New York, New York🗽

At 5 am in the morning, we headed towards Chattanoga Airport. Andreas took us to the airport and after an unusually short check, we were already in the air.
The flight went smoothly and we were even able to watch an incredibly beautiful sunrise from the plane.
New York welcomed us with a thick cloud cover but still pleasant temperatures. After a short orientation, we decided to take an Uber to our accommodation.
Lars had reserved an affordable Airbnb in Queens in advance, half an hour outside of the city. We rang the doorbell of the small house and were surprised when a small Italian man with a shaved head opened the door. Since we arrived early and our room was still occupied, we left our backpacks there and made our way to Manhattan.
The train was a short walk from our house. As we strolled through the streets, it didn't feel like we were in the huge NY at all. The streets were lined with small houses and shops.
After a few minutes on the train, the buildings became taller and more powerful.
We decided to get off at Times Square. When we arrived, we were overwhelmed by the crowds of people and the hundred different brightly lit billboards. We both needed coffee first, so we found a nice spot and let the scene sink in. It all felt very far from the America we had known so far.
It was hectic everywhere and horns were honking non-stop. Welcome to New York!
Shortly after, we saw the Naked Cowboy whom I had already seen on TV before. Wearing only underwear + cowboy boots + cowboy hat and with his guitar, he sings his way through Times Square.
After taking a walk, we decided to go to Diana's hotel and wait there, as she and Benni were arriving later.
So we sat on the hotel terrace and watched the hustle and bustle on the street. After about two hours, a car pulled up and I already recognized Diana in it. The reunion was great, we were all incredibly happy to see each other after such a long time.
After they checked in, we decided to go for a leisurely coffee.
Then we set out to explore the streets of NY and it felt like being in the movies that we had seen so many times. We passed by the Empire State Building, parks, and ended up back at Times Square. Since we were all pretty tired and the two of them had a pretty long flight behind them, we went to bed after dinner.
We started the next day sporty and rented bikes for Central Park. Satisfied, we cycled through the truly huge park and made a few stops. For lunch in New York style, we had a hot dog. We really liked the park, especially the lake is super beautiful. After returning the bikes, we went to a ramen place for lunch. Since Diana and I really wanted to see the skyline, we went to Brooklyn. The skyline at night is sensational and we couldn't get enough of it. We went back to Manhattan via the Brooklyn Bridge.
Unfortunately, day three greeted us with bad weather, so we decided to take the bus to the nearby New Jersey Outlet. Diana and I were in our element, but the guys also found a thing or two. In the evening, we returned to the city where we treated ourselves to a good burger.
Day four was Diana's big day, her 30th birthday, and we wanted to go to the observation deck at the Rockefeller Center. After a short wait, we were informed that all tickets were already sold out and we decided to buy a ticket for another day. So we spontaneously took the Staten Island Ferry. The ferry connects Manhattan and Staten Island and is free of charge. On the boat, past the Statue of Liberty and the skyline of NY. That was already a great sight, as we had seen the statue so often in pictures or in movies. We all enjoyed the ride and after a short break on Staten Island, we went back to Manhattan. Once we arrived, we walked through the streets to Wall Street and the new World Trade Center. There is also the Ground Zero, a monument for the attacks of September 11th. The monument represents the outlines of the tower and looks like a kind of waterfall, the water then flows into a black hole. The many names of the victims are also immortalized and on their birthday, a white rose is placed there. One cannot imagine what happened there a few years ago and it is a disconcerting feeling to be at this place today. It makes you sad but on the other hand, I find it overwhelming to see this cohesion of the New Yorkers and that they never gave up. We stayed a while longer at the place and admired the many modern buildings. Then we went to Diana's hotel in Manhattan with a crate of beer. We enjoyed some drinks and freshened up before heading to a really nice restaurant to celebrate Diana's birthday. After a tasty dinner, we went to a rooftop bar to end the evening.
The next day, Diana unfortunately realized that she had received two different shoe sizes while shopping a few days ago. Therefore, she had to make the long trip to New Jersey again. Lars and I, meanwhile, had a nice day in the hipster neighborhood Williamsburg. We strolled through the neighborhood and then went to a food festival. We really liked it there and tried many different delicacies, including a gigantic donut for dessert. After a digestion walk, we settled in a park and admired the Manhattan skyline. We took the subway back to Manhattan and went to the High Line Park. This is a kind of promenade on a former railway bridge, above the streets of NY. They actually wanted to tear it down but the New Yorkers decided against it and instead created this cool walking path. We treated ourselves to a strong coffee there and watched the many people. In New York, you really see all kinds of people. Then we visited Diana and Benni, who were back from their unplanned shopping trip. After that, Lars and I made our way home and got a burrito from my favorite food truck.
On day 6, we wanted to explore different neighborhoods. We started with China Town, where you really feel like you're in Asia. There we bought some souvenirs and admired the hectic activity on the streets. A few blocks further, we reached Little Italy. Asian shops were replaced by pizzerias and ice cream parlors. This enormous variety is really impressive. On a corner, I saw the little cupcake shop that I had read about before. We spontaneously went in and enjoyed a small calorie bomb. Then we went to Carrie's apartment from the TV series Sex and the City, which Diana and I really wanted to see. It doesn't get more New York feeling haha...
When we arrived, there was already a crowd of young women taking pictures. Diana and I, of course, also took a few snapshots before we moved on. We had tickets for the Rockefeller Center later that afternoon. We went to a pub until it was time to go up. We quickly went up in the elevator and then we were at the so-called Top of the Rock. The view over New York is truly sensational. I think we stayed up there for two hours to see the city in the dark. It was definitely worth it, I think, as the sea of lights is beautiful.

The next day, our last full day had arrived and we decided to take the cable car to Roosevelt Island. The ride is great, but unfortunately, the weather was not on our side. On the island, we took a walk and then returned. Afterward, we went to the amusement park Conny Island. Unfortunately, it was closed, so we treated ourselves to a Nathan's hot dog before heading back. In Manhattan, we went to a pub for a few rounds of beer before going to bed.
And then the time had come, unfortunately, it was our last day. Luckily, we still had a few hours until the flight. The weather was also on our side again, so we walked leisurely across the Brooklyn Bridge and enjoyed the sunshine. In Brooklyn, we went for coffee and enjoyed the view of Manhattan. Slowly, we made our way back home and treated ourselves to a pizza before saying goodbye. It was sad, but with the prospect of seeing each other again soon, our paths unfortunately had to separate. Lars and I still had more time, so we settled in at the pub again before making our way to the airport by train and bus. From there, we flew non-stop back to Chattanoga, where dear Andreas picked us up.

Conclusion:
The week passed by too quickly, but we enjoyed it very much. The best part was definitely seeing Diana and Benni again. But New York is also a great metropolis with a lot to offer. I think everyone should visit New York at least once in their life. New York - the city that never sleeps, definitely left a lasting impression on us.