My First Time In New York City – Final Part: Brooklyn Bridge, Grand Central Terminal and Lasting Impressions

tkappa (66)in #travel • 7 years ago (edited)

Hello my fellow steemians,

Part V of my American Adventures and finally a chapter that opened nearly two months ago is about to close. So, today I am taking you with me in Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square (again), the famous Grand Central Terminal, while we will also do some shopping and eating together as usual. Welcome to my blog ;)

Brooklyn Bridge and Grimaldi's Pizzeria

After two whole weeks of merciless touring, eating and drinking in the US, there were very few things left I hadn't seen or done yet. One of these was to walk on the famous Brooklyn Bridge and eat Brooklyn's pizza, which is considered the MOST AUTHENTIC Italian-American pizza one can find in America.

My friend insisted that we should visit Brooklyn during the evening when the views (and COLD...BRRRRRR) would be even more stunning. The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed/suspension bridge in New York City and is one of the oldest roadway bridges in the United States period.

Started in 1869 and completed fourteen years later in 1883, it connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, spanning the East River. It has a main span of 486.3 m (I walked it all like a champ) and was the first steel-wire suspension bridge constructed.

Since opening, it has become an icon of New York City and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964, and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1972. Enough with the history lessons though; enjoy some of my best shots now ;-)

In no time you reach Brooklyn, which in my opinion is one of the best places for a New Yorker to live. The streets and pavements there are so clean, the buildings are awesome, there are lights everywhere, but at the same time life's not as intense and stressful as it is in Manhattan.

Also, from what I noticed Brooklyn was one of the most European-populated areas in New York, definitely more European than Bronx and Queens. But then again if you're a true lover of multiculturalism, Queens would be pretty awesome for you to stay!

Back to Brooklyn though, if I could afford it, I would definitely spend a couple of years of my life there....

A Rare View of Manhattan from Brooklyn

The second big-ass limo I saw in the US...First was in Philly

This reminded me of Paris

Even though I had promised to @novanyc that I would only drink juices during my last two days there (so I could fit in my seat on the plane) the beautiful walk lasted for many hours and Grimaldi's Pizzeria (which was voted best pizzeria in all New York for 2017) was right there starring at us....I just couldn't resist!!!

Man, oh man....THAT WAS DELICIOUS!!!

Back to Times Square and Grand Central Terminal

While in the US, I discovered many, many places that I really liked, but the ONE that I kept going back to and loved the most was Times Square. The energy there is ONE OF A KIND, literally! There's no way you visit New York and don't end up there again and again! It's a truly magic place!

I also met one of my childhood musical icons in the Wax Museum (he wasn't there the first time I went). I mean...I grew up with this "thug's" tracks, man!!!!!

And of course, I couldn't help but eat (ONCE AGAIN) the best cheesecake in the world at Junior's...

Last, but not least, on our way back home I finally got a chance to visit the famous Grand Central Terminal of New York City that you have seen (even if you don't realize it) in MILLIONS of films....OK, maybe in hundreds of films ;-)

This train station is a small town really...

Shopping and Lasting Impressions

Being in the Mecca of capitalism and consumerism, makes you vulnerable! Trust me when I say that you can easily turn into a shopping monster there. The fact that when Americans refer to "discounts" THEY TOTALLY MEAN IT (unlike Greeks and other European countries), make things even easier!

To give you an example, I got an awesome Ralph Lauren winter coat for $99 at Century 21 in Philly, while its original price was $359. NO LIE!!!

A Valentino suit for $60 (original price was $290).

A pair of Calvin Klein shoes and two pairs of Adidas for $160 (140E) in total, while in Greece I would have to give a kidney and part of my liver just to buy one of them ;)

So, next time you talk to your American friends (I am sure some of you have them) and they try to "bling bling" you with their goodies, tell them that you know better.

For all its bad qualities, I will tell you right now that USA does one thing GREAT compared to pretty much every other nation out there: EVERYONE can have access to EVERYTHING there.

The American Dream may not be as pink as it used to be back in the 70's and 80's, but still if you're willing to try hard in the US, you will get paid back eventually. Can you say the same about Greece? I am afraid not!!!

To make a long story short, I am really thankful and grateful to my friend for having me there! I am also glad doing this trip during my mid-30's instead of back when I was 20 or 25 and toured all over Europe like a nomad.

I am afraid that if I had done this trip back in my younger days, I would have probably missed many things that I appreciated now...with a more mature mind.

Could I live in the US permanently? Even though I have lived in four countries already, I think I couldn't live there for the rest of my life; not in New York anyway!

Maybe in Philadelphia, or another state that I didn't visit this time (I hear great things about New Hampshire and Massachusetts). I guess I am way too European in certain things. Never say never in life though...

The only certain thing is that I left a piece of my heart there the last time and I will DEFINITELY go back to pick it up ;-)

In case you've missed the first four parts, please find them here so you have a more complete taste of my "American "Adventures,"