Countries Visited

    Australia
    Austria
    Bahamas
    Belgium
    Belize
    Bermuda
    Cambodia
    Canada
    Cayman Islands
    Costa Rica
    Czech Republic
    England
    Greece
    Guatemala
    Italy
    Japan
    Laos
    Malaysia
    Mexico
    The Netherlands
    Norway
    Singapore
    Spain
    Thailand
    United States
    The Holy See
    Vietnam

    Travel Goals

    1. Climb to Everest Base Camp.
    2. Climb Mt Kilimanjaro.
    3. Learn to Scuba Dive.
    4. Visit every continent.
    5. See the Galapagos Islands.
    6. Sail down the Amazon River.
    7. Climb Ayer's Rock.
    8. Travel on the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
    9. Go into space.
    10. Throw tomatos at La Tomintina in Spain.
    11. See the sunrise from Mt. Fuji.
    12. Try to figure out the Buddhist messages at Borobudor in Indonesia.
    13. Visit the Pyramids
    14. Safari in East Africa for 3 months.
    15. Go to the World Cup!
    16. See Macchu Picchu.
    17. Join the Century Club. (100 countries visited)
    18. Join the Mile High Club. (Hey why not?)
    19. Do development work in a 3rd world country.
    20. See Petra Jordan.
    21. Backpack the Eastern Block.
    22. Go back to Alaska and see the Northern Lights.
    23. Vegas Baby! Vegas!
    24. Greek Island hop.
    25. Cycle Tuscany.
    26. Visit India.
    27. Lounge forever in the Seychelles.
    28. See Morocco.
    29. Oktoberfest!
    30. Caravan across the Sahara.
    31. Visit Tibet.
    32. Go to the Cannes Film Festival.
    33. Go to the Sundance Film Festival.
    34. Eat a sushi meal at NOBU
    35. Pacific Island hop.
    36. Spend a night in the Ice Hotel in Sweden.
    37. Go to Israel.
    38. Carnival!!!!
    39. and it's slightly less cool cousin, Mardi Gras!
    40. See Glacier National Park before the glaciers melt.
    41. Fly first class on some long international flight!
    No Service Fees! Promo Code: NOFEE

The Saturday City: New York City

June 21, 2008

New York The Big Apple. Gotham. Metropolis. The city that never sleeps. New York goes by many names but as a Shakespeare said, a rose by any other name is a still a rose. New York is New York. Nothing can truly describe it. Home to global finance, art, theater, the mafia, and some of the world’s best food, New York is a cosmopolitan city from the upper west side all the way to the Bronx. Ethnic enclaves provide endless opportunities to explore the world without leaving the city. From little Italy to Chinatown to the Korean district to the Bronx, it seems all the cultures of the world are represented here. Navigating its streets, one can slip in and out of these neighborhoods by simply crossing a street. Like The Eagles said, “In a New York minute, everything can change.”

Settled by the Dutch in 1613 the city was originally called New Amsterdam. In a quirk of history, the natives were duped into selling what is now one of the world’s prime real estate markets for 24 dollars worth of glass beads. The city played an important role in trade with its natural harbor and defenses. However, it was neglected by the Dutch who never saw its full potential and were preoccupied the Far East, slaves, and tea. The English saw how great this place was and, after a series of battles and negations, the British Empire gained control in 1674 and renamed it New York City after the Duke of York.

Trinity ChurchHamilton's Grave

Over the years, as the colonies grew and trade and shipping became more important, New York City grew. With waves of immigration during the 19th and early 20th century, New York grew in size and scale. Now it’s one of the foremost cities in the world. Maybe it was always meant to be the cosmopolitan center it is now. Maybe history had a destiny for this island. Whether it was its geography or its populace or luck, I think if the Dutch new what it was going to become, they might not have given New York up so easily.

With over 8 million people covering 468 square miles, there is a lot to do in New York. I am currently in New York to visit friends. I’ve been to the city many times before- when I was a kid with my family, when I was a college student to visit friends (I wondered about Y2K as the ball dropped in Times Square bringing in the millennium), and with girlfriends. Yet no matter how many times I come, there is always some thing new to do. So in today’s Saturday edition, here’s my list of just some of the things you must do in the Big Apple.

1. Explore its past. New York has been around for about 400 years. There is a lot of history here. Explore historic churches like Trinity Church and ancient graveyards (You can see Alexander Hamilton’s burial site here). Explore the old tenement houses. See historic homes.

2. Eat. Little Italy. Chinatown. The Meatpacking district. Soho. Every place in the city has a million places to eat. From great Hispanic food across the way in the Bronx and Brooklyn to high class restaurants like NOBU in Manhattan. Enjoy great Jewish food at the delis. Nothing beats eating a cornbeef sandwich at the Carnegie Deli. Whatever you do, wherever go you, you’ll find a great place to eat. Expect to gain a few pounds.

3. Take in the theater. Broadway is famous around the world and any trip to the city without taking in a show would be heresy! Shows are sometimes sold out far in advance but there are last minute tickets available at the ticket booth in Times Square. Head there in the morning to find out what’s available for that day. You might even get lucky and find tickets to one of the hot new shows around.

Central ParkLittle Italy

4. Spend a day in central park. Wander through the trail, lie out in the fields, and row around the lake- just relax and watch all the locals and tourists roll by enjoying their day. New York is a crazy city and with its constant flow, it can be a storm that endlessly swells around you. The park is the eye in this storm- a bastion of calm amid the chaos. It provides a great escape and a little dose of nature.

5. See the world, or at least its representatives. With the headquarters of the United Nations located in the New York City, it’s a great opportunity to go and learn about the organization, its role in the world, and member states. Maybe you’ll even see an ambassador or three.

6. Museum Hop. The Met. The Guggenheim. The Natural History Museum. There are more museums in New York than you can fit into a day or even a week. That’s not including all the little galleries that dot around the city either. Plan your attack carefully to maximize your time at the bigger museums.

7. Enjoy the Zoo. The Bronx Zoo is world famous with animals from all over the world.

8. Experience the immigrant journey. Head out into harbor to glimpse at lady liberty and learn about the immigrant experience at Ellis Island. This where they came and were processed as they entered the country. If you look close enough, you might even spot my family’s name on the wall! :)

9. Look down! Head up to the Empire State Building for a bird’s eye view of the Big Apple. It’s a must for all visitors!

Statue of LibertyNew York Skyline
Wall StreetCentral Park

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Posted by NomadicMatt | Filed Under Saturday City 

Comments

9 Responses to “The Saturday City: New York City”

  1. Jewish Travel » Blog Archive » The Saturday City: New York City on June 21st, 2008 10:42 am

    [...] Original post by NomadicMatt [...]

  2. Financial Md » The Saturday City: New York City on June 21st, 2008 11:48 am

    [...] Original post by Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site [...]

  3. The Saturday City: New York City on June 21st, 2008 2:28 pm

    [...] The Saturday City: New York City Explore historic churches like Trinity Church and ancient graveyards (You can see Alexander Hamilton’s burial site here). [...]

  4. Aimee on June 21st, 2008 2:38 pm

    I’d just like to say that I’ve lived in NYC my entire life, and Central Park has never done anything for me. I’d recommend Prospect Park.

  5. Quickroute on June 21st, 2008 6:38 pm

    I lived on 78th and York Ave for 10 years - I miss the place :-(
    For the best cityscape view - walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and look back - spectacular!

  6. Christy on June 21st, 2008 7:48 pm

    I’m actually taking a couple trips up there in the next couple of months!

  7. NP on June 22nd, 2008 12:38 am

    what’s your recommendation for a 2-3 days in nyc? I am planning to take a road trip there. I want to see niagara falls and stop by the big apple.

  8. Theresa on June 23rd, 2008 1:23 pm

    When we first moved to DC, I thought I’d make it up to NYC fairly often since it’s so close and the buses are so cheap. But we all know how life works, and alas I’ve made it up there only a few times. Hopefully we’ll get one more trip in this summer before we leave on our trip, because it really is a fabulous city. I can’t see myself ever living there permanently, but I’ve always thought that one year in NYC would be a great adventure.

  9. NomadicMatt on June 23rd, 2008 2:38 pm

    @Aimee: I’ve never been to prospect park. Where is it? i’ve always had a lover for central park though…I like roaming the trails.

    @np: Those nine things I listed could easily occupy 2-3 days if not more. Sightsee one day, museum hop another, lay in the park or see a show, and eat in between. You’ll find 2-3 days is quite easy to fill in NYC.

    @Theresa: You should make it a stop on your trip!!!

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