Welcome to New York... Welcome to New York... It's been waiting for you...
While walking around this city, this Taylor Swift song keeps playing non-stop in my head. Indeed, I'm walking through a crowd, the village is aglow. But have you ever wondered how this city feels early in the morning? Join me for a morning walk in the city that never sleeps.
At A Glance
Manhattan, New York City
From a foreigner's point of view, New York City is pretty much Manhattan. It is known for its towering skyscrapers, bustling streets, and iconic landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, Times Square, and Central Park. It is the financial center of New York with Wall Street at Lower Manhattan. It is also the home of Broadway theatres, the Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art), and Harlem.
I have visited this city a bunch of times and I'd have evening walks to see the stunning lights, and massive digital billboards and feel the busyness and grandeur of the area. But last September 2024, I decided to stroll around early in the morning.
A Morning Walk in Manhattan
Arriving at the hotel at 8 PM, I rested my head early to replenish my energy for a Manhattan morning walk.
I woke up at 5 AM. Nope, that was earlier than planned. Let's thank Jetlag for that! Since I'm stationed in the Middle East, I get Jetlagged whenever I travel to the Americas. I prepped a bit and sipped coffee and by 7 AM, I was at Time Square.
How does morning feel in the city that never sleeps? Let's see!
Time Square
Peaceful, tranquil, calm... wait, was I really in Times Square? The big screens, skyscrapers, and establishments were there, but it felt like I was teleported to a different NYC dimension.
The massive digital billboards were still playing, and few people were walking around but the usual traffic congestion was nowhere to be seen! I never knew Times Square could offer such peace and solitude.
Located in Midtown Manhattan, Times Square is one of the most famous and vibrant intersections. It is renowned for its massive digital billboards and bright lights illuminating the city 24/7.
As I was walking around, I came across the set of Good Morning America. Since the establishment had glass walls, I tried to take some pictures and videos from the outside as the live news show went on. Then one of the security personnel asked if I wanted to take a photo with Ms. Robin Roberts, a News Anchor of the show. She'd come out very soon. A little bit later, I had a meet and greet with the host.
I am aware of the show, but I am not familiar with its news anchors. So pardon me, from the other side of the world, as I say that I barely know Ms. Roberts. But I did googled her as soon as I got a data connection. It was a thrilling experience!
Here's a glimpse of my paparazzi shot of the show.
I went ahead and continued with my walk. I'm feeling quite spontaneous since I've walked these streets quite a few times before and heading back to the hotel won't be a challenge. Besides, in terms of safety, I'm a bit relaxed since it's quite early and bright.
I randomly walked south and passed by Bryant Park. I took a right on 5th Avenue and continued walking.
Empire State Building
As I passed by the New York Public Library, I knew I'd be seeing the towering Empire State Building!
Standing at 1454 ft (443.2 m), the Empire State Building was built during the 1930s and considered the world's tallest building until the 1970s. It has 102 stories, with two observation decks (86th and 102nd floors). The observation decks offer panoramic nightime and daytime views of the city up to 80 miles away.
I did not come any closer... I took some videos and pictures from afar to capture the facade of the whole building and continued walking.
Madison Square Park
Soon I reached Madison Square Park.
Madison Square Park is a green space inside the Madison Square neighborhood. It is a gathering spot and a venue for various events such as concerts, festivals, family-friendly activities, and art installations.
I sat and rested for a bit as I watched people pass by. The morning just got busier as rush hour approached. I headed back to 5th Avenue.
Hungry, I stopped by a Dunkin Donut Shop and ordered a ham and cheese bagel with coffee for takeaway. Found myself a nice quiet seat in front of the New York Public Library where I mindfully munched on my bagel.
When I finished my meal, I took care of my trash and entered the library with some security screening. I checked out an ongoing Free Exhibition.
New York Public Library
New York Public Library was opened in 1911 and is one of the world's largest and most renowned public library systems. Adorned with statues, beautiful murals, and a stunning marble facade, it has an elegant yet scholarly atmosphere. It houses millions of books and other resources but I'm not here to read or research... I went straight to the exhibition.
This exhibition was named the Polonsky Exhibition of The New York Public Library's Treasures. It showcases some of the most extraordinary items from the 56 million of NYPL's collection of treasures. NYPL has searched, collected, and preserved these treasures for more than 125 years. It features some of the rarest books, documents, portraits, opera recordings, etc.
But some toys caught my attention. There were a handful of old stuffed toys that looked utterly familiar. Lo and behold, they were the toys of Christopher Robin Milne, from which sprouted the characters of the book Winnie the Pooh, written by Christopher Robin's father, A.A. Milne. It's quite nostalgic since I grew up watching the animated series based on this book and loved the characters of Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Tiger, and the rest of the gang.
I wanted to visit the upper floor but the halls are restricted for research. There were scheduled guided tours every two hours. I'd save that for next time since I had to return to the hotel anyway.
I went back to Times Square and took more videos and pictures as the backdrop got busier, louder, and more crowded. Time to go back to my hotel... I grabbed some essentials from CVS and a gyro from the Halal Guys on 52nd Street.
Indeed Manhattan is different during the day. But whether I visit during the day or night, I'll always be thrilled by the flashing lights... See you on my next trip!
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