I think I’ll never be able to forget my trip to New York city. I’ve been trying to for the past three years with no luck, but the trip had its pleasurable advantages. I remember first arriving there at the airport, and soon getting in a cab to find 11nthstreet. Oh, that was a nightmare. We went down every numerical street you could imagine: 21st, 3rd, 18th, but no 11nth. Finally the driver decided to turn on his GPS system, at which point I, nauseated and green in the face, bitterly whispered to my mom, “He’s had that thing the whole time?!” To my stinging remark she only chuckled, I guess it was pretty amusing seeing a twelve year old get saucy.
â–º QUARTER FINALIST 2012 TEEN TRAVEL WRITING SCHOLARSHIP
We finally arrived to a friend of my mother’s, she had a wonderful two story apartment filled with old woodwork and a charming menagerie of animals. I was given the privilege of staying in her daughter’s room, for she was away that summer. Each night I was accompanied to rest with their cat, a comforting experience until I realized that the brute tabby showed her dominance by biting my hand in the middle of the night. I loved that cat nonetheless, it had spunk!
After our little pit stop it was the march through the Big Apple. A five-day journey of non-stop shouting of, “Let’s go! Hurry up, there’s more to see! Chop-chop!” We paraded through all of the famous sites, The Statue of Liberty, The Empire State Building, a silent pass by Ground Zero, a cliché stroll through Central Park, and the Brooklyn Bridge.
Let’s not forget Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, where I accidentally excused myself from being in the way of a photographer, only to realize that she was part of the museum. That’s right, a wax statue. My dad used this foolishness to his own advantage, and sat still in one of the little sets, where someone walked right up to him, whispered “It’s so life-like…” and walked away.
I can honestly say I managed to have a few good chuckles like that one while in New York. My brother wanted to buy a silver chain in Times Square, so we went to this family business on the corner selling multiple things, graphic tee’s, tattoos, and as you could imagine, chains. The price started at exactly ninety –five dollars, but there was an excessive amount of reluctance from my brother. In a matter of minutes, which to me dragged on like hours, the price was dropped to five dollars. Questioning the chain’s actual value, we left.
As we were in Times Square we managed to stop by Broadway and see one of my favorite childhood movies on production, “The Lion King.” It was my first Broadway performance and I must admit, I was thrilled! With a bright cast, spectacular music and artistry that would make anyone shed a tear over, I had to enjoy it. It was impossible not to!
Going to New York really put my little hometown into perspective for me. The world is a huge place with even greater stories for me to tell, and hopefully I can take the time to write about them.
Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.
