New York City Travel Guide - Sleepless in New York

Explore the Big Apple’s landmarks

It’s nearly 7:00 in the morning, three hours before my eyes feel it should be. The captain announces our decent into JFK Airport. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to New York, commonly referred to as the city that never sleeps.” Insomnious, I arrive with a common bond.

For me, this eleven-hour stopover has become a city odyssey at warp speed. My attempt to see the sights in one day alone conforms to the hustle and bustle New York City typifies. For a brief time I will contribute to the statistics. On any given day some 3.4 million people occupy the ten square miles between 61stStreet and the Battery, while the city’s sidewalks attract 10,000 pedestrians per hour. That translates into a lot of traffic and little elbow room. To ease the anxiety of getting around town I opt to explore the city’s landmarks and attractions aboard Gray Line’s double-decker bus tour. The hop-on, hop-off option allows me to get off wherever I like.

When poet T.S. Eliot wrote, The Waste Land , he might have missed the mark in saying April is the cruelest month. In early May, my day in NYC was dampened by angry rains and bitter winds, elements not to be challenged from the top of a double-decker roofless bus. Fortunately, a deluxe motor coach was the substitute, a little more restrictive, albeit dry.

Laden with a thick Chilean accent, our tour guide Abraham is as native a New Yorker as any I met. His immigration papers act as an informant of his citizenship, otherwise who could tell? Perhaps the prerequisites aren’t necessarily restricted to birth rights, as much as projecting a totally biased undying love that speaks volumes - ”Why would anyone live anywhere else?” he asks.

My first stop is the observation landmark that makes its sharp point a quarter of a mile into the atmosphere. The 1,454-foot Empire State Building, although not New York’s highest skyscraper, certainly resides in nose-bleed contention. It is 102 floors to the top to enter the enclosed viewing observatory, which, I’m told, offers a spectacular view. A thick white coat blankets the city, leaving me and my imagination in a fog.

Midtown Manhattan is the city’s main business, commercial and shopping district. Abraham draws our attention to the original Macy’s, now the 99 Cent City Store. The store’s facade has undergone new paint and construction which conceals the original sign. “I believe the city lost a piece of its history by defacing the 1902 origin of Macys. It’s kind of sad, I think that they obliterated a bit of the past,” says Abraham.

Greenwich Village is one of the oldest neighborhoods in town, renowned for its bohemian and liberal affiliations. The absence of austere street and avenue patterns tests our driver’s ability to maneuver the cumbersome coach. With its rigid, tank-like properties, we pinball around curves and corners that meander endlessly, uncovering the very nooks and crannies that make up this eccentric community.

Its residents are as diverse as its pubs, clubs, and cafes. The boisterous Dylan Thomas, “who didn’t go so gently into the night,” remarks Abraham, once lived in the village - as did Edgar Allen Poe, and Madonna, prior to her celebrity status.

South of Houston Street lies the vibrant and intoxicating district of Soho. This area is a haven for 19thcentury cast-iron architecture, and a sanctuary for artist-inspired dwellers. It’s a hotbed of hip urban creativity, reflected in its assorted cuisine, galleries, and shops. The rain keeps crowds to a minimum today, but as New York writer David Yeadon observed, “On warm spring weekends, over 100,00 visitors are said to flock here in a shop-and-feast frenzy.”

In Little Italy, a stroll down Mulberry Street may conjure up images of The Godfather, where Francis Ford Coppola filmed those famous mob scenes. Brimming with Milan and Florence influences, the atmosphere permeates aromas of espresso and freshly baked calzone. As you stroll, you’ll discover eateries that feature the food of every Italian region. Abraham points out the restaurant where Harry met Sally for lunch , “You know, where the customer wants what SHE’S having.” An opera of various Italian dialects as assorted and as colorful as their pastas fill the air in a boisterous yet whimsical tone.

With 12,000 cabs in Manhattan alone, transportation in the city may be abundant, but it’s not cheap. On any given grid-lock day, New York cabbies can only get so far, so fast. For the cheapest thrill in transportation, take a cruise on The Staten Island Ferry. For 50 cents return, the cruise will take you to the island while you enjoy fantastic views of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline. “Beginning in June, it won’t cost a cent,” says Abraham. ‘‘Imagine something in New York for free - that is of course, besides the air.”

If you go:
Gray Line Double-Decker Sightseeing Tours Ticket Prices: $15 U.S - $91.50 U.S. May include admissions, dinner, drinks, and/or entertainment. Tour 3/Grand Tour Loop Ticket valid for 2 consecutive days unlimited hop-on, hop-off. Adult: $29 U.S. Child: $19 U.S. The terminal: 42nd St. between 8th & 9th Avenues Tel: (212) 397-2600

New York Convention & Visitors BureauTwo Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019 Tel: (212) 484-1244 Information: 1-800-NYC VISIT, Web Site: www.nycvisit.com

Author: Tracey Rayson