New York: Taking a bite out of the Big Apple
IF you’re looking for a relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of work, then forget about a trip to New York.
But if you’re after a taste of the high life around some of the world’s most iconic sights, then jump on a plane to the city that never sleeps.
For New York is exactly what you’d imagine it to be – and more.
Nestled between the glamorous boutiques of Fifth Avenue and the awe-inspiring, snow- covered Central Park, my hotel’s location made walking into the street in the morning just like entering a Hollywood movie.
A few blocks south was the Empire State Building which King Kong famously climbed, a short walk past Central Park and you came to the Dakota building where John Lennon was shot dead, and if you ventured a little further you could see the remains of Ground Zero, which still throws up vivid images of 9/11.
A world apart was how it felt, but in fact the Big Apple was much closer than I thought.
Thanks to Continental Airlines, it is now possible to fly to Newark, New Jersey, in about five-and-a-half hours – roughly the same time it takes to fly to Cyprus.
And the beauty of arriving at Newark Airport is that you see the full Manhattan Island skyline as you drive in to the city, before zipping through a tunnel and arriving in the middle of some of the world’s most impressive skyscrapers.
Imagine leaving Birmingham Airport at 9am and being ready to start knocking back the Cosmopolitan cocktails in a Manhattan bar by midday.
It’s no longer just a dream.
