USA: New York I. – The Big Apple 1
Published: 17.6.2013
Almost two years while I was working as an au-pair I had lived in suburbia of the center of the whole globe. To describe every attraction worth visiting would take several articles. New York is the most monumental symbol of level of the world civilization. It consists of five districts - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island.
Only Bronx lies on a land mass the rest is located on islands connected by more or less beautiful bridges. Despite there are many interesting things in every district everybody thinks of Manhattan first when they think of New York. There the majority of tourist attraction is located. Even New Yorkers call it „The City“ and when you arrive at the airport silhouettes of skyscrapers on Manhattan will boost your blood pressure whether. First time you leave your hotel (in my case the entrance to the Grand Central Station) and you get on busy streets of this metropolis you will get even more excited. Where to go first? Should I visit some famous skyscraper? Should I enjoy culture and show-business? Should I visit some famous match? Or should I visit some of famous museums, or a musical at the world-famous Brodway? Or should I go to the largest shopping center in the world, the Macy´s?
The names of the streets of Manhattan – Wall Street, Broadway, 5th Avenue, Madison Avenue, Park Avenue – knows everybody in the world. Day or night, these traffic arteries are busy, even at three in the morning all crossings are overcrowded. Despite I find overcrowded streets in the Czech capital inconvenient, it didn’t bother me in New York at all. This city has its unique aura. Despite its crowds, garbage on streets and predominantly in subway (Prague subway is luxurious compared to that in New York), omnipresent homeless and noise I found myself constantly attracted to the city. Thus, I spent there almost every weekend with my friends from different countries. Even for us, foreigners from the small Czech Republic – orientation in New York was easy thanks to its right-angled grid of streets and avenues. It is enough if you know here east and west and uptown and downtown are located. So what would I recommend to those who want spent a weekend in New York?
Empire State Building
It is located in the heart of Manhattan and is among the most visited buildings in New York. In the time of its completion, it was the highest building on Earth and everything there is simply of gigantic proportions. After a long queue (I have been four time up and every time I had waited for an hour at least) an elevator will take you on a vantage point within few seconds. It is located on the 86th floor or 320 meters above the streets of Mangattan. Your stomach would be sick but it is worth of this. If you are lucky and weather is good you may see the whole New York and even adjacent state of New Jersey. In winter you may stay in heated interior where is also a souvenir and refreshments shop.
Worth mentioning is also nearby Chrysler Building, the most elegant skyscraper in New York they say. It is not possible to see inside of this building, however, satisfactory enough it is to see its silver top resembling grates of Chrysler’s radiator. Especially in the night it is beautifully illuminated.
Central Park
800 m wide and 4 kilometers long green complex is located in the heart of Manhattan. Thousands of New Yorkers love to spend their free time there. It looks very naturally, you wouldn’t guess a hand of man crafted it. There are lakes, forests, rocks, meadows, and creeks. It all looks like it is here since time immemorial but actually it was built in the 19th century. I have visited the Central Park during my every visit of New York. You can see there local ZOO, take a run along Lake Reservoir, row, ride on rollerskates, or just relax and sunbathe. A look at near skyscrapers and busy city while sitting on a large meadow is really unforgettable. Music fans would appreciate a visit of the Strawberry Fields on the Central Pakr’s west end. You can see there, for instance, the Johna Lennon memorial for he was shot on the other side of the street.
However, I wouldn’t recommend you to visit the Central Park in the night as it is really not safe there.
To be continued...
Text/photo: Pavlína Rouhová
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