Outrageous fun - I *heart* New York City

I admit, I was interested to see New York City, but I was not overly excited. My wife couldn't wait to get back to the city after spending some months many years ago. The spark didn't catch on to me really. Come on, just a bunch of skyscrapers, yellow cabs and tons of people. I was so wrong. It was a blast and my mind is still buzzing with all the images and impressions I took with me.

On Friday morning at 6am our group left from College Park towards NYC. During the four hour drive I learned yet again more of other cultures. One of the teachers from Argentina taught me to drink mate, kind of a tea. It kept me awake until we arrived at a school in Soho district for a scheduled teachers visit. I was participating as well and it was interesting to see how school life is different.

In the afternoon we drove to our hotel in 42nd right next to the Chrysler Tower. Passing street after street I saw nothing but skyscrapers. It was impressive. Thinking about when they started to build the skyscrapers so long time ago and seeing what they accomplished on that relatively small island really put things into perspective. Dropping our bags into the room, my wife and me went to Rockefeller Center to check out the area. After a quick visit in the Lego store and St. Patrick's Cathedral nearby we went for some real American dinner and had... a burger.

Just as we ate the last sweet potato fries, we had to get going towards Broadway where we would enjoy the musical Chicago. The theater was small but packed and the artists performed really well. Afterwards we made our way to Times Square. That place really blew my mind. I have seen pictures before but couldn't understand the hype about the place. Actually being there, seeing all the advertising screens at the skyscrapers all around me in all possible colors and thousands of people from so many countries, created a very special atmosphere. I could have stayed there for hours and hours.

The next day we went to the Village after a morning boat tour around Manhattan. It was a nice and lively area and most of the houses had the famous fire escape stairs facing the streets. In combination with the yellow cabs I felt like in a movie. It's really like that! After a quick Thai lunch in Christopher Street we went further South, witnessing the Wall Street protests. The crowd was very calm and peaceful. Still, on the side roads dozens of NYPD cars were parked and ready in case..

Last but not least on that day, we went on a night ride with the double-decker bus around Manhattan and Brooklyn to see the city at night. The view from Brooklyn towards the skyline of Manhattan was stunning. Unfortunately the bus did not stop and my camera could not capture this view. At the end of the tour we left the bus at Times Square and we stayed a while to suck in all the impressions (yet again). After a midnight snack we went happy but extremely tired back to the hotel room.
 
On Sunday we had few hours in the morning before the bus would take us back to College Park. We (well, my wife..) decided to get up early. We took the subway (which is an experience itself) to Harlem and visited the University of Columbia where my wife worked for two summers. After that we had one hour to spare and went - finally! - to Central Park. I just love that place. After almost two days surrounded by skyscrapers my body and mind needed a break and space to breathe. Central Park was just the right place for that. All the grass and trees made it a nice place to be. But looking at the horizon and see the huge skyscrapers around made it such an amazing extraordinary place! We were in the nature but the huge steel monsters were watching us from far. This combination made the final switch in my mind and I realize more and more why New York City is such a special place.

I got to somehow stop writing and finish this post. So here's my top 6 for NYC:
1) Times Square
2) Central Park
3) Soho and Greenwich Village
4) a musical on Broadway
5) Manhattan Skyline from Brooklyn at night
6) ride the subway

Times Square

Outrageous fun at Times Square

Manhattan Skyline

Statue of Liberty

Yellow cabs and skyscrapers

Greenwich Village

A haunted pub in the Village

View near Times Square

Ghostbusters at Times Square

Central Park

Central Park

I *heart* NYC