What better way to start off than by showing you around my favorite city in the world!
My absolute favorite place to go is New York City! The hustle and bustle of this vibrant city and the people who live there makes this an absolute must destination to visit.
The first New Yorkers were the Native Lenape, an Algonquin people who fished and hunted in the area up until about the 16th Century when the first European settlers arrived. The Dutch first settled in 1624 and after starting out on the tiny island known now as " Governors Island", eventually bought the Island of Manhattan for about 60 guilders (or florins) in trade goods. Initially starting with a population of about 300 people, it quickly grew to nearly 20,000 by 1760, and by 1810 had grown to over 200,000 making it now the second largest city in the Western Hemisphere. Today it has more than 8 million people living in its 5 boroughs (districts), with approximately 1.6 million living on the island of Manhattan alone (with an additional 3 million commuting in each day for work).
The city of Manhattan is created on a grid pattern so its such an easy city to navigate (you're on 1st Street and you need to get to 10th Street? Simple, that's just 9 more streets down - So easy!). The streets of Manhattan surround a massive park called Central Park. Approximately 69 miles of paths and roads lead you all through the beautiful park which feels like a magical escape from the busy streets surrounding it.
This city is vibrant and alive and if you're walking around Times Square at 1am you will be forgiven for not realizing it's so late because the streets are just as alive with people as they were at 7pm (heaven for us night owls). With the glow of neon signs seen for miles Times Square is truly a beacon in the city.
The city is also a cultural mecca. Its home to some of the most amazing museums in the world such as the Guggenheim, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art just to name a few, as well as being the home of Broadway Theatre. Some of the most spectacular shows in the world are put on here, and is an absolute cant miss. Anything that you will see will be worth it. Plus, little tip, if you don't care what you see then get a last minute ticket from the box offices. Its alot cheaper and sometimes you even score really well on the seats! I turned up to Wicked 10mins before starting and ended up in the 3rd row next to Sarah Jessica Parker.
New York is also home to one of the most iconic statues of our time. The Statue of Liberty. Designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and built by Gustave Eiffel, this statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886 as a gift from the people of France. The head was actually unveiled at the 1978 Paris World Fair with the rest to also be constructed in France and shipped piece by piece for reconstruction later at its future home in the USA. It is the welcoming feature in the bay coming into New York city, welcoming new immigrants to the land of the free, the United States of America. If your lucky, and you book months ahead of time, you can even climb up into the head of the statue, for the most amazing views and an awe inspiring experience.
New York has so many things to see and do its so hard to even begin to describe all it has to offer. Its a city of many tastes and there is something here for everyone. From the amazing restaurants, to the shopping to the culture, its a city you simply wont want to leave. So make sure you spend some time here and put on your walking shoes, because once your get a taste, you wont be able to stop.
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