So now it's official. Of all the places I've seen, New York City is absolutely my favourite city.
During the five-day holiday, we stayed at the Distrikt Hotel just a couple of blocks from Times Square. The Big Apple consists of five boroughs - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island.
Times Square got its name from the world famous newspaper the New York Times, and along with many city parts, is a backdrop often used in news, television and movies.
Who remembers Felicity?
Driving is not recommended in New York. Especially during the peak hours, traffic jams can be awful and it is extremely difficult to find a parking lot. The public transportation system, subways and busses cover the island well and are easy to use. Also walking is very common on the island.
Broadway is known for the musicals but also nearly a Manhattan-long street cutting askew the island.
A first timer on Manhattan feels herself very small amidst the tall skyscrapers. In awe she strains her neck to see the sky.
There was at least one must-see - I wanted to visit the Empire State Building, one of the best known icons of the city. Perhaps it's a cliché but then again, why not? ;)
The view to New Jersey over the Hudson River.
The view to Downtown.
The Flatiron Building, nowadays a functioning office building, used to create a part of a zone where ladies were able to shop without a chaperone.
Manhattan Bridge unites Brooklyn to Manhattan.
Manhattan Bridge on the left and Brooklyn Bridge on the right, pointing to Brooklyn.
NYC is the melting pot of different cultures and most of the world's biggest nations can be found represented in Manhattan. Little Italy is bordering Chinatown but as there are more Asian people as there are Italians, the Italian culture is being swallowed by the Chinese influence.
Wall Street.
Occupy Wall Street is a leaderless resistance movement in the financial district with the causes of wealth inequality, government corruption and corporate influence of government that began in September 2011, basically after so many people lost their jobs due to the bad economic downfall.
Ground Zero's wall mural is dedicated to the ones who lost their lives in 911 attack in 2001.
New additions to the World Trade Center are being built.
In the summertime South Street Seaport offers vibrant cultural experiences, such as concerts and entertainment. It is located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and is adjacent to the Financial District.
What is better on a warm summer night than good music, cold beer and great company?
Another one of the iconic landmarks of the city is the Statue of Liberty. Due to maintenance work the statue was closed for visitors during our visit but I settled for passing the lady on a free ferry ride to Staten Island.
The Meatpacking District shares many of the same characteristics as does the West Village, and is now a popular zone to go wine and dine.
However, my absolutely favourite neighbourhood of all in New York, is Greenwich Village which is also known as West Village.
Magnolia Bakery is one of the cutest little stores in West Village. Couldn't you see me working there?
Who regonises this building on Bedford Street?
That's right! It's the building from Friends where Monica and Rachel live.
Central Park is a huge park in Manhattan and a convenient oasis for New Yorkers escaping from their skyscrapers. There are baseball fields, tennis courts, and swimming pools; also it forms a large network of streets and paths for cyclists, walkers, joggers and horse carriages. Additionally, a zoo, restaurants, little refreshment kiosks, carousels and other amusements can be found in the park.
Central Park is a well-known retreat globally after its appearance in many movies and television shows, making it one of the most famous city parks in the world - I could recognise many of the areas from movies such as Maid In Manhattan with Jennifer Lopez, Friends With Benefits with Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake, and TV shows like Friends and Sex and the City.
The Angel of the Waters, Bethesda Terrace.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art aka The Met can also be found on the outskirts of the park.
A church in the Upper West Side.
The upper end of Central Park reaches all the way to Harlem.
Stairs in Harlem.
The Rockefeller Center.
Summer in city... The temperatures were constantly around 30 Celsius degrees.
Bryant Park is an active place. On Monday nights free movies are shown under the stars, and during some days of the week, free yoga is offered.
New York is fantastic, right? There's everything you need. It's a city I will definitely want to visit again, maybe in Christmas lights, or during the colourful autumn, or when the spring makes the flowers bloom...
