New York New York

Photo of New York! New York! 3/3 by Ankita Misra

There is so much in New York City, that I quite wonder if ever I will be able to cover each part of it.While travelling to the rest of the United States in last May, NYC was my last stop before heading back to my country. This was intentionally planned so that I can shop as much as I want and wont have to bear heavy luggage for long. Things did go as i planned only except three days were less for this wonderful a city. Life in NYC is very different from life in any other city, atleast that I felt. Everybody is in a rush to get to somewhere. Everybody knows everybody else but at the same time almost nobody knows nobody else. Their life goes on regardless of the heavy traffic, the usual mugging, tourist rush or heavy rain.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Check in at Hotel Edison, New Jersey by late evening. Then head to some true Indian food at Hotel Akbar in the same Neighborhood.

Day 2: Take an early ride to New Jersey state park for ferry ride to the Liberty Island, Ellis Island and then Finally Get Down in NYC. If you have done your home work well enough, going around a city isn't difficult. Since it was my third visit to NYC in last 10 years, I didnt have much difficulty will places. I took the Hop On-Hop Off shuttle service and got down at the main streets in order to walk to rest of the places. I figured out that most of the attractions were on or around the 5th Street so it became easily with Google Map and a local city map to find my way into most of these places. So i helped my way thru United Nations Headquarter which was at the farthest end of the city and worked my way down wards (ofcourse this stretch was with the shuttle)

Day 3:

Since I was in Woodbridge New Jersey, I had to take either a taxi or the rail to New York. The train was an easier way since it took about 40 mins but a hassle free ride. On my way back in the evening I took a taxi, the experience of Lincoln Tunnel right in the middle of the ocean bed was thrilling when I thought about it. So, i new york, I took a ride in and around the rockfeller center which is an extravagant centre space surrounded by 18 of Rockfeller Building housing the best fashion brands on the ground floor and offices on floors upwards.

Day 4:

Getting down at the Penn Station again and for the last time, I made my way to the shopping outlets of the 5th avenue generally and then walked my way to Broadway street etc for more shopping. The best about fashion cities like these is the collection at stores and the outlets big enough to house all the stock that eventually gets sold out by the sale season. Lucky for me, I was there right around Memorial Day, so discounts were crazy. After all the shopping, I head back to the hotel and take a ride to the JFK Airport, New York.

Edison Hotel

This one was a sort of a business hotel or one that tourists use for quick transit to the nearby New Ark International Airport. Majority of guests could be seen as businessmen or trade fair visitors. The closest train Station would be Woodbridge NJ transit.

United Nations Headquarters

As I could not enter this building. but being around it was an equally good experience. With flags of all the member countries fluttering up high, UN Headquarters is at the waterfront with their office chambers visibly facing the water body.

Apple Store

For an Apple (Mac.) freak, nothing could be more exciting than taking a tour of the store which releases the first of every Apple product. While this Apple store is customer friendly just like any other, Apple Store 5th Ave. appears as the Mecca of Apple Gadget World.

Flatiron Building

If you move along the 5th Ave towards Empire State Building, there will be almost nothing unsual in the urbanscape of the space but the minute you look to your 12 o'clock, you see a building with a steep egde, almost like a triangular edge. Just when you will think to yourself if it were habitable, you should learn that this building is completely functional and there are offices on every edge that desnt quite look like a livable area. Strange but architecturally possible!

Times Square

Who doesn't know 'The' Times Square of New York? But I will have to say, the city lights are dimmer against the lights in and around the Times Square. May it be new years eve or any other day, the Jumbotron has the best of the advertisements in the industry.

Broadway

Every theater artist dreams to perform at the broadway and similarly, every theater enthusiast wishes to see atleast one show live at broadway. Take out some free time and experience atleast one life changing art drama of any genre you prefer.

Empire State Building

This 103 story tall structure in the midtown manhattan provides the best view of the whole of the neighbourhood. If you haven't made an early reservation for the observation deck, you will have to wait in a long queue and be sure to wait for atleast two good hours.

9/11 Ground Zero Tour

This monumental ground where once stood the world trade center before the 9/11 attack is a memory park for many. But now its been closed for some construction activities. As of May'14, the best view of Ground Zero is from the WInter Gardens Atrium.

Central Park

This urban park is an amusement to many in the borough. Designed by the very famous name in Landscape Architecture, Frederick Law Olmstead, Central Park is declared as a National Historic Landmark with perfectly maintained gardens. It has huge chunks of water bodies spread beautiful across different types of gardens and spots of whose one can find notable mentions in many movies and novels.

MoMa

Rockefeller Center

Statue of Liberty National Monument

There is no way one doesn't realise the importance of the Statue of Liberty, knowing about the United States.

Ellis Island

Ellis Island was initially used as an immigration station for the visitors to America. Now it is a place for Museum of National Importance. One takes a ride to Ellis Island along with the ride to The Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island. The route to these islands is through Ferry that covers New Jearsey-Ellis Island-Liberty Island-New York.

Penn Station

I was travelling for New Jersey into New York through their rail services. As soon as you reach the platform, thousands of commuters are waiting for their trains and many are getting out of the station just like me. If you are here for the first time, it is a little difficult to figure out the exits, since it has more that 4 exits opening on different streets. For people waiting for their trains, Penn station has alot of eating joints and pharmacy etc. Penn Station is built like one of those colonial train stations with almost everything painted Golden.

St Patrick Cathedral

After reading so many mentions of this cathedral, it was of utter importance to visit this great peace of art and architecture. St. Patrick's is mighty as it appears and holy as it sounds. Situated amidst busy street of the 5th avenue of New York, this place of God transcends as much peace that one might find hard to get in a busy place like Manhattan. St. Patrick has held burial and funeral masses of many like Ed Sullivan, Andy Warhol etc.

New York! New York!