The Big Apple

A very expensive trip but have eventually achieved one of my 'thing to do before I.....'

My YMCA hostel near Central Park costs me $100 per day with about 40rooms sharing 3 toilets and showers at one floor. Me being the last person to take shower at midnight will have to make sure that I didn't take any deep or heavy breath until I've finished my shower (felt like in a Chinese vampire movie).

Some highlights of my trip:

1. The Statue of Liberty - long queue, crowded ferry, sunburnt but how can one misses her when visiting the Big Apple.

2. Watched two Broadway shows - Mama Mia and Stomp - expensive tickets but satisfied!

3. Time Square - almost been there everyday, what a typical tourist.

4. West /East Villages - nice place to shop and eat.

5. Park Av - watching people carrying branded paper bags walking on the street. Surprisingly most of them are some middle-aged Chinese women.

6. Soho - Just few blocks away from the chaotic Chinatown, but it's a totally different world.

7. Chinatown - Very Chinse, and it was no different with our Petaling Street / Mongkok.

8. UN Building - A tour inside the building is actually a lot better and interetsing than I initially thought, especially when the tour guide is a beautiful Chinese girl.

9. Bronx - spent a night at my ex-Couchsurfer's apartment. First time being a guest and Im glad that the experience is wonderful! Thanks Lee!

10. Central Park - spent three hours wandering around the park, and being warned a few times not to go into the park after dark, or else I will be the character of The Brave One.

11. Organic food market at Union Square Park - surprisingly that it was fun!

12. Top of the Rock - favourite spot for the night view of Manhattan, at least you can see the Empire State Building from here, which is the only significant skyscrapper that can represent NY.

13. Ground Zero - the WTC site. I think the locals must have thought we tourists are crazy - taking photos at nothing: no statue, no memorial park, no monument, no flowers but just some ongoing construction work and machineries....

14. Empire State Building - I've wasted my time visitng the building - always better to look from far.

A lot of walkings and subways, but still I've missed some interesting places like the American Museum of Natural History and Brooklyn Bridge (the locals will say: it's just another bloody bridge, what 's the big deal?) Some websites have mentioned that Manhattan is a lot safer than other big cities in US, at least safer than Orlando. Somehow I felt that might be true, at least I felt comfortable walking back to my hostel from Midtown.....

Also being told that never leave New York without trying the local bagel, pizza and chese cake.....well, I have spent a lot on food, and Im glad the choices are so much variety than in Orlando. I've been visiting Malaysian restaurants here almost every lunch, and have found the Overseas mooncake - with USD24 for 4nos, but still worth the price, at least it has cured my homesick temporarily, and also have met many fellow Malaysian here.

In fact I really like the city and somehow I felt that it would be better if I can live in this city rather than being just a tourist, but before that I have to make sure that I have enough money to pay for the sky-high rent....

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