NEW YORK CITY, - Travel
With "Your PRABHU" to NEW YORK :
NEW YORK CITY, Americas largest City. You can
add thousands of word along with "NEW YORK
CITY". Lot of our Lollu Express readers wrote to me
that "Why in LE there is no article about NYC". The
last time I went to NEW YORK was when my parents visited me
Last summer (July 1999). I lost the article I wrote
about NYC. I am trying to recollect what i saw last year and my
Previous two trips to NYC in Summer 1998 and 1999 NEW
YEAR Celebrations in Time Square ! Enjoy your Prabhu's
Travel Update about NEW YORK CITY, NY, USA.
NEW YORK CITY, Located in East coast of America takes the Pride
of being the Largest city in USA and the most Popular city in the
world. A trip to New York is a dream for any one who is visiting
USA. The oldest city in USA which is right next to Atlantic
Ocean. A Major business center. Ok Let me try to explain my
experience in NEW YORK.
JOHN F. KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT:
It all started when my Parents came from India Last Summer to
visit me ! They flew from Kulalampur, Malasiya to JFK
and I was there waiting in the airport. JFK airport is a busy
airport. Its the entry point for most of them who are flying from
various parts 
of the world. From JFK you can fly to any parts of
the world. JFK is a major link for countries like London, Paris,
Rome, Arab countries and African Countries, Asia. You can see
flight taking off and landing every minute in JFK. My parents
came in Malasiyan airways. You step out of JFK you find a very
different place. You drive for about 45 Minutes you will know
that you are in America. The busy streets of NEW YORK, The busy
people of New York and the thickly populated streets of New York.
Take it from me Some one who is visiting America for the first
time, You will have a shock of your life to see a different
world.
I am very playful and i want to give a big shock to my parents
who are visiting a foreign country for the first time in life. I
rented a car and drove from JFK to MANHATTAN directly. My friends
suggested they will be tierd after 24 hour flight from Chennai,
To me you have to give a Shock right away for any parents coming
from India. They were really amazed to see the City. Just imagine
the change you get in one day in your life. We then drove back to
JERSEY CITY, NJ to my friends place.
MANHATTAN ISLAND:
New York City is basically a group of Islands. Manhattan Island
is the biggest Island. MANHATTAN Island can also be called as
heart of NYC. Any one who is working in Manhattan Island has a
very sweet experience of travelling in Subway trains like our
UNIT
Train
in Madras and Mumbai. In a city like New York where there is no
space for anything you cant expect to drive your car there. More
over the parking in NYC is very costly that you don't feel like
driving your car there. In Manhattan Island parking ranges from
15$ to 35$ a day.
People prefer to come to Manhattan in Subway trains. We got our
train from JERSEY CITY and then we got down as
"WORLD TRADE CENTER" the worlds most famous RAILWAY
STATION. One must see my Mom and Dad's feeling when they
got out of the Subway train in NYC that too on their Second day
in USA. My father is a big observer. He carried his Dairy and
started to note each and everything he saw! Even the Train no
that came from Jersey city. ! That was really Smart right !
Just imagine our parents. Most of us come from a middle class
family and our parents are very much used to crowded
"Pallavan Bus" and Crowded "Unit Train". How
great they will feel to travel in a "NEW YORK CITY
SUB WAY TRAIN" that too from JERSEY CITY to
WORLD TRADE CENTER that too on your Second day in USA!!
WORLD TRADE CENTER:
World Trade Center is the tallest building in NEW
YORK CITY. Worlds Prestigious companies has office in WTC. The
world trade center is open to public and they charge you 9$ to
get to the top of the observation deck from where you can see the
whole of NYC. Its a 107 Floor building which is located right
next to the Atlantic ocean and from there you can see STATUE
OF LIBERTY. There is a huge line always to climb the
tower especially in the week ends and in summer. One must climb
the WTC for sure. Its an amazing experience ! Inside the World
Trade Center there is a lobby where you can find beautiful
Ornamental plants, Wall posters etc etc ! It will take at least
two hours to enjoy the beauty of WTC.
One must really appreciate the way they are maintaining the
place. Ok you are ready to climb the Tallest building. It hardly
takes 
One
minute in that lift and there you go. You will be able to see the
whole NEW YORK CITY from the top. Its a
wonderful feeling. One special thing about WTC is it has an Open
Observation Deck at the top. Open Observation Deck is not
there in Sears Towers, Chicago or in CN towers, Toronto. But in
the SPACE NEEDLE in Seattle they have a Open Observation
deck ! You will really enjoy the view ! All these days we are
used to see NYC only in movies, you will feel it directly if you
are in top of WTC.
STATUE OF LIBERTY:
Liberty statue is one of the most beautiful Statue in the whole
world. Its one of the Seven wonders of the world. It has a big
history. The Statue of Liberty was presented to America by the
French Government when they got their Freedom. Its so beautiful
and majestic and its in the center of a Small island. You take a
ferry to reach Statue of Liberty which cost you 8$. The ferry
slowly starts and once you travel for 3 to 4 Mts you will have a
very good view of MANHATTAN island from the
Atlantic ocean and take it from me ! When u reach near the
Liberty Statue My God "YOU WILL HAVE A FEELINGS OF
YOUR LIFE"! Your eyes will freeze and so will be
your heart. There will be music running in the ferry and the
Ferry Captain will explain about the statue ! I have been to STATUE
OF LIBERTY thrice in my life and i really enjoy it and i
have never felt bored ! You can also climb the statue and reach
at the top. But there will be a long line for it. I never tried
it before but since my parents were with me i climbed it ! It was
so beautiful.
TIME SQUARE OF NEW YORK CITY:
One more happening place in NYC is the "TIME
SQUARE". This is a kind of get together place. All
major celebrations like "NEW YEAR
CELEBRATIONS", "INDPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS" takes
place in TIME SQUARE,NYC. One must see TIME
SQUARE in night. Its so colorful and Lights all over the place
and its very beautiful. You have lots and lots of Gift shops,
Audio Shops, Restaurants all over the place and its really
beautiful. I was in TIME SQUARE, NYC for the 1999 NEW
YEAR celebrations. Take it from me One cant have any
better feeling in his life "If he is in NYC on NEW YEARS
eve"! Millions of people celebrating NEW YEAR's eve and a
big screen showing how the celebrations are going on in different
parts of the world.
Empire State Building:
Another Place of Interest is the Empire State building in NYC.
Its older than World trade center. The beauty of this place is
you can see the whole view of the city and how the streets are
made in NYC. I would recommend you to climb this tower in night
after dark. You will feel that you are acting in some Hollywood
movie. Any Hollywood movie which shows NYC in dark will be shot
from one of these towers, either WTC or Empire state building.
The cost to climb the tower is 8$ and its worth it. There are
some animation shows in the building and i recommend notto go for
them as they are not major attraction and the money u spend for
that is not worth it.
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN:
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NYC. Can anyone say a
better arena in the world ! I think MSG, is the best Arena in the
world. Can you name any one world famous Artist who has not
stepped in Madison Square Garden. The first time I went to MSG
with my close friend Rajesh all that we did is got
our camera and clicked 100's of pictures. Yes its the Place where
NEW YORK "KNICKS" play their Basket ball! Its
the place where OSCARS were given to the stars for years, Its the
place where Prestigious meetings are held. Its the best Arena in
the world. If you go to NEW YORK I would recommend you to take a
picture in MSG.
NIGHT LIFE IN NYC:
New York is famous for its BARS and Clubs where you can dance and
have fun. It depends on what kind of clubs you want to go. I dont
mind going to the worlds finest club or the rough clubs of the
42nd street. I would suggest you to stay away from the NYC Clubs
as there is lots and lots things you need to consider before
going to clubs. PUBS are found every where in the city. DANCE
Floors of NYC are really wild. If you are night person who like
to hang around in Pubs and Clubs NYC has many things to do ! NEW
YORK NEVER SLEEPS.
NEW JERSEY:
If you make a trip to NYC and if you are an Indian You will have
some one in NEW JERSEY. New Jersey is like a
little India with lots and lots of Indian crowd. I would say few
places in New Jersey like EDISON has nearly 25% of Indian
Population and you will never miss home if you are in NJ. There
are lots and lots of Indian festivals, Indian related activities,
Music concerts, Indian Pan shops, Video shops, Chat shops, Bomaby
Chayee, Madras Dosai and what not ! You get each and every item
available in India in a much more cheaper rate ! Especially that
Indian Street in Edison is really a good one.
BRIDGE WATER INDIAN TEMPLE:
Our Indian Community in NJ area is a very strong one, Mostly its
made up of GUJJU's and PANJABI's and PATEL's who
came here long back to do their business! BRIDGE WATER Indian
temple is a famous one and its only 4 miles from EDISON,NJ.
Wonderful temple. You also have special temple for SAI BABA,
Special temple for JAIN's and a HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA temple !
ATLANTIC CITY,NJ:
Atlantic city is in South New Jersey and its also called as
LAS VEGAS of East coast. You need to travel for Two
hours to reach Atlantic City, towards south. The two hour drive
is a real pleasant one in the Garden State, Its fully surrounded
by Green Trees its 
really beautiful. Once you reach ATLANTIC
CITY its very different. The city's major revenue is
from CASINO'S. People Gamble for Hours together and they have
real fun. One good CASINO i suggest you to go is "TAJ
MAHAL" casino! Its really beautiful and its right next to
the ATLANTIC OCEAN. Its a very lively place. I
have been to ATLANTIC CITY thrice and i really like to go there
one more time. Once there was a ALL AMERICA TAMIL
CONFRENCE in ATLANTIC CITY where we met ANU RADHA SREE RAM,
REVATHI etc. Its a very much happening and fun place
LOLLU COMMENTS:
New York city is a very good place to have fun. Everything is big
and you need to exactly plan your time. One good long week end is
more than enough to cover all the places. Of course you need some
one to provide you accommodation or else its going to be really
costly. I am sure that you will know some one in New Jersey area
If you are an Indian.
One more thing if you are travelling from PHILADELPHIA,
WASHINGTON D.C or from BOSTON its ok to drive to NYC,
Other than that you have only one option ! You need to fly to
NYC. How about the tickets to NYC. A good deal to NYC from Big
cities like CHICAGO, DALLAS or DENVER will cost you at
least 200$ Round trip. Some times you get good deals
flying from coast to coast that is from LOS ANGELES to
NYC or from SAN FRANSISCO to NYC which will come for 99$ one way
! Its really cheap. I would recommend you to book your
tickets well in advance if u are flying to NYC! Also one more
thing If you have any friends in NJ area the better thing to do
is fly to NEWARK instead of JFK as the traffic
is heavy and it will take at least 2 hours to reach NJ
from JFK!
Lets work out the cost involved for one person. Lets say you are
flying and you have booked a ticket well in advance and lets say
its 225$. Then the tickets to WTC and ferry ride will cost you
another 50$ and then other expense with be another 100$ for 3
full days and say you have a friend in NJ who is ready to
accommodate you ! You are talking about a total expense of 375$
per person without accommodation ! Its really worth it to see NEW
YORK. The worlds largest and happening city. Enjoy and send your
comments to me !
WITH LOVE,
Prabhu,
AUTHOR LOLLU EXPRESS,
www.lolluexpress.com
COLUMBUS, OHIO USA.
EMAIL : kanman@hotmail.com