Why I love New York City

“The Big Apple, The City that Never Sleeps, The Capital of the World, The Empire City or New Amsterdam” A city with many nicknames, but with one universally known one: New York City. Many music artists, such as Frank Sinatra and Alicia Keys, have dedicated world famous songs to this amazing city and after I visited it for the first time, I know why people talk about this city so much. Find out why I love New York, where I think you should go and some hidden gems I found in this week’s blog!

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NYC counts approximately 8,5 million inhabitants on this day, according to the World Population Review. The city is divided in five separate boroughs called: Staten Island, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. Another fun fact: More than 800 languages are spoken in New York, making it the most diverse linguistic city in the world. Fun fact for the Dutchies: New York was a Dutch colony for over 50 years! (1614-1667) 

Enough fun facts of this city. It is time to share a few points why I love the city:
 

• Magnitude

There is no way around the amazing skyline of New York. Most buildings might not even be that pretty, but combined all together it’s giving you the feeling that you are in a huge metropolis. The high buildings give you an incredible feeling of magnitude when strolling through the city. Walking down into lower Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge was my favourite walk. Why? Well, firstly because you can finally put all those movies scenes into perspective. You walk on the bridge that is used many times in many different series and movies to shoot amazing (action) scenes. Secondly, because you walk into the city and you see the buildings getting bigger and taller as you walk over the bridge. The pictures speak probably louder than words.

Find some more pictures here.

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• The views

Having the choice between going up to the Empire State Building or Rockerfeller Building my girlfriend convinced me to go up the Rockerfeller building, since we would have a view over the Empire. And that choice couldn’t have been better, since the views were magnificent. A little tip: book your tickets prior and select the time of the Golden Hours (sunset hours) for the best pictures and views. This was another absolute highlight of the vacation.

 

• The Atmosphere

I didn’t find New York touristy at all. Obviously, there were some tourist, but not as many as I would expect. I found Barcelona way more touristy, to make a comparison. In NYC, I had the feeling that everyone was busy with doing their own thing. I had the feeling that I was part of this city, for the 7 days I was there. It wasn’t too crowded and it didn’t feel like really busy to me. It felt like nice and hectic, like a huge city should be according to me.
 
These are some of the points that made me fall in love with this city. I just love a city where you can walk into almost every street and find something that looks cool, traditional, cosy or trendy, such as an inspirational coffee place or a hidden restaurant. And NYC has that factor. I loved walking around Soho and Greenwich Village, since those neighbourhoods made me forget that I was in a huge city. It gave me the feeling of a village.
 
Moreover, you can talk for hours and hours about this city and everything it has to offer. The 7 days I was there made me fall in love with the city, and making a return visit definite. Before I let you go I want to share a hidden gem we found (not sure if they are hidden but at least that’s how my girlfriend and I found it). It’s a delicious Indian, located next to ground zero, called Ruchi. After visiting the 9/11 memorial, we went there for lunch. One of the best Indian I had in times, I can guarantee you. We nearly past the place since it looked like a dodgy, old pub or something. Couldn’t be happier that we eventually went in, because it was pact with locals, the food was delicious and the price was really good! If you like Indian; a definite must visit!

I could cautiously say that I could live in New York in the future. However, 7 days might be a little short to truly know this city. What’s your opinion about New York? Have you been there? What did you think? Or have you even lived there? Please share your experiences below and start the conversation!