NYC: a vibrant megapolis
The bustling city of NYC caters to everybody’s likes - from the busy Times Square to the serene Central Park and from the historic Statue of Liberty to the Empires State Building.
It was late in the morning when I first set foot on North American soil. The flight was comfortable, and I enjoyed brief conversations with the very friendly locals. Although it was summer, the weather was surprisingly cool, a refreshing change from Cairo. The roads and vibrant colors of NYC immediately struck me, and the skyline, which I had eagerly anticipated, truly lived up to expectations.
We took a direct bus to Battery Park to visit the Statue of Liberty. The statue stands as a symbol of independence and liberty, it was gifted by France on the 100th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence. It stands on the horizon as a symbol of reverence for immigrants sailing up the Atlantic. The book in her hand reads July 4, 1776, the American Declaration of Independence. Designed by Fredric Auguste Bartholdi and built by Gustave Eiffel, the statue features a copper exterior that has turned green over time. The harbour and horizons are a reminder of the freedom, democracy, and liberty we enjoy today. We proceeded for lunch at a small chill-out kinda cafe called Hank's Pizza. Also, the tap water was good, like very drinkable.
After that, we spent about 15 minutes offering our respect at Ground Zero, the memorial of the people who died in the crash of the Twin Towers. A huge space is dug at the location of the former Twin Towers and a plate inscribes the name of each individual who died in the horrifying incident. The Empire State Building, once the tallest in the world, our next stop, would become my favourite landmark in the city. The lobby had a nostalgic feeling for the originality of the building from the first lift to pictures and posters. It showcased animations from the period of its construction. As we entered the ‘real’ lift, it took us up in no time with a pleasant motion picture overhead. I got some good views of the skyline and river from the observatory deck and then headed down. The first deck was closed and had an artistic feel. The second deck was open and the weather was pleasantly cool. The views of the river, the NYC skyline, and the Brooklyn Bridge were epic.
Next stop at Central Park. A serene park tucked away amongst the fast-moving city, a slow place to relax oneself and immerse oneself in nature. There were flocks of pigeons and at least a score of squirrels. I saw a squirrel rolling up its back. Brown rocks contrasted the green grass and trees were abundant. Times Square was the last item on the day. A huge shopping campus with premium stores and disarming crowds. Traffic was a common occurrence. Billboards looked awesome and there was a glamour to them against the withering evening sky. I sat down for some time for a while just people watching. I was able to catch up to an aerobics performance by the streets. We slept in New Jersey in an inn outside the expensive city.
