New York is one of those places that most people have on their "must see" list. It was on mine. So its fair to say I was craning my neck to catch my first glimpse across the isle as we flew in over Brooklyn. And even that somewhat obscured view is still pretty impressive. But its a hard place to describe. Yep, its big - bigger than I had pictured. By that I mean, the magnitude of Manhattan Island and the tightly packed skyscrapers was beyond what I had expected, particularly given I have travelled extensively and to other mega-cities. So I thought I knew what to expect. But no. It is quite overwhelming in that regard but not negatively, just awe inspiring. I actually really enjoyed the spider's web of streets and wandering up and down the avenues finding something different around every corner. Each district and borough is completely different with its own personality. My favourites were Chelsea, Greenwich Village, Soho, and Brooklyn. The Upper East Side was interesting but didn't light my fire. I can't say that trailing around looking for the door step of some famous person or billionaire really is my thing and that is about all there is to the Upper East. The southern end of Manhattan and across the water to Brooklyn really drew me in and felt like individual little villages that I could live in. Quirky shops and tiny restaurants and cafes, heaps of art spaces, more parks and green spaces than I had expected and of course, people from all over the world. I thoroughly enjoyed the diversity. The Bronx and Harlem were also well worth the visit. I found those locals I had the opportunity to encounter welcoming and equally awed by their city.
So my pick list: walking the High Line and Brooklyn Bridge, meandering through Central Park on Sunday morning when the locals are all out enjoying the park, a great little wine bar in the Village or Chelsea, lunch in the sun in Brooklyn, catching a show on Broadway or off Broadway, and of course, finding some great live music in a little corner bar somewhere.
Next trip will definitely require better walking shoes and hours upon hours set aside for the museums and galleries! Oh and shopping of course.
