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Published: September 28th 2006
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Times Square
The famous Times Square at night So I have changed country since the last time I wrote.
It was actually a bit sad leaving Canada, I really liked the country! Very beautiful, the people were friendly, and there were still so many things left to see. And I had just got used to the Quebecois accent...
Anyway, I can always go back some other time.
The flight from Montreal to NYC was fairly uneventful.
What is interesting when travelling between Canada and the US is that US immigration and customs take place at the departure airport, so I technically entered the US before my flight took off from Montreal.
That meant I had to arrive at the airport quite early to have enough time for both Canadian exit formalities and US immigration and customs (plus usual check-in, boarding etc), but on the other hand the arrival at La Guardia airport in New York was completely painless, just to pick up the checked luggage and leave the airport.
The young check-in woman in Montreal was really impressed by my round the world airline ticket though and told me she was actually envious of what I was doing 😉
The language was not a problem at all,
Times Square
42nd Street, close to Times Square and Broadway. This is just a very short walk from where I live. and without even thinking about it she gave me the US immigration form in French. That was a bit strange....
Once onboard I was in business class again, nice wide seats but otherwise nothing remarkable. They served fruit salad or "Greek salad with chicken", basically the same options as the previous Air Canada flight.
It also turned out I was the only passenger in business class asking for red wine, and since they open a full bottle each time in business class the nice Asian fligh attendants did several attempts to make me drink as much as possible since she would have to throw the rest away anyway.
Well I did my best (mostly because she asked so nicely :p), but of course I couldn't manage all of it...
New York is a pretty crazy city with way too much traffic, people, 24hr restaurants and shops, and quite a few weirdos on the street and in the underground (subway)...
But it's a nice city to visit and there is quite a bit to see, so well worth going here!
I'm staying in a very nice hostel just five minutes walk from Times Square and Broadway and three minutes
New York from the air
Manhattan seen just seconds before touchdown at La Guardia airport. walk from the airport bus stop at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
It's a very small place, just room for 20 people or so. But the place is so cool, like a small appartment with a kitchenette and a livingroom with TV and free Internet. The standard is the best possible, it can't be more than five years old.
It's run by two very friendly young Japanese guys who really make you feel welcome and after just one day I already feel at home here.
I am very happy with the accommodation, especially in a city like New York where accommodation is really tricky, either the place is dodgy or a bit too expensive.
I can warmly recommend the place to anybody looking for a nice but inexpensive place to stay in New York with a good location.
I started the day at Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center that tragically disappeared on 9/11 2001.
It was quite emotional visiting it. Well nowadays it doesn't look like anything more than an average construction site, but when I approached the site from Chambers Street station (from the north) I could instantly see there was something wrong, Manhattan
Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue with probably one of the largest selection of luxury shops I have ever seen in one single place. is usually so crowded and the buildings are very dense, and there all of a sudden was just a large open area without a single building or tree, it just didn't make sense that somebody would leave such a huge area in the attractive Lower Manhattan with absolutely nothing on it...
Lots of people were visiting the site, and it was pretty quiet there actually, people were obviously moved by the visit (as was I). They also had a very nice outdoor exhibition which opened for the 5 year anniversary just two weeks ago with photos before, on, and after 9/11 on the World trade center.
They had signs all over the place asking people not to buy any souvenirs/books related to the WTC and 9/11, mostly because they want to preserve the peacefulness of the site and not to let the tragegy become a commercial thing, but there were still a few people there trying to sell books and postcards. Naturally I didn't buy anything!
I have another two days before it's time to leave New York. There is so much to see so I'd better use my time wisely, I won't be able to cover everything anyway.
NYSE
The world's financial centre. The New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street. Probably Empire State Building tomorrow, and perhaps a musical as well, they offer same day discounted tickets (just like in London) and Broadway is just minutes away anyway.
We'll see how well I can manage my time...
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