New York Trip: The City That Never Sleeps

New York is a city that everyone knows to some extent, the setting of popular movies and series, so we think we know what to expect.

Yet, when we arrive, we realize that this is unimaginable. It affects all our senses at once, so when we first stand in the hustle and bustle of Times Square, we just shake our heads.

For me, the first positive culture shock was that everyone can be themselves here, there is room for everyone, the Muslim vendor who, when it's time for prayer, leaves his stall and calmly spreads out the prayer rug even in the largest crowd, the proselytizer stands peacefully five meters away with his biblical quotes, the Naked Cowboy performs behind him, and a little further away a guy in a King Kong mask is clowning around. No one is surprised by any of this. Even completely naked girls "dressed" only in body paint walked past us, and they didn't make a big impression either.

Of course, Times Square is a place that native New Yorkers try to avoid because of the crowds of tourists. Still, when I got out of the airport taxi and mingled with the multicultural crowd, I felt like this was the real New York, because I was expecting this colorful, noisy, chaotic city, that's why I traveled here. I imagined what it would be like, but it surpassed all my assumptions.

You can love or hate New York, but no one can remain indifferent, and most importantly, you should not miss it, because it offers an experience that is truly lifelong and unforgettable.

So, you have to see New York and spend enough time there, if not to get to know it, then at least to gain experience and form an idea of it.

Some parts of Manhattan are very different

There is the aforementioned bustling crowd in Midtown, the quiet calm and orderliness of the Upper East Side, the bustling atmosphere of the Wall Street area, the Mediterranean charm and fantastic restaurants of Little Italy, the vibrant nightlife of SoHo, the cultural scene of Chinatown, and the parks, like bird-song, blooming oases, interrupt and make the crowded city livable.

It's nice to see locals heading to the parks as soon as the first rays of sunshine appear. They sit out for a picnic in Central Park or run along the Hudson River, the sports fields fill up, and people enjoy nature.

My trips are always preceded by several weeks of research, because I like to research in advance and create my own map, on which I list all the sights, attractions, restaurants, cafes, and shops that are important to me.

Practical advice for a New York trip

It is worth arriving in the United States via Dublin, because in this case the pre-clearance option is very helpful: you don't have to queue for hours upon arrival at the American airport, but you enter the country in Dublin, and the flight is then considered domestic. This is a great convenience at the otherwise very busy JFK.

My accommodation was centrally located near Times Square, making it a good starting point for exploring different parts of the city, which is essential for a trip to New York.

Transportation in New York

The numbered street system is so logical that it is very easy to find your way around and get around. You just have to be careful with the metro, because if you accidentally get off at the wrong station, you cannot get to the opposite stop underground, but have to go above ground and buy a new ticket. You can pay with a bank card on public transport.

Hop on hop off can also be a good solution, the bus runs frequently on the downtown section, but only every hour on the uptown section towards Central Park, so it's definitely worth taking this into account.

You can also see the Statue of Liberty for free by ferry, but be aware that this boat does not stop, it just passes in front of the island. There are also other paid boat services, which are not expensive (usually $20-25 per trip), and have much fewer passengers.

It is important to know that tipping is expected in every restaurant and café, so much so that even when paying by card, there are three different options that you can choose from, usually 20, 22 and 25 percent of the total. This can be a significant amount for a dinner in a better restaurant. You may feel uncomfortable if you do not tip, which was strange to me, because in Barcelona, where I live, this is not customary at all.

Anyway, if we want good quality food, it's quite expensive in New York, which is why many people choose street food: there are carts on every corner offering hamburgers, gyros, hotdogs, curry, pizza and many other similar things.