The City That Never Sleeps II.

With millions of people bustling through the streets, it’s truly a different world here, as the Hungarian masterpiece by Tátrai Band/Charlie also echoes in its lyrics. The Time Square, almost as populous as Hungary itself, is one of the most popular tourist spots in the city, where the hustle and bustle never cease – just like the rest of the city. Times Square is located in Manhattan, one of the boroughs of New York City. It’s one of the most well-known American neighborhoods, with a daily footfall of over 330,000 visitors. Many of Manhattan’s famous buildings can be found here. The square is cordoned off in front of the city hall, and one cannot get too close. However, there’s a smaller park in front of it with numerous benches, trees, and a fountain. Many people find solace amidst the chaos of the city there. I’ve heard a lot about Times Square, especially about the New Year’s Eve celebration held there and the plethora of advertisements flashing on the modern buildings day and night. It was awe-inspiring, and I could hardly believe I was there.

One of the most iconic sights during our stroll through Manhattan was undoubtedly the Empire State Building, soaring 102 stories high and standing at 1,250 feet tall. Its name derives from the nickname of the state of New York and it stands as one of the city’s symbols, having been the tallest building in the USA for 42 years.

But the best views are undoubtedly from up high, so we headed to the top of the Rockefeller Center, where we took in 360-degree views of New York City. Top of the Rock’s three levels of indoor and outdoor observation decks deliver spectacular, unobstructed views of the city skyline.

Another poignant experience was seeing the Strawberry Fields, the John Lennon memorial, which is a 5-acre section near the Central Park West 72nd Street entrance in New York City. There’s a mosaic there where many come to remember Lennon. The area’s name is a reference to the 1967 song Lennon wrote and performed with the Beatles, titled “Strawberry Fields Forever.”

And I don’t need to mention their other song, “Imagine“.

Planned: Judit Szőllősi

Photos by Franklin Ames (you can find more of his pictures HERE).

We also took a ferry ride to Roosevelt Island and back, and visited the Vessel, a beehive-like 16-story structure. The interconnected, spiral staircase-like structure is capable of accommodating approximately 1,000 people and offers views of the Hudson River from its top. Unfortunately, following a series of suicides committed at the structure in January 2021, the Vessel was closed indefinitely.

Overall, I found that the American people are very helpful and approachable. You can confidently buy food from street vendors; it’s not expensive and it’s delicious. Food is often sold from vehicles resembling trailers at every turn.

Anyone wishing to thoroughly explore New York will need very comfortable shoes, good stamina, and patience because there are crowds everywhere. The average distance we walked daily was at least 15 km, but there were days when we walked 20 km excluding subway rides because the distances are immense. Many times, my feet felt like lead, but the many experiences and sights made it worth it. My trip to New York will remain an eternal memory for me.

For those who want to reminisce, here’s Lisa Minelli’s rendition of the song “New York, New York“.

Check out the 100 best New York songs here:

https://www.timeout.com/music/best-songs-about-new-york

Sources:

https://www.rockefellercenter.com/attractions/top-of-the-rock-observation-deck/

https://hu.eferrit.com/a-new-york-i-tozsde-epiteszete-a-new-york-i-nyse-epuelet/