Why you should visit New York

New York is one of those places that has been experienced first hand. Not only everything is big, very big, but it is also very strong. But it is always possible to sneak about it and sometimes seem unprepared, like first thing in the morning. It's like watching a giant wake up from sleep, yawning and stretching, preparing for the hardships that the day will bring.

I love traveling, I love architecture and I love experiencing civilization. I'm not a customer but I like the stores in New York. I love watching people go about their business, but I also love to lose myself in the atmosphere of the place I am in

In New York, you can experience all this and more.

I went to New York four times now, twice before 9/11 and twice station and New York has always been in New York. This is the true beauty of the city.

I usually try to arrive in the city at about 14 hours after the flight from London, head straight to the hotel to wash and freshen up and get rid of my luggage, then it is straight out to learn what New York has to offer.

My first port of call is the Empire State Building. They say that God is in the detail, it is certainly the Empire State Building. Its art deco mural to the wonderful 20 foot replica of the building carved into the wall in the lobby of the wow effect that the designers wanted to hit people with their input was certainly achieved. It is usually just go out when I'm at the beginning so I get to see the most famous skyline in the enlightened world in all its splendor. What a show. I always find myself drifting to the universe of the house that I left behind, struggling to believe that I am on the same planet.

The evening meal is another treatment, taken at the Marriott Hotel in Times Square, here you can eat in style at a revolving restaurant, looking at the sites spend you eat. To help you identify the sites they even print the view on the towels!

For breakfast head just off Times Square to find that wonderful guests great value for money breakfasts that will keep you going until lunch.

One of the best kept secrets of New York is a service called the New York Greeter. These are a group of volunteers who offer their services to tourists to show them the real New York. You can specify to them (by email before arrival) what you like or want to go and they hold a banner to meet you and give you a tour of the area or the location you specified. You get free subway and bus travel time with your banner and is absolutely free. I had lunch at the UN Palais booked by my home screen and had tours of the Lower East and Westside with a greeter and seen so many things that otherwise I would not have seen . They are wonderful people and well worth the effort to give him an email before you leave. Remember they do it for nothing, all they ask is that you complete a form indicating the quality of your home screen was wonderful and the service they offer and then send at the New York Metropolitan Council so they can get more funding. The greeter also gives you the stamped envelope to send in

Other favorites of mine are the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Station (beautiful building, and it is only a train station!), The Flatiron Building and Canal Square outdoor market. All efforts are rewarded for and see.

Metro travel is much less daunting than you might be led to believe. A great way to spend a day is to take the metro to the tip of Manhattan and take the ferry to Staten Island (It costs less than $ 2 for the return trip and you get to see the Staten Island Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. The trip takes about two hours in total and gives you great photo opportunities.

From the tip of Manhattan, you can walk all the way to Broadway make the shopping experience is wonderful Canal Street, I do not think it was possible to get as many fake Rolex watches in one place! You can also go through the fashion district that offers tax-free clothing and the most popular sites of New York.

Allow yourself plenty of time to walk Broadway because it is very long and full of distraction. If you are tired just hop on the metro.

Macy's is a must for the hardened shopper, offering tourists a 11 percent discount card as well as tax-free shops undoubtedly be all the sweeter shopping experience. For children or adults who have not grown FAO Schwartz is a must. Look for the giant floor piano upstairs, for those of you who have seen the movie Big Tom Hanks you can recognize it.

For people out there sporting Nike Town [http://nike-trainers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=2] worth a trip, 5 floors full of everything Nike to offer very reasonable price and for those of you with children or a sweet tooth Dylan's Candy Store is incredible.

A quiet walk around Central Park is always an enjoyable experience, but if the weather is not too good you the Natural History Museum in the same area. If walking is not for you then do the open top bus tour that offers many tours in various parts of the city. If art is your thing, there is the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, the Museum of Modern Art, plus many more.

There are so many things to do in New York that weekend seem not enough time to do everything, but I find enough Thursday to Sunday. The crowd becomes hard work, the noise becomes tiring and traffic becomes unbearable. But when I'm at the airport waiting for my flight, I want to be there in the middle of it all.

New York is one of those places that are great to go, but even better to return to.