A night in New York : the city that never sleeps

So many tourists looking for something special or simply wanting to experience, as I did, a magical evening

My trip to Jamaica began with a direct intercontinental flight from Rome to New York-Newark with an overnight layover in NY. What a dream!!! And it just happened to happen to me. I got caught up in the eagerness and craziness to do anything and everything and experience every moment of this wonderful lion's night.

I mentally put on standby for one night the 'Jamaican island tour that I organized as coordinator of viaggiavventurenelmondo.it and go into "NY, here I am" mode.

We landed in Newark at 2 p.m. The last time I was in this city that never sleeps was 20 years ago, and I won't deny you that one of the reasons I applied to coordinate a Jamaica Express of world adventures was the one-night stopover in the Big Apple.

I had never traveled with United Airlines. They were Friendly and the staff always attentive, comfortable seating and goof food. I don't know about you, but I love eating on the plane. Once again I honored the in-flight menu by not sending anything back to the galley as a sign of "respect."

The coolest thing about flying United Airlines is having free wifi on board that allows you to use whatapp even at high altitude. The trip literally flew by. Between movies, reading and new acquaintances on board.

The shuttles to the hotels from Newark airport, all departed from the P4 parking lot but we were too tired and eager to see NY that we preferred to get in a cab and be taken to our hotel. We arrived in 10 minutes. Choosing to get a hotel near the airport was a wise decision. Just enough time to take a quick shower and call Uber (much more convenient and cheaper than cabs) and we were already on our way to Times Square before dinner.

I was excited, cold, incredulous. I was returning to NY after so many years and had been dreaming of that day for too long, to the point that as soon as he had heard about the assignment, I had already begun to fantasize.

(Special Thanks to Enzo, participant of the Jamaica Express group) .

My psychedelic #apugliesearoundtheworld outfit had been on my mind for some time. I was just eager to wear it and hoped there would be enough cold so I wouldn't suffer from the heat. Maybe even too cold, since an exceptional wave of bad weather hit NY in those days with temperatures below 50 degrees.

Could an Apulian woman go unnoticed in the heart of Manatthan? It was out of the question. Anyway, two days before New Year's Eve the city was in absolute frenzy. It took us 3h to get to New York for a ride that usually takes 1h. As we passed under the HOLLAND tunnel that leads from New jersey to Ground Zero and is the first undersea tunnel to connect Manatthan AL NewJersey since 1927.

My eyes sparkled and my heart beat wildly. From the car, the city skyline was beginning to come into view in the background. The idea that it had been 20 years since I had last been to NY, made me think of so many things, especially how quick it was to miss it and then that in those years, to go to NY from Washington DC (where I was studying) I had taken the night bus operated by the Chinese, the cheapest way at that time.

Fortunately, New York is atmospheric despite the cold and the crowds. We start with a walking tour from Ground Zero. It was amazing.

The site of the World Trade Center also known as "Ground Zero" in New York, is exactly where the Twin Towers once stood. Now there is the 9/11 Memorial. It is always a touching place for so many people. You can visit the 9/11 Museum and this memorial, built in memory of the 2,752 victims of the attacks.

Immediately afterwards we took the subway. It remained the same, noisy dark but still quaint, as it was so many years ago. We come out at the Times Square stop: I can't contain my joy. Lights, colors, noises, bright LEDs. It's like being in a playground and I feel perfectly in tune with my surroundings and I think that for once I guessed the Outfit: fuchsia pink latex leggings from Calzedonia, padded on the inside that if I think about it I could have worn them only here without being noticed by anyone.

Then walk from Radio City and Rockefeller Center symbolic place of the big apple, where at Christmas time, in Rockefeller Plaza, between 5th and 6th Avenue, and bounded by 48th and 51st Street, they set up the most famous Christmas tree in the world, over 25 meters tall, decorated with 45 thousand lights and with a huge Swarowski star to shine on the tip.

Finally Broadway, (getting lost and finding ourselves again and again) the lines were endless and we stopped for dinner at a cool place I had discovered on Instagram from the stories of my favorite Apulian travel blogger, Manuela Vitulli, who was in NY in those days and luckily, on the first night with new friends, I immediately made a splash.

ELLENS STURDUST - We were literally overwhelmed by the atmosphere. The waiters are Broadway singers and they come up to the tables staging a real show of the highest order. There is a long line at the entrance but it flows smoothly. We waited, it was really worth it. An incredible night where I wanted to do so much more. I said goodbye to NY this time with a see you soon

Then straight to the hotel. I had booked it close to the airport anticipating a very taken departure in the morning, to avoid the 3 a.m. wake-up call. Clean, modern and just right for one night. Included self-service breakfast with coffee or tea for all.

If you find yourself having a layover around here it's called the

HAMPTON INN & SUITES ELIZABETH NEWARK AIRPORT.

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