My husband and I spent Sunday in New York City to celebrate my birthday. After a train ride into Manhattan, we walked to the theater district, ate a nice lunch, then saw a show on Broadway.
It's been over 20 years since we've gone to the city, and after the suburbs of Philadelphia where we've lived for the past 20 years, New York was a bit of a culture shock. I'm sure we were immediately identifiable as tourists just because I couldn't stop looking around--and up--at everything.
Face it--in New York, there's always something to see. The stores, the buildings, the shop windows, the signs everywhere all compete for your attention. And then there's the people-watching, which was beyond compare. I've never heard so many languages spoken in such a small space before--or seen as many iPhones! There were tourists, shoppers, theater-goers, people on every corner harassing us to attend some Comedy Central event, and, on a single corner, the most unique combination of eccentric people I've ever seen. One guy stood in the middle of an intersection wearing a huge feathered Native American headdress and beating on a large drum. Besides the feathers, he wore only underwear. Not far from him was a sidewalk prophet, shouting about the end of the world and wearing a sign with quotes from Biblical prophets over his long-sleeved shirt and suit pants.
And everyone just walked on by, as if all this was just the normal thing you find in the middle of Manhattan on a Sunday afternoon.
We're going to have to go back, because we never did find the burger-and-shake shop my friend told us about, and I didn't get the chance to browse the offerings of all the street vendors. Plus, I'd really have loved to visit a bakery and a pizzeria. I guess I'll start a list for my next venture into the city. But we had a great time, and I hope we don't wait another 20 years to return.
Going to the City That Never Sleeps on your vacation? Orbitz is offering $75 off a 4-night hotel stay & flight package, so you'll have time to see and do everything you want to in the city! (And this deal is not limited to New York--pick the city of your choice and have a blast.) This offer expires December 31, 2012. Use coupon code TRAVEL75VACATION.
So much to look at--it would take me at least 4 days to see it all...