Not to be a pessimist, all trips are fantastic and teach you something about a place, yourself and the people that accompany you. But my recent trip to New York had some ups and downs I want to share with you.
Likes
The buildings
Above is a view of New York City from the Empire State building, compared to that of Mexico City from the Latino tower. You can tell there are more skyscrapers in New York; according to Wikipedia, New York City has 248 tall buildings, while Mexico City has 142. The view from the Empire State was incredible.
Statue of Liberty
It wasn’t as tall as I thought it would be, but one of the highlights of the trip. The view from the crown is spectacular and worth the 15-minute boat trip from Battery Park to the statue.
Central Park
On the last day of my trip, my girlfriend and I decided to walk on Central Park from the half down. Central Park feels enormous, over 3 kilometers, although it’s not as big as the Chapultepec forest, with an extension of 6 kilometers.
People
As we walked on the street, an old lady asked us if we got lost. (We were just wondering if cabs accepted debit card payments.) And security guards at JFK were pleasant enough. (They could be more arrogant.)
Street performers
There are no words to describe the act of a few street performers we saw near the Brooklyn Bridge, so here’s a GIF:
Don’ts
Expensive
Yes, New York is expensive as hell. We spent almost $10 on two tall Caramel Macchiatos from Starbucks and $8 on a taxi from uptown to downtown Central Park. And the fact that you don’t see the final price of a product is annoying – everything is pre-tax.
Distances
I walk a lot in Mexico City. But as a tourist who doesn’t know where things are, New York City drained me. I advise you take short breaks to pull yourself together and eat or drink something. It will make your trip more enjoyable.