Frank Sinatra's voice is all I could hear since I got to the airport. During my first visit in NY I recognised so many elements from the movies! The yellow cabs, some buildings and the home design.
New York is a contrasting city: Wallstreet and decens of homeless, central park in the middle of skyscrapers, contrasting cultures consuming each other's goods, the most well known historic museums and the most luxurious brands, most modern buildings and oldest metro stations.
1. Skyscrappers and Nature.
In the middle of the neck-breaking tall buildngs is Central Park, huge green space with large rocks. Large old red and yellow trees next to the water with wise gray-haired man staring at emptiness. The roads were full of runners, horses, bikes and the greenfields full of families and couples. There is an interesting feeling at this place where one feels like being in the middle of nature while listening to ambulances and patrols.
2. Shopping and Art. NY felt a lot like a huge shopping mall. The main attractions like the Times Square and the popular 5th Avenue have nothing but shops and commercials of mostly luxury brands. On the streets you find Disney characters walking around and all sorts of street performers.
I liked the SOHO neighborughood because it looked a bit more raw and the shops were mostly design shops and art galleries. There are a ton of museums and artists on the street. Like this free poetry writer. (Insert like to "strangers" collection)
3. Symbols. The statue of liberty is not as big as one would expect. In the movies they probably film with a helicopter. After a second of looking at it I was done and it was more interesting to photograph other people looking at it.
4. Human diversity. I thought Amsterdam had human diversity but alredy at the airport I saw more etnicities and languages per m2 than anywhere else I have been before. I entered a church and there was mariachi and songs in Spanish "Feliz Navidad". The latinamerican community is huge in here and nearly everything is spoken and writen in two languages.
5. Street food. Nearly every street has a hot dog car with loud music and disco lights. I liked the message on this one thou.
:) Bye!
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