NEW YORK, Jan 12 — No one visits New York to relax. That is like going sunbathing in Helsinki during the winter solstice, or saying you want to order bak chor mee without the “bak”.
Indeed, New York has so much to offer and enthrall even the most cynical of travellers that it does not make sense to give up on the opportunity to watch the Metropolitan Opera in action, to enjoy a picnic in Central Park, or to spend the day getting lost in the Strand Book Store, for mere sightseeing.
But that does not mean we cannot have our Magnolia cupcake and eat it, too. Earlier in the autumn, we explored most of Manhattan — sorry, nobody has got time for borough — in a single day, and entirely on foot.
It is a great way to see the city’s most famous landmarks and all of its impatient inhabitants, and certainly one of the cheapest and fastest ways to get all the regular sightseeing out of the way.
Here is how it went down for us:
Battery Park
We wake up a little late, so by the time we get to the southernmost tip of Manhattan, it is almost noon. It is a beautiful day, and even though Battery Park looks nothing like the rest of Manhattan, it does offer some pretty spectacular views of the Statue of Liberty. (For a closer look at Lady Liberty, though, you would have to catch the ferry.) As the breeze gently caresses our hair, we almost find ourselves relaxing on a bench at the harbour, but our strong sense of duty to the day’s mission tears us away.
Charging bull
The Charging Bull, also a symbol of Wall Street, is only a 10-minute walk from Battery Park. The poor bull is expectedly surrounded by tourists inexplicably excited to stand in line for photos with the bronze animal, and we are much too cool for that. We silently judge them and move swiftly along.
9/11 Memorial
At the 9/11 Memorial, we take a moment to remember how the events of 9/11 have changed and defined New York City. There are white roses on some of the names of the victims, indicating it would have been their birthday. The neighbouring One World Observatory apparently offers some of the best aerial views of Manhattan. As we have neither the time nor the US$34 (RM150) required to enter, we make a mental note to come back after striking 4D.
Soho
Walking through City Hall Park and Chinatown, where we stop for a spot of bubble tea and egg cakes from the little cart roughly on the corner of Canal and Mott Streets, we arrive in SoHo and Nolita. The charming independent bookstore, McNally Jackson at Prince and Mulberry, and the Housing Works thrift bookstore at Crosby and Jersey are some of our favourite spots in the city. But it is not a lot of fun jostling with the thousands of shoppers looking for good bargains at brands such as J.Crew, Forever 21 and Bloomingdale’s on Broadway.
Flatiron
Looking south from Flatiron Plaza, we see the Flatiron Building, which has been an icon of the city since it opened in 1902. Look north, and we would spot the Empire State Building peeking at us. It is time for a break at the neighbouring Madison Square Park, which not only houses Shake Shack and its delicious burgers but also a dog park. We are not actually hungry, but since today’s walk was going to burn at least 50,000 calories, we figure we better fuel up.
Chelsea
We wish we could stop at the not-so-humbly-named Los Tacos No. 1, which serves a mean taco, at Chelsea Market. But that last burger and milkshake already hit the spot, and more. Instead, we head up the famous High Line, a public park built on a disused freight rail line, which runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, between 10th and 12th Avenues. It is one of our favourite parts of the city because it offers stunning — and, even better, free — views of the Hudson River.
Times Square
We feel a tinge of regret over our decision to embark on this ridiculously exhausting trip. Our legs are sore, and we have blisters on our feet. The good news is that we are finally at midtown, and hence more than halfway through our journey. The bad news is that it feels as though half of America is at Times Square about the same time we are. True, Times Square may be home to some of the best productions in the world, but it is also filled with tourists taking turns to pose for photos with Cookie Monster and topless models with flags painted over their bosoms, or waiting in line to buy bags of Hershey’s chocolates and M&Ms. We squeeze past them looking very irritated — perhaps finally appearing like true New Yorkers — and head towards Columbus Circle.
Central Park
Central Park is 341ha of gloriousness. Nothing can take away from its gloriousness. Nothing! Well, maybe except those annoying guides who keep offering us rides in their overpriced pedicabs for US$3-5 a minute. Or that loud busker playing his drums on the West side of the park. We stop for a moment to rest our tired feet and watch the world go by. The sun begins to set as we walk along the Jackie Kennedy Reservoir, where New Yorkers often jog, turning the New York skyline pink, purple and orange. What a glorious city this is.
Columbia University
We finally make it up the Upper West Side, to Columbia University’s beautiful Morningside campus. Sitting at the entrance of the Low Memorial Library, we look down at the rest of the campus, watching the students of this historic Ivy League institution scurry from building to building in the night. We stand up, stretch and head to Five Guys, about five blocks away. It is time, after all, for another burger. And like New York, our tummies were not going to wait for anyone. — TODAY
