Saturday, August 15, 2015

Day 10 - Las Vegas to New York

Sometimes, we really took the efficiency and convenience of Singapore for granted.
We were supposed to return our rental cars AT the airport, however, the actual place to return was quite far and not within walking distance.

It was quite an eventful morning. Traveling with kids, we were always running short of time. We had problems locating the rental car companies, and my brother-in-law left his bag in the rental car after he returned the car and came to the airport to meet us. And we almost missed our flight from Las Vegas to New York.

Traveling with 3 young kids is no joke. 
Takes a family effort.



On the flight to New York

Taking turns to take care the kids.
My mum is always the best! =)


NEW YORK NEW YORK


Wiki: "New York – often called New York City or the City of New York to distinguish it from the State of New York, of which it is a part – is the most populous city in the United States[1] and the center of the New York metropolitan area, the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States[9][10][11] and one of the most populousurban agglomerations in the world.[12][13] A global power city,[14] New York exerts a significant impact upon commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment. Home to theheadquarters of the United Nations,[15] New York is an important center for international diplomacy[16] and has been described as the cultural and financial capital of the world.[17][18][19][20][21][22]
Situated on one of the world's largest natural harbors,[23][24] New York City consists of five boroughs, each of which is a separate county of New York State.[25] The five boroughs – BrooklynQueensManhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island – were consolidated into a single city in 1898.[26] With a census-estimated 2014 population of 8,491,079[1][27] distributed over a land area of just 305 square miles (790 km2),[28] New York is the most densely populated major city in the United States.[29] As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York,[30][31] making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.[31][32][33] By 2014 census estimates, the New York City metropolitan region remains by a significant margin the most populous in the United States, as defined by both the Metropolitan Statistical Area (20.1 million residents)[5] and the Combined Statistical Area (23.6 million residents).[6] In 2013, the MSA produced a gross metropolitan product (GMP) of nearly US$1.39 trillion,[34] while in 2012, the CSA[35] generated a GMP of over US$1.55 trillion, both ranking first nationally by a wide margin and behind the GDP of only twelve and eleven countries, respectively.[36]
New York City traces its roots to its 1624 founding as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic and was named New Amsterdam in 1626.[37] The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664.[37][38][39]New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790.[40] It has been the country's largest city since 1790.[41] The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to the Americas by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries[42] and is a globally recognized symbol of the United States and its democracy.[43]
Many districts and landmarks in New York City have become well known, and the city received a record 56 million tourists in 2014,[44] hosting three of the world's ten most visited tourist attractions in 2013.[45] Several sources have ranked New York the most photographed city in the world.[46][47][48] Times Square, iconic as the world's "heart"[49] and its "Crossroads",[50] is the brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway Theater District,[51]one of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections,[52][53] and a major center of the world's entertainment industry.[54] The names of many of the city's bridgesskyscrapers,[55] and parks are known around the world. Anchored by Wall Street in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world,[21][56][57][58][59] and the city is home to the world's two largest stock exchanges by total market capitalization, the New York Stock Exchange andNASDAQ.[60][61] Manhattan's real estate market is among the most expensive in the world.[62][63] Manhattan's Chinatown incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere,[64][65] with multiple signature Chinatowns developing across the city.[66][67] Providing continuous 24/7 service,[68] the New York City Subway is one of the most extensive metro systems worldwide, with 469 stations in operation.[69][70][71][72] New York City's higher education network comprises over 120 colleges and universities, including Columbia UniversityNew York University, and Rockefeller University, which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world.[73][74]"

Well, who needs an introduction to NYC? 
So happy to be back in one of the favourite cities in the world. =)

It is still very expensive!!!
We had to order 2 UberXL (ie. SUVs) to bring us from Newark Airport to our Airbnb Apartment in Harlem as we have so many luggage.

The cost was US$83/vehicle. (ie. S$115). 
So we just spent S$230 on airport transfer!


Pretty nice Airbnb Apartment in New York City (Harlem).
For 3 nights, we paid US$1650 (S$2300). That is about US$550/night (S$770/night).

That's really expensive considering that Harlem is not a safe district and is quite far from downtown Manhattan. But that is one of the best offers, we managed to source. This is New York! It is 3-bedroom apartment with small kitchens and 2 bathrooms. Pretty spacious for New York Standard. Convenient Store is just below!! Most importantly, there are enough space for the kids to run around and play.


Bought grocery and simple dinner (ie. Sandwich) from the local grocery store.
Yes, my dad was complaining not having Asian food. =(


Taking the subway.

My parents were quite surprised that New York's subway was so rundown.
When we came back to Singapore, my father commented that USA is not exactly as good as he thought. Haha... 



TIME SQUARE

Wiki: "Times Square is a major commercial intersection and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets.[1]Brightly adorned with billboards and advertisements, Times Square is sometimes referred to as The Crossroads of the World,[2] The Center of the Universe,[3] the heart of The Great White Way,[4][5][6] and the "heart of the world".[7] One of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections,[8] it is also the hub of theBroadway Theater District[9] and a major center of the world's entertainment industry.[10] Times Square is one of the world's most visited tourist attractions, drawing an estimated fifty million visitors annually.[11]Approximately 330,000 people pass through Times Square daily, many of them tourists;[12] while over 460,000 pedestrians walk through Times Square on its busiest days.[7]
Formerly Longacre Square, Times Square was renamed in 1904 after The New York Times moved its headquarters to the newly erected Times Building, the site of the annual ball drop which began on December 31, 1907, and continues today, attracting over a million visitors to Times Square every New Year's Eve.[13]
Duffy Square, the northernmost of Times Square's triangles, was dedicated in 1937 to Chaplain Francis P. Duffy of New York City's U.S. 69th Infantry Regiment and is the site of a memorial to him, along with a statue of George M. Cohan.[14]"

When I was younger, I always saw on the news about the New Year Eve countdown in Time Square. I told myself that I want to do it as well, and yes, I did it many years ago and it was quite an experience. Very tiring, but totally worth it. I might not do it again.


Going to Time Square


Love the Billboards and Neon Lights in Time Square.


=)


It's good to be back!!!!


Love it!!

So happy to revisit Time Square with my family.
(Clearly, the kids were really tired.)


Papa and Mama in Time Square, New York City.
=)

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