We took the train from Union Station in Washington, D.C., crossing Philadelphia and finally reaching our next destination; the Big Apple. We had amazing weather at D.C. but the climate during our New York visit took an extremely cold turn. The train journey was around 3 hours long and it was a ride in constant waterworks. To make matters worse, as soon as we stepped out of Pennsylvania Station, we felt a gush of wind pushing us; luggage and all. The weather was to be extremely windy with rainy intervals throughout our stay here. Nonetheless, we were in one of the most talked about cities in the world so we double-coated ourselves and headed out to explore this concrete jungle where dreams are made of!
Our first reaction was, "My God, the buildings are tall!" Almost unnecessarily tall! But then again, that's the whole appeal of the place, it really is like no other. Our first stop was Times Square which felt like a much bigger version of Leicester Square. Enormous digital screens and billboards were advertising and sharing almost everything, including a birthday message for a Korean pop artist. The classic yellow cabs ran busy through every street and steam rose from underneath the pavements, just like how they're portrayed in American movies. I looked up into this and it turns out that New York has a steam heating system which carries station-generated steam under Manhattan's streets to heat buildings. And Joey from the famous sitcom, Friends, was right. GAP really is in every corner!
Our hotel was in Hell's Kitchen near Central Park but the weather was so cold and windy that we were actually advised to avoid the park grounds. So, taking shelter from building to building, we lunged our way to Lower Manhattan followed by the World Trade Center. The 9/11 Memorial site touches you quite deeply and reflects a message of unity. However, personally, I did find it a bit awkward to see an enormous shopping mall right next door.
We took a lot of videos around Rockefeller Center which have been posted in our Instagram account. Do check them out if you would like to follow up on where we've been.
We then headed towards Brooklyn, a place where although we didn't spend much time in, I ended up falling in love with.
The bridge is iconic and very impressive in every possible way. My view may be biased as I had never crossed a bridge this huge on foot before. Once you reach mid-way, you can see Manhattan on one side and Brooklyn on the other. Landscape wise, there is clearly a structural division between the two places. However, a stroll down Brooklyn and you will notice less differences, definitely in terms of prices, which we were told was a result of gentrification. Overall, our trip to NYC was great despite the weather. We enjoyed a lot of good food which are featured in our Insta. Prices in New York are very similar to that in London. Food may initially appear cheaper but it's the tipping that'll equate it to London dining. I will now be passing the typing baton over to Damber who will cover our trip in the West Coast; California and Nevada!
Manhattan Bridge
Man in Manhattan; Damber poses in front of Brooklyn Bridge
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by Sarah
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