New York City.
It is no secret that the Big Apple is one of the most visited places in the United States and why wouldn’t it be? The city is filled with activities for tourists of every kind, looking to expand upon their worldview and explore the city culture. I have had the good fortune to have visited this city on two separate occasions now and the second time was as magical as the first. As I finally made it out of JFK Airport and into the heart of Manhattan I was again struck with awe at the lights and sounds that came back to me as I wandered Times Square.
It gives you a tingling sensation to sit on the red stairs in the heart of midtown and people-watch through the night. Though Times Square may be a hot bed for tourist traps I do believe it’s a fun way to welcome yourself to the city, particularly in my case where I had been awake for over 30 hours and was in desperate need of a good nights sleep.
If you are looking for cliches you are in the perfect area. As I sat on those stairs I took in my surroundings. In front of me stood countless advertising billboards that make the streets so bright you do not know whether it is night or day. On the ground, hot dog and pretzel carts are posted on every corner and around them stand an endless array of busy New Yorkers keen to get where they are going, blocked many times by the very confused tourists unsure of where to go next. Then there is the iconic Hard Rock as well as a multi-storey Disney store and a variety of other large businesses who seem to be open all hours. To top it off, there is a consistent chorus of honking and sirens on the streets, a consistent reminder to me of why I consider New York City to be the city that never sleeps.
Thankfully however, I was staying in a hotel right on Times Square so it wasn’t much further for me to go. What else can I say? New York, I missed you.
Little Fish, Bigger Pond 