I have been to several different destinations in my lifetime so far. I have traveled up and down the East Coast and even out of the country. Although I have been to very beautiful places, the most incredible place I have been is New York City. It was a cultural experience like no other. I saw and experienced so many different sites including the Empire State building, Ground Zero, Broadway shows, and many other attractions.
I have always heard about the bad reputation New York drivers have about “wild driving”. I never really believed the tales, but I experienced it firsthand. We had two drivers pick my family, friends, and myself up from the airport. As soon as the tires hit the pavement, we were flying and squeezing through tiny openings between various cars. It was a thrill! We were weaving in and out, buildings flashing by. If I drove like that through my small town, the city police would have me in jail. There were roads going in every direction. The buildings were as tall as the sky, and this was only the beginning.
We decided to start looking at all the sights immediately. It was overwhelming. We were constantly walking and looking. It was really amazing to see buildings I had only seen in movies. We toured Harlem which was probably the neatest place we toured. We saw kids playing in the streets; some even tried to spray the tour bus with a broken fire hydrant! They missed us only by a few inches. I started appreciating the experience of the trip even more after going through Harlem.
I saw the Statue of Liberty, and it was really remarkable. It was a lot bigger than I imagined and farther away from the city itself. Tours are no longer allowed in the crown of Lady Liberty, but it was still very moving to be so close to the statue. It was rewarding to see the statue because it symbolizes everything our country is about.

Although I saw some very remarkable sights, Ground Zero was the most extraordinary. It took my breath away when I realized how big the “hole” was where the towers once stood. There is still jet fuel on surrounding buildings! We also toured a church that served as a volunteer station. The church was literally next to the where the Twin Towers once stood, and the only damage the church suffered was a tree down and debris. Before we entered the church we said a prayer for all the innocent lives taken and also the families that suffered. We spent a long time touring the church and taking pictures. It had lots of information, pictures, letters, and signs. It was honestly the best experience I had while in New York City.
Not only were the sights amazing, so were the Broadway shows! W went and saw “The Wicked” and also “Mamma Mia.” My friends and family got all dressed up for a night out on the town. We went and ate at a restaurant called Bobby Vans and it was wonderful. The best food I have ever eaten included salmon, salad, and mashed potatoes which had to be ordered separately. After we ate we went and saw “The Wicked” which is the untold story of the Wizard of Oz, “what really happened”. It was amazing; all of the props, costumes, and music were thrilling. I enjoyed every minute of the show. We also went and saw “Mamma Mia” which was really good as well. It was exciting the watch the movie after we had seen it on Broadway. Broadway was by far the better than the movie. Seeing the two shows was absolutely incredible.
One of the must do’s while in New York is to get on live television. We made signs and got up extra early so we could be seen on live TV. Our families and friends back home saw us on The Early Show and also on Good Morning America. It was so neat! We also got a glimpse of Chris Brown one day while he was performing for a TV show! Being able to tell people that I was on television twice, met famous news anchors, and even saw a famous singer is awesome!
My New York experience was magnificent. I met different people, saw amazing sights, and had the time of my life! I would not trade this trip for anything. It was the ultimate cultural experience. I learned about the lives of people different from my own, saw how the cost of living varies in different parts of the country, saw famous landmarks, and overall had the time of my life! I hope I am able to visit New York City again because it was so rewarding and exciting.