Alone
It was only at the start of September when I decided to go to New York City. I was planning on visiting my sister and mom in Canada after my business trip in Texas but to my surprise, the Canadian embassy did not approve my Visa. Demmit.
And it got me thinking: One, my boss already approved my time off for one week. Two, I have saved enough already for a well-deserved vacation. Three, I am already in the US. So why not go to somewhere else instead? And the next thing I know, I was checking out Delta's flight schedules to NY, hotels, tour packages, vacation tips, etc. It got me all excited. I mean, who won't be, it's freakin' New York City! Home of Friends, Sex and the City, CSI: NY, my newfound favorite TV show Castle and 2 Broke Girls, and of course, the Yankees! Yeah, I spend that much time in front of the TV.
There are two main airports in New York - La Guardia (where most domestic flights arrive/depart) and JFK (where the internationals are). I landed in La Guardia (from Houston to Minneapolis). I love that airport, very modern and full of oh so busy people. My good friend Ces Dimalibot and husband Cary were kind enough to pick me up and took me to their humble home so I could crash for the night. Before going home, we headed to two famous stores - Wal*Mart and Best Buy to buy some pasalubong stuff.
The next day was spent, again, shopping. We went to Tanger Outlets in Riverhead, a nice one-hour drive from Queens. This is what I like to call a sosyal ukay. As the name suggests, there are outlets setup in a big lot that range from sportswear, jewelry, perfume, goods, jeans, etc. One whole day is not enough to visit all of the stores, yeah, that many. I only went in to those I am most familiar with. First stop - Nike. Hey I am an Adidas fan but the price of the shoes were just so low I couldn't help but buy two pairs of shoes and a jacket. You know how much I spent for all those? Less than $100! That's around 4500 pesos all in all! Good buys! Then I went to other stores and checked out a few items: GAP, Bose, Samsung, Guess, T-Mobile, all that Jazz. And I bought a pair of Jeans at Levis. Yes, these are my first (original) Levis jeans. Nice!
After eating at a fine diner, we went back home at Queens to rest for a bit before I check in at the apartment I rented. While resting, I posted in Facebook that I am in New York City. And lo and behold, I have three friends in New York City I did not know about. And the thing is, I haven't seen them in more than a decade. And to my surprise and delight, they wanted to meet up! Yey, tour guides!
After I dropped my luggage in my apartment in 111th and Clayton Powell, I hailed for a cab that took me to our meeting place - Times Square. As expected, traffic in New York City is bad, but not as bad as in Manila. The cab dropped me off in some corner, driver said he can't go on to Times Square due to traffic. So I got off the cab, walked a few yards just like he told me to. And what happened next, I can only describe as the most mesmerizing thing I have ever experienced. There it is, in all its brightness. Times Square! Woooh!
I think I just stared at it for a good 30 seconds before I realized that people have been bumping at me left and right because I am blocking their ways.
That's when I told myself. I am definitely coming back next year!
By the way, you noticed how I stated my apartment's address as 111th and Clayton Powell? Well, that's how they do it in New York City. Everything belongs to a specific grid. In my apartment's case, it's in the corner of 111th St and Clayton Powell Blvd. So if you're address is in a building on the block that is being bordered by 42nd St and Broadway Ave, the New York way of saying it is: 42nd and Broadway. How cool is that?! That address, fyi, is Times Square.
After Times Square, the next spot I am definitely most looking forward to is the Statue of Liberty. And that my friends, I part of the tour that I have booked for October 3.
I found the tour online, it'supposed to be the best tour of New York (aren't they all are?) according to some travel website. And the itinerary spoke for itself. It's got everything and more that New York City has to offer.
We were briefed about the rules and off we go to the first stop - Times Square (again!). As the bus was cruising through the busy streets of New York City, the tour guide narrated the historical significance of the streets and the buildings which made the tour more fascinating and educational. Yes, fascinating and educational, only in New York City. We made stops at Wall Street, Rockefeller Center (home of 30Rock!), some cathedrals, Broadway, Empire State, Central Park, Macy's, Flat Iron Building (named such because it looks like a flat iron). Such wonderful, wonderful places. Hey, two relevant scenes I saw: the Wall Street protesters and the Apple store in 7th!
At around lunchtime, the tour bus took as to the Marina to grab a quick lunch and board the water taxi that will take us around Manhattan Island, passing by the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and of course, the Statue of Liberty.
The Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges I have seen several times already on movies and TV shows. And as soon as the water taxi made a turn and brought the statue of Liberty to our views, it's a different story. I have seen it in pictures, but still, there's nothing like actually seeing it, standing in all its tallness before your eyes. Majestic.
I eagerly awaited for the water taxi to move closer and closer to Ellis island and the excitement in me grew stronger and stronger. What a view! Picture picture!
The tour concluded with a trip to the 9/11 Memorial site. We did not go to the actual site but saw it from accross the street. We paused to remember the lives of those we lost during the tragic episode in US history.
Another highlight of my stay in New York was actually getting in to the subway. Their subway system is very complex. Imagine, four or five layers of train tracks under the city. For a first timer, I felt hesitant to board the train, I might get lost! Good thing there are maps everywhere and they are quite easy to understand. And if you will try the subway, make sure you pause for a bit and observe people walk in and out of the train. Very diverse! I actually heard Tagalog couple of times.
That was my last day in New York. Before heading to the airport, I visited (again) Times Square and experienced its vibe one last time. Gee, that place is addictive.
To sum up, I will not contest anyone who says New York City is one of the best cities in the world. Because it indeed is. Lots to see and hear, great culture, amazing shops, extremely nice people (contrary to what some of you may have heard), full of character. I will definitely come back next year.
No comments:
Post a Comment