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New York City

Times Square, Staten Island Ferry, Top of the Rocks at Rockefeller Tower, Grand Central Station, MoMA, Broadway Workshop, Broadway Show Avenue Q, Central Park, Fifth Avenue, Hard Rock Café, Wall Street, 9/11 Memorial, Battery Park, Ellen’s Stardust Diner, Bloomingdales...

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Times Square, Staten Island Ferry, Top of the Rocks at Rockefeller Tower, Grand Central Station, MoMA, Broadway Workshop, Broadway Show Avenue Q, Central Park, Fifth Avenue, Hard Rock Café, Wall Street, 9/11 Memorial, Battery Park, Ellen’s Stardust Diner, Bloomingdales...

An Arty Perspective...

On our first day we went to the 9/11 Memorial, which was absolutely breath-taking. Two pools were surrounded by the names of the victims, and were a poignant memorial. They also brought home how huge the towers were and how big the tragedy of 9/11 was. It was really surprising and sad to see that on the memorial plaques with all the names there were members of the traffic control department and one name had ‘and unborn baby’ after it. That was devastating.

After the 9/11 Memorial we went on the Staten Island Ferry which was UNBELIEVABLE!! The ferry ride was surreal. It was really odd seeing Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty with our own eyes, it felt like we were standing in a postcard. The Statute of Liberty was amazing to see. It was about as American as it is possible to get. We got to see an fantastic view of New York and it was great fun going on the ferry.

We arrived at Central Park, and had the nice surprise of seeing horse and carriages in the middle of New York City. The park was beautiful, with lots of autumnal coloured trees offering a distinct difference between the midst of the bustling city and the calming park scenery. Playgrounds filled with children, artists displaying their work for us to buy and dogs running around enjoying the open space as much as we were. The park was so big, that we would have to come back and explore more of what it has to offer another day as we had most definitely not had enough of it.

We visited Times Square a few times during our trip. It was absolutely awe inspiring. In the night it was lit up brightly by the flashing billboards and full of people, with costumed comic book characters walking around. In the day it was just as full of people and just as awe inspiring but somehow calmer. When we went on the Rockefeller Centre tour we had the chance to see Times Square from above and it was odd to see that a place that seemed so huge and all-encompassing when we were in it was just normal buildings from above.

One evening we visited the incredible Ellen’s Star Diner, a diner that mixed good old American food with even better old American Broadway. In fact, it brought song and dance to our table! The waiters and waitresses even danced on the tables! The music was everywhere; with young hopeful performers singing for an audience in between serving burgers, and the place coming alive with applause between bites. The food was delicious, everything you could hope for in an American diner; and the tips in the diner go towards singing and dance lessons, to get those waiters and waitresses a real chance to follow their dreams. So far, 21 have made it to the stage. The diner itself was small and cosy, but had an upstairs, which was where we were. The stairs were decked with seasonal skeletons and the chandeliers were all webbed up for Halloween, and the diner truly had it’s own fun and unique personality, and it’s unique place in New York.

Central Park seemed like the only escape from the wild city, as you enter there is a huge expanse of green in contrast to the grey and silver of the city buildings. It was easy to get lost amongst the many bridges, walkways and lakes along with the bustling ice rink. Overall, it seemed to be the calmest place in New York, which comforted us. It was an inspiring setting to draw the beautiful scenery, and enjoy a small amount of relaxing time before the crazy journey home.

Written by Ewelina Gil, Erin Hawkins, Jasmine Celtel and Aimee Pollock, Year 11