Christmas in New York city! Our winter holidays in the Big Apple

Speaking of New York is not exactly easy nor can presume to be able to make a complete story, exhaustively with all the necessary call to be able to give the other visitors. Hard to give advice can be given only suggestions, impressions, and groped to exclude some places where you have enough time to make a full circle (it would take weeks!).

Visa and entry formalities
Plane will give the famous green card applications for temporary entry for tourism. The readily available and you must deliver to the policeman who is in the lobby of the airport immigration. The formalities are quite speedy, I shall take the fingerprints with a computer and you make a picture. Do not fools and do not oppose waste. The officer has absolute authority and could refuse an entry. Past this stage there is the baggage claim and customs then in case you have goods to declare (in any case, you have the white cardboard-filled one per household, which will give the plane to the customs officer). The green card will be stapled to the passport and it will be removed when leaving the U.S. so do not miss it because otherwise you will have some serious problems ...

Public Transportation
Moving to New York is pretty simple: take a taxi (quite cheap for the short distance) and metro (subway) arrived almost everywhere. Really. The advice is to buy a card for one week (7 days) at a cost of $ 27. You will move smoothly and without having to make the code (in kilometers above the Central Station in Manhattan) in the automatic machines to buy a ticket every time. The card is also valid on all buses. The metro is open H24 (sti Americans know too strong), although some races are reduced, or some peripheral stations "jump" from the trains. Always be cautious when you go in the stations because the initial orientation is not exactly easy because the terminal is not specified but the general direction (eg, downtown or in the opposite direction & Brooklyin "Uptown & Queens"). After a few days, however, things spin better and you will find that the same New Yorkers frequently consult the map to figure out which train to take. The subway seemed very safe and I must say that even at night does not accept the squalor of some European cities.

Climate
Well NYC in December are not the Maldives, it is cold but not the real end. We came with 4 ° C and snow on the ground. Within 7 days we took a day of heavy rain, a sun with 11 ° C (almost hot I would say) and the remainder with cold temperatures with -2 ° C/-3 ° C during the day until you get to -9 ° C during a sunny day, very windy. We also took a day with a heavy snowfall. In any case, just cover up (in some windy day after an hour it was hard to stay out), maybe take a hot coffee every so often and easily resists.

Shopping
We know many Europeans, thanks to favorable exchange rate with the dollar (1 € = $ 1.43) go to NYC with the intent to go crazy. Two things you should always keep in mind:
1) The fees set out in the U.S. is not the price tag sales, and added only in cash (about 9% in the state of NY
2) The queues at the shops, the queues to the dressing rooms, queues at the cash ... in some cases are very unnerving to say nothing of the crowd (crowd is true with a lot of hysteria!) Within a few shopping centers that will make your shopping less fun
The most interesting areas are obviously the 5th avenue filled with shops and luxurious international brands (Armani, Abercrombie, Prada, Luis Vuitton, etc..), Lexington Avenue and Madison Avenue are the areas where the majority of Europeans concetrano. But then of course there are scattered around the city brand stores such as Adidas, Nike, North Face, Timberland, etc.. You can not help but make a visit to the Apple Store on 5th Avenue Cube with his famous apple shines all night because the store is open H24 / 7 ... that never closes! But I have been there even at midnight there was a nice crowd ... maniacs!
Another shopping center worth mentioning in my opinion, Century 21 is very close to Ground Zero. An outlet in downtown New York in which they hunt for bargains .. you'll find many brands at very low prices, as in our outlets.
Finally there are also many stores that sell electronic and photographic material, but less to run into discount (sale) of the season there is a great convenience (except to those products like Apple, whose prices are the same in Europe and USA apart from the fact that they are expressed in a currency!).

Hotel
We stayed in a wonderful place for location and centrality. This is the Holiday Inn Express is located at West 39th just steps from Times Square (which is on 42nd street). It takes 3 minutes to walk to the metro station "42 Street & Port Auth" where they spend a lot of subway lines that take you where you want. The hotel was quite narrow with rooms that are not very large, overlooking questionable and only two elevators for 39 floors (8 rooms per floor!). The next morning we went down for even 10 minutes of clock to go down the hall ... the breakfast also included in the price, it was really painful with bread, jelly (unique taste for 7 days. ... Grapes!), Butter, eggs and cheese and hamburger ... ( but made a few hours before) and yogurt. The breakfast room was so small that formed traffic jams worthy of the GRA during a rainy day ... us after a couple of days, we opted for breakfast at Starbucks across the street to avoid losing an hour to queue ... for the rest clean hotel, TV room and better heating. Big bathroom (maybe more of the room) but small sink and shelves without support, the safe was missing and the Wardrobe had two crutches. Really good point: wi-fi access throughout the hotel including rooms and two computer terminals available to customers (but always occupied up to 23 ...). There is also a small gym but with few tools and very narrow.
The staff is friendly and helpful, however, in the end we just had to stay and we can not complain. The price was SUPER paying about € 100 per night including breakfast and taxes for a double (considering it was Christmas ...)

 

Food
It 's the second best thing about New York. The first are the people! You can eat anything, anytime, anywhere. A small smattering of English is necessary and then go like trains. Mexican, Texan, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Irish, fast food, French, American .. luxury, trendy, youth, refined, there's really loud ... all kinds and all budgets. If you do not spend anatomical places truly luxurious to sit, eat and drink (to fill) not more than $ 15-20 per person. Of course you can also get a $ 10 depends a lot on what you want and what you want to eat. We do not formalize it and eating the food of the place and we became great. Hamburger giant pharaonic portions of meat and fries, soft drinks with free refills (ie only pay for the first then the subsequent ones seeker free) or Chinese, Korean ... or just got a hot dog at one of the $ 2 million kiosks scattered throughout the city. Eating is not a problem because you can really eat at midnight ... or later if you do not have adjustment problems. It 's a lot of freedom because in some places after the 21 would become a nibble something.

Block-Quarters
NYC is divided into 5 macro air (known as block or neighborhood): Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. Except the last one we were all the others, obviously preferring Manhattan (if for no other points of interest), then Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx last. All other airlines that you have heard on TV (Harlem, Grrenwich, SoHo, Little Italy, Coney Island, etc..) Are flying into these specific "block". Often it is a street, a two blocks which have a specific name (most often a acrononimo).
Manhattan
It 's the area where there are major attractions: Ground Zero, Wall Street, Central Park, area museums, Little Italy, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. Probably lies in Manhattan and if I can give you some advice try to stay near Times Square because you are right in the heart of the city that never sleeps, all lights, signs, advertising giant screens ... the night is a show, you will for hours see this fascinating show promo.
Brooklyn
District wonderful not only for the bridge to the sophistication of red brick houses along the Hudson River or the charming area of 5th street in Brooklyn known as Park Slope with low houses, red with fire escapes placed outside buildings , as in the classic detective. Brooklyn is the area that impressed me most. To see the beautiful skyline of Manhattan (even at night), take the metro and get off at Yrok Street (F line) or by Clark Street (line 2 and 3). There is a small park open until 21 just below the Brooklyn Bridge where you can also admire the Manhattan Bridge. Behind you wonderful artists' lofts and newly rich Americans. Then move toward the west in front of Manhattan (where there is a bar / restaurant on the bay-dear-say), but with a wonderful view. This area never closes even if it gets very cold at night because of wind that incalana along the Hudson.
Queens
The area of the different ethnic groups extends just east of Manhattan to Flushing Meadows (right where you hold the ATP Tennis Tournament, U.S. Open). Among other things is a huge Flushing Chinatown (other than the tourist in Manhattan Chinatown) just a few blocks from the National Guard. Long underground line (line 7) which runs on elevated outdoor, long-distance dominated signs in Spanish, Mexican, Italian and Gaelic as well as in Puerto Rico. The Queens I think it is a modern tower of Babel where the road does not speak English and where many do not speak English (try to stop someone to ask for information!). get off the subway and take a walking tour to be more calm day to do it so you can always have the guidance at hand and not be afraid ... you will see houses with garden and snow-covered networks, high, crowded churches Mexican families at 10 am on a weekday or a beer in a pub where people speak Gaelic or to eat in a cross inn sylvan: I love NYC!
Bronx
And 'the area that we shot a little less' to awe but mostly for lack of time. There are limited at Yankee Stadium and a walk to the north in the areas of housing with basketball courts and recited graffiti on the walls of houses of the bands. It was becoming night and we took the subway and we went back but I say that no one has created problems.
State Island
We have not really done on time. In any case, the "ferry orange" reading "Staten Island Ferry leaves every 30 minutes from Whitehall Station to arrive after 8 miles of sailing in Staten Island. If you want to go for a ride there and back because ... it's free (you do not pay the ferry because a right to mobility of people living on the island). These are famous ferry after the incident some time ago against the pier that killed several people.
Other visits
Memorable visit to the Statue of Liberty. To get there you must go to Lower Manhattan and Battery Park at precisely from where the ferry to the Statue and Ellis Island. There was already a line at 10 you have no idea ... the loudspeaker constantly warned visitors who purchase the ticket boarding pass 3 hours ... .. 3 ½ hours to get worse ... this tour allows you to come down and visit Museum of the Statue of Liberty (located in the basement) but not to go (you can not go by the attack of 2001). In addition, the Ellis Island ferry will take you to where you can visit the museum where the migrants were welcomed to the 50 before them landed in the USA. In addition, permission to visit the base of the Statue of Liberty is limited and ends early in the morning. So: go to 8 or the morning or you can opt for the ride (they call it non-stop) or the same route but without the ability to get off. The ferry stops, however, long before the attractions for you to take pictures. We had to take this ferry so do not waste the whole day. We paid $ 12 each for a tour that took us an hour ahead of Staten Island, Government Island, Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the New Jersey coast and the Financial District in Manhattan to return to base. Tour beautiful, I recommend it if the before subsidy-driven was not feasible.

Ground Zero
Awesome vacuum (literally) left by the collapse of the WTC. Today it is an active site that is building the Freedom Tower that will stand above the city from the height of 532 meters. Around all the buildings have been reconstructed and installed even if there is an air of sadness, especially if you visit St. Paul's Chapel at the church with the cemetery which is right in front of Ground Zero for weeks and hosted fighters NYC fire and ordinary people who went to pray for their loved ones. Today it is a place of prayer and meditation where there are thousands of photos of people who lost their lives on that tragic day. It 's really touching, whatever your creed, orientation, and thought the whole affair.

Empire State Building
It was the tallest building in NYC before the Twin Towers and now is back (temporarily). You obviously can queue up after about 3 hours (which you can try to shorten the web booking your ticket). The building is open until 2 am (giuro!) and then go there or very busy or really late to enjoy a breathtaking view of the entire New York area.

Central Park
It 's the wonder of NYC. Although it was winter, the leafless trees and frozen lakes is a nice atmosphere even during a heavy snowfall. Many joggers, others walk, used to eat a sandwich, but all are racing to enjoy a breath of fresh air and pure and to escape, if only for 10 minutes, the eternal traffic noise from New York. The park calls every night at 1 and contrary to what is perceived from movies and TV series, it seems to me to be quite safe and supervised not only by police but also by the rangers!

Traffic
It 's crazy, you can never have peace. They played all the horn, everyone is pissed off and turn without signaling it, do not stop and pedestrians on the zebra crossing where they want. In fact it is far from the stereotypes of precision and order that one might expect, but closer to the chaos of Mediterranean cities. There is often a deafening noise, lines of taxis that crowd the streets ... but this is NYC the city that truly never sleeps.

How do you not like NYC? Impossible because it is not a city but a hundred different cities. If you want, you can not speak English and can not seem to stay in America but in Eastern souk. Beautiful and fascinating architecture but also wonderful people everywhere that reminds you how big the world. Bit into the apple, do it with pleasure!! Happy travels and for each question (here I gave very little information), contact me. Hello.