5 days in New York

On the first day you get scared, on the 2nd day you get used to it, on the 3rd day you like it. These are the states of mind that a European goes through when he first steps in NYC. For the first few hours on the streets of New York, it all seemed like a mess. But over time, the chaos took a nicer shape, and I began to get used to people, their habits, their food, their lifestyle, and the new time zone.

An entire world in one city. Arriving in New York, you have the impression that you are going around the world in a few hours. American luxury welcomes you on 5th Avenue, Times Square, Broadway or Wall Street. You can taste the Chinese flavors of Chinatown, in The Bronx you experience African culture. South America is present everywhere. Indian restaurants are not missing either, and from time to time you can meet a European, or a tourist, just like you.

People are very kind. Or maybe even too kind. I met many locals who offered to help me with advice without asking for help. And the employees in the public services are 2-3 classes higher than those in our country. Maybe that’s because most of them are black. Former slaves. They have managed to rise on the social ladder and now they are doing their best to do their job as well as possible. Maybe because they haven’t forgotten where they came from. Americans are much more social than we are. If you sit on a bench in the park for 30 minutes, it’s impossible for someone not to come and talk to you. The chats are casual and superficial, but I don’t mind.

The food is horrible. Or at least that’s what I tried. Their kitchen is mostly made up of untasteful European copy-paste. I ate all kinds of things, from pasta, pizza, burgers, chicken, salads … My stomach hurt all the time and I spent hours in the toilet.

At night, New York is a different city. Almost every night, as the blue hour approached, I would go to Times Square and stare at the dozens of light commercials. Times Square is like a futuristic play. You sit in a chair and watch. People, commercials, street vendors, street painters. It’s all part of the show.

Tips & Tricks. You can find almost all the cool things in NYC if you stock to Manhattan. I recommend you don’t leave Manhattan. A 7-day metro + bus pass is $25. The subway looks awful, but it’s the fastest means of transportation in NYC. If you want to see many attractions, I recommend New York Pass. It costs $14 for 3 days and you have free admission to over 55 museums, cruises, other sights and discounts at shops and restaurants. Don’t miss The Met, American Museum of Natural History, Museum of Modern Art. Also among the must-sees are Empire State Building, Top of The Rock, Statue of Liberty and a 45-minute speedboat ride with The Beast.

Did you know that… Manhattan Island was bought by the Dutch for $24? Before, New York was called New Amsterdam? NYC’s population exceed 8 million?the New York subway run 24 hours a day?New York have over 150 museums? New York also called “The city that never sleeps” or “The big Apple”?