If there is a Christmas city par excellence, that is New York, of course there are a few more, but, what is a lover of the Big Apple going to say?
They don’t fall short with the decorations. 5th Avenue shines with lights and Christmas carols. Walking south, leaving Central Park behind, you’ll find the Plaza Hotel on your right, where Crocodile Dundee stayed in his visit to the big city. Opposite there’s the Apple shop, if you can’t find it look underground. In the same side there is the famous jeweler Tiffany’s, the one I talked about in my post “Breakfast in Central Park?” Now we can have breakfast there, like the title of the movie says, you have to book in advance, the restaurant is located in the fourth floor and it is decorated with the colours of the brand.
I think my favourite hotel regarding Christmas deco is the emblematic Peninsula, that also has a great rooftop.
The Saint Regis Hotel is opposite and it’s a nicer hotel, its Christmas deco is a bit more plain, but still nice. I love historic hotels.
Arriving to the Rockefeller Centre you’ll find the famous Christmas tree, the one is on TV the day is lit. There is a corridor between two buildings which will take you to it, underneath there is the small ice rink, a must visit in a Christmas in NY.
I am sure in your visit you’d like to go up to one of the skyscrapers. I always recommend the observatory of the Rockefeller Centre “Top of the Rocks”, this way you can see the Empire State Building and the Chrysler, since as if you go up only to the Empire State, you won’t be able to admire it from the distance and height. If you in addition go up just before it gets dark, you’ll be able to see the city in daylight, the sunset over the Hudson and the city at night with all its lights on, all in one. The entrance is around the corner.
By the way, in the ground floor of the Rockefeller on 50th street, there is a clothing and home accessories shop, Anthropologie, part of a chain. I am not much into shopping, but this shop has such very cute things! The mugs and bowls are so pretty, that I had to tell you about it.
In front of the giant stands tranquil the Cathedral of Saint Patrick’s. Its style is neoclassic, covered in white marble occupies a whole block, stands just before the Atlas.
Saint Patrick is the patron of the Irish people. After the Great Famine many Irish arrived into the US, with them they brought many traditions, like the celebration of Saint Patrick ’s Day in March, very rooted in New York. One of its most charismatic’s presidents, J. F .Kennedy, came also from an Irish family.
Where you’ll find the biggest show of Christmas lights is in Sack’s 5th Avenue, located next door to the cathedral, its façade is full of lights that go on and off to the sound of Christmas carols, making it into castles of Disney princesses. There I went last year with my good friend Ian, we felt like we were in one of those Christmas movies they play on a Sunday afternoon.
After taking hundreds of photos and videos to this little area we continued walking to Bryant Park. If you remember I was telling you about it in my first post about this city “Chapter one: he adored New York”. During Christmas season is still my favourite.
On the grass the install another ice rink, so if you haven’t ice skated in the Rockefeller one or the one in Central Park, no worries, here you have another opportunity.
On its terraces they set up a small Christmas market, but very cute. As I was telling you in my post, there are food stalls, so Mr. Ian and this Nomad Reader decided to appease our hunger in a Taiwanese stall and have a typical bao bun.
From the park we could see the big giant of the city which also lives in 5th and 34 street, the Empire State Building, one of the seven wonders of the modern world, so there we headed to greet it good night and to see the lights that decorated it. It depends on the theme in fashion they use different colours of lights.
If you also fancy going up to its terrace, like King Kong did, it is cheaper than the Top of the Rocks. I read that when the actress the big gorilla fell in love with, Fray Wray, died, the building was in complete darkness for 14 minutes, how romantic!
Walking a little further you’ll reach the Flatiron Building, about it and its surroundings you can read in “From old to trendy in New York City”.
Today I will tell you about a book that has nothing to do with the big city. I read it twenty years ago and enjoyed it like I enjoy New York every time I visit it. I am sure you have heard of it, it is our beloved “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. A story that starts in Andalusia in the south of Spain, from there Santiago undertakes a journey searching for a treasure shown in his dreams. He will live adventures, he’ll meet Fatima, his love, he’ll also meet the Alchemist, who will teach him his magic, he’ll be also mugged, until one day he’ll discover that the treasure is buried in his little village. All of that teaches us that we always have to follow our dreams, because along the way our own Personal Legend will be forged.
My Personal Legend took me to this fabulous city I love to write about. I hope you enjoy it if you visit it this Christmas. Happy Holidays dear nomads!
