Don’t believe anyone who tells you that New York is a blend of glass and metal, a cold city pierced by towering skyscrapers, with incessant advertising on the streets and the biting winds of winter evenings, piles of garbage on the roads, and crowds of dubious characters…
There will always be someone who says it’s impossible to love New York. But I don’t know how anyone could not love it…
New York is most beautiful in the spring. When the trees are covered with large pink flowers. When the sun floods the low streets of the West Side, plays in the mirrored windows of the skyscrapers’ upper floors, casting sunbeams on the faces of pedestrians on Broadway. New York is a very pedestrian city. It’s a thankless task to move around Manhattan’s streets by car. Sometimes, you can travel faster across the city by subway. That’s why in the subway, you often see expensive ties and shiny shoes of Wall Street traders. Because New Yorkers walk so much, women wear heels only in the office, so it’s not unusual to see ladies in business suits and sneakers on the streets.
It’s much easier to understand the city’s surface structure than its underground. The streets are numbered from south to north, from downtown to uptown. Avenues run from east to west, all numbered, some also having names, like Madison, Lexington. In the middle of the peninsula lies Central Park, which divides the city into the East Side and West Side. Perhaps more accurately, the most expensive avenue – Fifth Avenue – divides the city. The numbering of buildings also starts from there. Broadway runs diagonally (an old Native American trail). Once you understand this principle, it’s quite hard to get lost in the city.
As for the subway, with a little practice, you can get used to it. The key is to pay attention to the signs when transferring. The subway in Manhattan is a topic in itself. The vestibules and passages are sparse in decoration, but New Yorkers are proud of their quiet and fast subway. And you can meet wonderful musicians in the passages. Once, I even played drums with an African-American girl who was playing something lively in a Midtown subway passage.
The best way to get to know the city is to walk through it at different times of the day and year. You can read about the main attractions in advance and then unexpectedly come across them… In the morning and during the day, it’s nice to visit Uptown – the West Side, East Side, and Central Park. The Upper West Side is famous for its exotic restaurants and entertainment. Central Park isn’t quite the park as we imagine it. It’s more like a well-maintained forest with a summer theater and a unique atmosphere created by the twisted, gnarled trees. You can find people sunbathing, jogging, or simply lying on the grass. The Upper East Side is known for its “Museum Mile.” This is where you’ll find the Metropolitan Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, the Frick Collection, and the mansions of the local aristocracy. This time of day is also great for exploring Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and Times Square.
During this walk, you might discover a wonderful little park with benches and huge trees, where people sit, lie, or even sleep on benches, grass (when it’s warm), or the steps of a nearby building. Completely different people, dressed in different ways, sometimes mismatched, may unexpectedly start talking to each other, exchange opinions, emotions, and, without ever learning each other’s names, part ways forever after just a few minutes.
The Empire State Building is, of course, impressive, though it leaves a sense of predictability. However, at least once, you must go. It’s cold and windy at the top, but the view is worth it. If you want to see the city from above while sipping a glass of wine, you can visit the top floor of the Marriott Marquis hotel on Times Square. Sitting in the rotating bar, The View, you can see the entire peninsula. I also recommend taking a helicopter ride over Manhattan. You can find points in any tourist guide where these trips are organized. The impressions are unforgettable. And of course, cruises around Manhattan – Spirit or Liberty – are a great experience.
It’s best to visit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty during warm weather and daylight. Of course, there are fewer visitors in winter, so if you don’t mind the icy, biting wind that reaches your skin through the thickest coats and gloves, it’s worth trying. The boat trip is wonderful, but standing on the open deck in cold weather can be uncomfortable. So, if taking great photos is important to you, wait until summer. Ellis Island houses an old immigration center where all newcomers to the country were registered. Now it’s a “museum.” Overall, it’s not particularly interesting, but the building is beautiful. The Statue of Liberty, however, is impressive. The views of Manhattan from the boat ride to the islands are breathtaking.
After visiting the Statue of Liberty, as evening approaches, an incredible sight awaits you if you decide to walk halfway across the Brooklyn Bridge, Robert’s stunning creation. The sunset should be experienced right there. Or in Downtown. And when night falls, the most beautiful thing you can see in the city is the illumination. It’s awe-inspiring. This is the time for the true, vibrant life of Manhattan. Like a light bulb, it flickers on and ignites. You can go to a Broadway show, buying tickets at a significant discount from the red-and-white booth labeled “tkts” in Times Square.
Also, this time is perfect for shopping and simply walking along Broadway from Times Square to Downtown. You can even take a horse-drawn carriage ride. Some might find this activity questionable, but if you cancel out the visual impact of the illumination and the myriad billboards, you can capture an unforgettable feeling of time that permeates the streets of New York.
And then, no one will want to call this city a cold creation of metal and glass. Because Manhattan breathes. It’s alive. And it’s not hard to see that.