I recently have returned from my adventurous trip to the United States of America, and oh what a fantastic time I have had. Previously, the only part of the US where I have ventured to before has been the state of Florida. We've done Orlando, Clearwater, Tampa Bay, Miami. You name it, we've been everywhere in the Sunshine State. This was the first time I had gone to the United States and not gone to Florida (which meant no Disney World for me *sad face*). My family and I were booked on a tour around the East Coast of the US and Canada. I can now say that I am lucky enough to have been to New York City, Niagara Falls (Canadian side), Philadelphia and Washington D.C. It was raining when we landed at JFK Airport. For some odd reason, my family and I can never go on a plane and not have it rain for either take-off or landing. Our first night in New York City, we spent at the Brooklyn Bridge watching the 4th of July fireworks over the river. I should probably mention that it was also our first Independence Day. Surprisingly we don't celebrate it in England... I think celebrating your own defeat may come across as strangely bizarre. But nonetheless, we had a fantastic time (after realising we had stood in the wrong place to see the fireworks and instead moved to a better viewing spot. Give us a break, we're tourists). The next day, we had an amazing bus tour around the city on the morning, with our lovely tour guide, Eddie. We saw so much of the city this way and it was brilliant! Grand Central Station is magnificent. And as a 'Gossip Girl' fan, I was imaging the very first episode where Serena comes back to the City. But seeing as so many films and tv shows have been filmed in New York, in my head I was seeing scenes from things everywhere I went. Going to the 9/11 memorial was difficult. It's strange because it is such a calm place and to imagine that this beautifully serene area was the site of so much death and destruction is hard. I think the memorial is a lovely way to honour the innocent victims of that awful day. Me being me, I obviously had to take my family 'theatre spotting'. This is just a game my mum and I like to play in London and there was no way we would be passing this opportunity up in New York. Basically we go hunting down theatre's and take photos of them. It's easy enough to play. My mum and I also went to see the evening show of Newsies. You don't know how long I had wanted to see this show. We booked the tickets before we came because I wanted to choose the seats. We ended up getting third row tickets which led to me catching one of the newspapers thrown by the Newsies. [You can read my Newsies review here] We then left New York for our day long coach trip up to Canada. Niagara Falls was absolute bliss. I find there's something quite relaxing about watch water fall. I remember sitting on the coach as it drove across Rainbow Bridge, which connects the American and Canadian sides, and seeing the Falls for the first time. I found out immediately why it was called 'Rainbow' Bridge. Rainbows make regular appearances over the river at the bottom of Niagara Falls and we were lucky enough to see this fantastic sight twice during our time in Niagara. It's one image I hope never leaves my mind. So beautiful. | My Photo Gallery |
Niagara Falls was surreal. I have never seen anything like the Falls in my entire life. It's strange because the Falls is such a natural beauty and yet the surrounding area (at least on the Canadian side) looks like Blackpool - touristy and tacky. We hopped aboard the Maid of the Mist boat that took us right up to the Falls. Thankfully they handed us all free water-proof poncho's to save our clothes from being drenched by the merciless, humongous waterfall. Moving onto Philadelphia, I knew I would enjoy this city. I had prepared myself by reading up a bit on Benjamin Franklin and re-watching the movie National Treasure. As a history freak, this was my definition of heaven. Seeing the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in real life did make me have a little fangirling moment over 'National Treasures' because I love that movie a little more than I probably would care to admit. But just thinking about how many important historical American figures had stood in the same place that I was standing in pushed me over the edge of excitement. One thing I really like about Philadelphia was how you could get really good tasting food from the street vendor's for hardly any cost at all. It was this moment that made me wish that I liked steak because I felt guilty going to Philadelphia and not trying their world famous Philly Cheese Steak's. Thankfully, the journey from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. wasn't as long and hard-going as the one we took to Niagara and back. We were actually staying just outside of the city in a place called Alexandria, Virginia. I loved it there. Especially Old Town Alexandria which had some wonderful restaurants. As much as I liked D.C. I found it to be a place of sorrow and remembrance, and it made me quite sad. It wasn't the vibrant capital I had imagined. There are so many war related memorials around D.C. I guess my image of a capital city is just London and D.C. is very so much the opposite of everything that London is. It wasn't what imagined a capital city to be like. We went to the Arlington Cemetery which is a military cemetery that takes up a very vast amount of land. It hit my emotions seeing all these graves of men who had died because of war. The world can be cruel. Futhermore we went to the Korean and Vietnam war memorials which were so beautifully crafted and designed, yet so terribly upsetting. | |
The Capitol building is pretty damn fabulous, and as much as I wanted to say the same about the White House, I found it to be smaller than the way I had imagined it. I think the movie White House Down has distorted my image of the White House. They make appear to be so much larger in that movie! My personal favourite part of Washington was visiting the Lincoln memorial. If you know me well, you'll know that Abraham Lincoln is my all-time favourite American president (and the fact that this humongous statue is featured in the Planet of the Apes movie just made me love it all the more so). Whilst I had thought the White House and Liberty Bell were smaller than what I had expected them to be, the Lincoln Memorial was FREAKIN' HUGE. I couldn't believe it. Cool fact about the Lincoln memorial: his left hand is clenched to illustrate the stress he was under during the American civil war, but his right hand is relaxed to demonstrate his light-going nature.
Going back to New York City after this for four extra days was my favourite part of this entire trip. When we first arrived, we only got to spend one full day there so I couldn't wait to get back. Plus, after already being here I felt like we now knew the area a little better. Our hotel was just around the corner from the glorious Central Park. This is most definitely my favourite place in New York. It's so serene yet completely full of life. In the middle of a concrete city, it's bizarre that there's a huge section of trees. It's like magical forest in a fairytale land. We walked all the way from our hotel to Times Square by going through Central Park and up 5th Avenue. We didn't even get to explore half of the park and yet we felt as though we had. I'm just trying to put into perspective how big and wonderful it is. I would love to go back to NYC just to explore there.
The iconic Statue of Liberty was everything I hoped it would be, and more. It's weird because I feel like I know Lady Liberty so well after seeing her in various movies, tv shows and photographs and yet this was the first time I'd ever seen her with my own eyes. It was surreal. Afterwards we headed up to Liberty Helicopters, near the Brooklyn Bridge, and took a glorious 12-15 minute helicopter ride. If you think New York city is great on the ground, you should see it from the sky. Absolutely magnificent! As well as this, we also did both the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock. We did the Empire State Building at night. I just remember gazing in awe at the city below me which, because of the lights, looked like a jewel mine. It was so beautiful. Rockefeller was done during the day. I actually preferred Top of the Rock to the Empire State Building. I think it's because you could see Central Park whereas the view of it from the Empire State building is obstructed. And seeing as Central Park is my one true love in NYC, I loved the Top of the Rock more.
Going back to the 9/11 memorial was something we felt like we had to do because we didn't really spend much time at it the first time around. The tribute centre was a place where the memory of the victims and the memories of all those who were affected by the events on 9/11 are preserved. There was a board where visitors had wrote down or illustrated a picture of their own experiences on 9/11 and the feelings they had towards those terrible events. It was heart-wrenching, I'll admit, but I don't think you can go to New York City and not go and pay your respects to all those innocent victims.
I had very large expectations of the Natural History museum because of the movie Night at the Museum, however it did not live up to them. After having quite enjoyed the Natural History Museum in London, I didn't really like this one at all. I found it to be 'too modern' and not the way I expected it to be at all. They didn't even have the skeleton of the T-Rex in the entrance like they do in the movie - it was on the fourth floor. But using the subways were fun. That was a lie, they were not fun at all. Admittedly it's a quick way to get about, but as a person who actually enjoys travelling on the London Underground, in comparison then New York Subway was not at all up to the same standard. I found it to be dirty, slow and unnecessarily complicated. Plus, the lines don't really run up one side of Manhattan Island and they're all in straight lines, which doesn't make sense to me. But it got us places and that's the main thing.
The food in New York, oh my gosh, it is great. Ellen's Stardust Diner, recommended to me by a good friend, was possibly my favourite restaurant as the army of singing waiters was enough to make me fall head-over-heels in love. It was like Broadway and a meal all-in-one. Schmackary's cookies are so incredible. I had a S'chmores cookie. And it's true what they say, Juniours really does have the best cheesecake in New York City. The only way I can describe the taste of their cheesecake would be with the words ' utter paradise'.
As my brother went to watch the World Cup final with my dad in an Irish pub, my mum and I set off to see another show - the Tony winning A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder [of which you can read my review of it here]. I couldn't have chosen a better show to go and see. It was hilarious and I cannot even begin to tell you how much I adored it. I've heard rumours of a West End transfer so here's to hoping that comes true!
Let's just end with me saying that it was one hell of a trip!
[Take a look at my video montage of my time away] (link coming soon)
Going back to New York City after this for four extra days was my favourite part of this entire trip. When we first arrived, we only got to spend one full day there so I couldn't wait to get back. Plus, after already being here I felt like we now knew the area a little better. Our hotel was just around the corner from the glorious Central Park. This is most definitely my favourite place in New York. It's so serene yet completely full of life. In the middle of a concrete city, it's bizarre that there's a huge section of trees. It's like magical forest in a fairytale land. We walked all the way from our hotel to Times Square by going through Central Park and up 5th Avenue. We didn't even get to explore half of the park and yet we felt as though we had. I'm just trying to put into perspective how big and wonderful it is. I would love to go back to NYC just to explore there.
The iconic Statue of Liberty was everything I hoped it would be, and more. It's weird because I feel like I know Lady Liberty so well after seeing her in various movies, tv shows and photographs and yet this was the first time I'd ever seen her with my own eyes. It was surreal. Afterwards we headed up to Liberty Helicopters, near the Brooklyn Bridge, and took a glorious 12-15 minute helicopter ride. If you think New York city is great on the ground, you should see it from the sky. Absolutely magnificent! As well as this, we also did both the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock. We did the Empire State Building at night. I just remember gazing in awe at the city below me which, because of the lights, looked like a jewel mine. It was so beautiful. Rockefeller was done during the day. I actually preferred Top of the Rock to the Empire State Building. I think it's because you could see Central Park whereas the view of it from the Empire State building is obstructed. And seeing as Central Park is my one true love in NYC, I loved the Top of the Rock more.
Going back to the 9/11 memorial was something we felt like we had to do because we didn't really spend much time at it the first time around. The tribute centre was a place where the memory of the victims and the memories of all those who were affected by the events on 9/11 are preserved. There was a board where visitors had wrote down or illustrated a picture of their own experiences on 9/11 and the feelings they had towards those terrible events. It was heart-wrenching, I'll admit, but I don't think you can go to New York City and not go and pay your respects to all those innocent victims.
I had very large expectations of the Natural History museum because of the movie Night at the Museum, however it did not live up to them. After having quite enjoyed the Natural History Museum in London, I didn't really like this one at all. I found it to be 'too modern' and not the way I expected it to be at all. They didn't even have the skeleton of the T-Rex in the entrance like they do in the movie - it was on the fourth floor. But using the subways were fun. That was a lie, they were not fun at all. Admittedly it's a quick way to get about, but as a person who actually enjoys travelling on the London Underground, in comparison then New York Subway was not at all up to the same standard. I found it to be dirty, slow and unnecessarily complicated. Plus, the lines don't really run up one side of Manhattan Island and they're all in straight lines, which doesn't make sense to me. But it got us places and that's the main thing.
The food in New York, oh my gosh, it is great. Ellen's Stardust Diner, recommended to me by a good friend, was possibly my favourite restaurant as the army of singing waiters was enough to make me fall head-over-heels in love. It was like Broadway and a meal all-in-one. Schmackary's cookies are so incredible. I had a S'chmores cookie. And it's true what they say, Juniours really does have the best cheesecake in New York City. The only way I can describe the taste of their cheesecake would be with the words ' utter paradise'.
As my brother went to watch the World Cup final with my dad in an Irish pub, my mum and I set off to see another show - the Tony winning A Gentlemen's Guide to Love and Murder [of which you can read my review of it here]. I couldn't have chosen a better show to go and see. It was hilarious and I cannot even begin to tell you how much I adored it. I've heard rumours of a West End transfer so here's to hoping that comes true!
Let's just end with me saying that it was one hell of a trip!
[Take a look at my video montage of my time away] (link coming soon)