New york. When I say that word, my mind flashes with the images of picturesque city full of huge skyscrapers, buzzing streets, trendy shops and talented street dancers! Visiting this city was one of the best opportunities I have ever had. And it can’t get better when you get to visit the city with one of your long lost best friends!
I had a performance at New Jersey’s biggest auditorium. “Hi Prachi! You sang amazing today.” said a voice from behind the green room when the concert was over. “Oh My God! Aanchal…look at you…you look so different. What a pleasant surprise!” said I as we both hugged. “Oh yeah…it has been quite long.” She said with a perfect American accent. We chit chatted for an hour and I expressed my wish to visit Newyork the next weekend if she was available. “I would love to show you around the city.” she said and I was more than happy.
The next weekend, we decided to travel from New Jersey to Newyork. “So you wanna go by bus or by a ferry?”asked Aanchal. “Water way would be the best way and I will also get to sail through the waters of river Hudson!” I said with enthusiasm. “Okay then. Here we go.” said she as she booked the tickets from her smartphone while we were on our way.
A Rivery Ride
It was a wonderful experience traveling in the ferry. The seats were very comfortable and with the backdrop of Newyork city’s skyline, the scenic view of the river was inexpressible! Cool winds were passing through my hair as I was chit-chatting with my friend and catching up on all these years. As it was the month of April that welcomes spring, I could see the shores of the river surrounded by the blooming flowerbeds that majorly included fresh yellow forsythia and the pink-white magnolia. The sea-gulls were flying above us looking for fresh water fish. “Ahh, what a feeling!” I said by taking in fresh air in my lungs.
Source: tour-smart.co.uk
New York: A City Nestled In Endlessness
In around 20 minutes, we finally reached Newyork! The energy of the city was giving me an adrenaline rush. At cities like these, it is not advisable to hire a cab as it can consume hours of your time. Instead, you can walk your way down to whichever place you are willing to. As it was morning time and we had the whole day to ourselves, we decided to grab a cup of cappuccino at Starbucks. I breathed in the tantalizing aroma of coffee beans as I entered the store. After buying ourselves a take away coffee and a burger from the vendor on the streets, we started walking towards other places. On my way, I came across an artist who was drew picture-perfect portraits at 5$ a piece. Though Aanchal wasn’t excited about the whole idea of getting ourselves drawn, I insisted and she gave in.
Madame Tussauds Museum: Life-like Celebs!
Until the day I saw this one, I was always under the impression that only London had one. We bought the tickets to Madame Tussauds Museum and it was the time to click pictures and more pictures! I was amazed by the quality of the wax statues displayed there. Right from the life-sized sculptures of Hollywood celebrities to some bollywood celebs from my country India, every statue displayed the exact and finest details carved from real life. I clicked some selfies with Aanchal and she too obliged me by clicking pictures with the Hollywood heart throbs Robert Pattinson and Leonardo di Caprio. The best moment was when I sat inside the dummy office of the US President Obama. Mahatma Gandhi’s statue of course, made me proud of my country. The visit at the museum ended with the 4D movie watching experience of the film ‘Happy Feet’.
Source: Prachi Raval
Times Square: The Crossroads Of The World!
Times Square as we all know is the world’s busiest place. Though the crossroads were overcrowded, I loved the ambiance around the place. “This is where the annual ball drop happens on New year’s eve.” said Aanchal as she showed me the exact place. “Wow! It would be so much fun if I get to be at this place during that time.” And needless to say, we couldn’t find a better place to click our pictures. We had our lunch at one of the finest restaurants located on the times square. The restaurant had a diverse menu of mouth-watering varieties and we indulged in the meals happily!
Source: Prachi Raval
Rockefeller Center and Ice-skating
Formerly known as The Sunken Plaza, it had various shops and restaurants. But in the year 1936, the authorities at Rockefeller Center thought of building a temporary rink for ice-skating. It became a permanent fixture. Ice-skating was the last activity I had imagined indulging into! But for those who are unaware, it is the best feature around the place. Moreover you get to see a golden statue of Prometheus. I had a lot of fun with Aanchal here I must say.
Source: Prachi Raval
Shopping in Abundance
We indulged in a lot of shopping at lower Manhattan streets and emptied our pockets. The branded stuff was quite expensive. But if you like to buy from street shops, you can get a lot of things. How could I forget buying for my family back in India? From purses to jewellery and clothes, our day ended with carrying heavy bags home.
“Pheeeeew! What a trip!” said I as we entered the bus to head back towards Jersey City. “Thanks a lot Aanchal. It’s coz of you that my dream of walking on the streets of Newyork came true. My feet are paining as I have never walked this much. But it was totally worth it!” “It was a sheer pleasure darling!” she said with a smile.