A few days in The Big Apple
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When I meet fellow Aussies over here on their travels I always ask them what they think of the big cities abroad in comparison to those like Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. The one answer they always come back with is just how struck they were by the sheer size and layout of places like London and Paris. I mean, they are huge. Consider it like this; you can walk from one side of Sydney to the other in a couple of hours - try doing that in somewhere like New York City - as well as remembering that as many people live in NYC as live in the whole of Australia.
So it was quite a staggering experience for me when I had my first introduction to the Big Apple a few years back on our holiday. It is not just a city it is like a nation all on it’s own; I’m surprised it dosen’t have it’s own currency! we had four days to see as much as we could (you really need a week at least to get the most of the city) but luckily hubby had been there before so he had a list of things to do in New York already drawn up and ready to go. Basically stuff he had not seen first time around. You might be tempted to call this place a concrete jungle in comparison to other cities like London and Sydney but there is no doubt New York has it’s own charms - Central Park and the squares save it from being all skyscrapers and cars, they kind of provide an oasis of sorts as do the little deli’s and cafes.
We decided to do as much as we could on foot as hubby had done the sightseeing tours thing first time round; we find you get to see the more intimate places and people characters just wandering around at your own leisure. We explored Greenwich Village and took a tour of the New York State Court of Appeals; I particularly enjoyed the big department stores but you really should go into the smaller shops - there’s some great antique stores and second-hand book stores some of which are third generation owned and operated. That’s the side of New York I liked best - the people who make their lives there, the smaller folk if you like, rather than the expensive suits who would walk right over you if you didn’t step aside.
If you are planning your very first visit to New York I suggest maybe you take an organised tour for part of the visit because unless you know where you’re going you could find the experience rather daunting. But it will be well worth it. We can recommend signing up for a newsletter with Trusted Tours and Attractions as they have a terrific list of places to put on your own itinerary - there’s some suggestions we have taken on board for next time too. Oh, and you can go into the draw for a handheld GPS as well though I suggest you don’t even consider taking a car around New York!
Our next American odyssey will be taking in Virginia (I am a ‘Waltons’ fan) as well as North Carolina and Florida; call me a big kid if you like but I have promised myself, as well as the kids, that a trip to Miami Seaquarium and DisneyWorld/Epcot is definitely on the cards for later this year…fingers crossed.
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