as there are a lot of companies that has available transport services to NYC for approximately $19USD. The issue is the time taken, about 3h, as they picked up several persons to drop out to different locations and the traffic is really chaotic.
Transportation: For the first time to get know the city as a tourist
point of view, I recommend hip hop bus as they stop at main touristic sight
views and they have a guide which give you some explanations and curiosities of
the monuments and the city. Nevertheless, if you want to feel more the city
atmosphere and take less time between the target points, get the metro:
7,5USD/day or charge the card with 20USD for 4 days, per example. But prepare yourself,
as the metro is very dirty and not pleasant at all.
And let the show goes on!
Sheraton is
very pleasant, with comfortable, high and large beds with a good location at 7th
avenue 53rd Street.
There are
several Deli´s in NYC. They have all: bagel (a configuration of a donut) in
different bread varieties, fruit, pancakes, different yogurts, cooked meals,
juices, different cupcakes presented in a very delicious way.
The buildings
are really huge. We feel like ants….!
After the
destruction of the two World Trade Center buildings, the city's tallest
building is the 102-story Empire State Building which rises 1.454 feet (443 m).
It is the 3rd tallest building in the USA and the 15th tallest
building in the world.
The 3rd
tallest building with 1.046-foot (319 m) is the elegant Chrysler Building.
Buildings
are imperious with always some singular.
What disseminates in NYC? The shows: for example the stand up comedies (this is near Sheraton).
Times Square
is the ex libris of the city, nicknamed "The Crossroads of the World"
and "The Great White Way".
You are...here! A big screen filming Times Square could show you. Your 5 minute of fame! Say goodbuy!
In the
neighborhood of Times Square is the M&M store with crowd of persons
making a queue to get inside.
MarketSite is
an interactive guided tour which takes to Nasdaq stock market from a future
technology point of view (43St Broadway).
Surrounding
there are always performances from unknown people that take their chance to catch
some money.
Be seen is the key expression!
A
restaurant inspired by the popular portrayal of Hollywood, was launched in NY in
1991, with the backing of Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis,
Demi Moore, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art
museum on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues (near Sheraton). I got in for free, they
were not charged at that day. I just loved the collection as they have pieces of
art from Van Gogh, Picasso, Salvador Dali, Monet, Cézanne…. And as they have a
not exhaustive but dynamic and appeal collection.
Rockefeller
Center is a complex of commercial buildings between 48th and 51st
streets between 5th and 6th Avenues. It was built by the
Rockefeller family, and just for curiosity, it was declared a National Historic
Landmark in 1987.
It is known
for the 23 meters Christmas tree which pleasant the New Yorkers habitants every
end of the year, since 1933. The “Home Alone” with Macaulay Culkin immortalizes
my idea of this magic place.
At night,
in Rockefeller Center we can find Radio City Music Hall, a performing musical
show that delightful every person for the rigorous of the movement coordination
of the artists. It seems string dolls as is the perfection and synchronization.
Also in great
night shows performances, I suggest Broadway (near Times Square on Broadway avenue). Spider man is a good option, the
most expensive production ever realized on Broadway and one of the most
dangerous one, as the number of the accidents that have been occurred with the
artists. It involves: prodigious music repertoire (U2), strong rock dancing,
with marvelous 3D scenery and appealing Spider Man flights all over the scene.
The Central park is mandatory. The park is the
most visited urban park in the United States with its 843 acres (3,41 km2). It
is 2,5 miles (4 km) long between 59th Street and 110th Street and is 0,5 miles
(0,8 km) wide between Fifth Avenue and Central Park West. It is similar in size
to San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, Vancouver's Stanley Park, and Munich's
Englischer Garten.
There are plenty sport activities to do: biking, jogging, skating, relaxing (..)
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Taking North, walking in line with Central Park on Fifth Avenue (at
89th Street) is the Guggenheim Museum. It was opened in 1959. The foundation is
also in Venice, Bilbao, Berlin, and it expects to open a new museum, Guggenheim
Abu Dhabi, in 2017. It has a permanent renowned collection of
Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, early Modern, and contemporary art and also
features special exhibitions throughout the year. It was designed by Frank
Lloyd Wright. It is one of the 20th century's most important architectural
landmarks.
Columbia is also on North of MYC, near Harlem.
Harlem since the 1920s has been a major
African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch
village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in
the Netherlands. Gospel churches are covered in the place. Our group went to
a some knower one. We were the only white people. They sang really really well.
Amazing. Recommend it! The issue that I got surprised was the fee fixed 25
dollars, and they had count the money in the middle of the church. Different cultures
I assume.
On the other side of the river is Yankee Stadium in The Bronx.
The food is
typically fast food. Actually, the American gastronomy does not seduce me,
besides the Asiatic one. Cheap and really, really delicious, not compare of outside USA!
We can find easily
in Chinatown (near Soho), one of the oldest and biggest ethnic Chinese areas outside of
Asia. It comprises a diverse good cuisine as including Shanghais, Taiwanese,
Pekingese, Cantonese, and Hongkonger restaurants (..). Another landmark of this
area is shopping in local stores (very cheap prices) or you could get brand products as bags or watches
(not original) on the street from sellers. Do not forget to haggle a bit, to
get the price you want!
Neighboring
Chinatown it remains Little Italy, a large Italian community, where you also
could find very good restaurants and tasty ice creams.
Finally I could get in
NY a really espresso coffee!
You similarly could find small Italian stores.
Next to Chinatown is the Washington Square Park, one of the landmarks parks of the 1.900! NYC public parks in the neighborhood of Greenwish Village, surrounding by Soho in the south and Tribeca. Soho is plenty of trendy boutiques, artists´ galleries and a cozy atmosphere.
Restless squirrels. They move so quickly and are so cute.
Get bus/metro and go to Ground Zero in the Financial District where the original
two towers of the World Trade Center once stood and go also to Battery Park.
You could observe the Statue of Liberty stood in the Ellis Island.
Do not forget to visit the United Nations where you could find it near the river (46th Street close to 1st Avenue).
United Nations: huge!
Walking to
the East (if you are looking for the river), but on a long long walk, you could
find touristic heliport where you could figure out a good view of the city from
a different experience.
A visit to
NYC is not completed without shopping!!
You can
find great discounts near Christmas on big departments such as Macys (several floors
with everything from clothes, to cosmetics, items, toys of high quality with high
prices - get international card on the 1st floor for additional 10%
off), Century 21 (really minor department but with different products offer in
a discount prices) or Saks (more high quality target department).
Macy´s
Outlets outside
of Manhattan are also a good option if you visit NYC with time (more than 5-7
days) where you can find good items with short prices. Nevertheless, besides the store Timberland, it did not impressed me as the discounts are not so competitive relatively
departments, as the large distance to get there (more or less 1h by bus).
To not miss
is the 5th avenue: Glamour and a “fat” budget are the main words.
Abercrombie
& Fitch (a shopping American (and not only) cult)
In the
heart of the capitalism and dynamism of the 5th Avenue, performs peace
and harmony in Saint Thomas Church.
A final breath!
Lincolm
