New York City, How can I Meet You again?

Manhattan at night

We chose to visit Brooklyn Bridge at night so we could see the light of the bridge and the skyscraper surround it. So beautiful.

 

This is not a travel guide nor tips to travel to New York City (NYC). I just want to share my experiences in NYC here, to keep sort of my memories there and to remind me one day that I've been there. I realized that there's nothing impossible in this world. Keeping up my dreams as always.

Last week, on 24-27 May I was in NYC. All of those days I felt blessed. A boon. Thank God everything was going like I planned. I booked my return plane tickets and hostel two months ago. I got a good price, it was $179 for U.S Airways airplane return tickets from Charlotte, NC to John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport in NY. I paid $155 for the hostel for 3 nights. The hostel's name is Q4 hotel, located in 2909 Queens Plaza North, NY. I highly recommend this hostel, it's cheap, clean, the kitchen was Ok, and the most important thing is the access to the subway station. It took just 5 minutes to get there by walking. So easy.

My friend Kokoh Rudi was the most precise company for this trip. He's studying in Columbia University for almost one year. I guess he knows every single corner in NYC. Lucky me, he had  time when I went there, so he guided me all the way. Obviously, I have to thank him for this fabulous trip.

I arrived at terminal 8 JFK airport around 12 pm. I went out the terminal by airtrain and then caught the subway and heading to my hostel. Oh! Before I went to NYC, I downloaded the subway map to my cellphone. It helped a lot. So, from JFK to Sutphin Station I took the airtrain. Sutphin Station is the place to transfer from airport airtrain to subway. To get out from this station I paid with Metrocard. I bought a metrocard from the machine for $1 and top it to $10. The price for one trip using subway or bus is $2.5. For the Airtrain I paid $5 for one trip. It's quite expensive. Koh Rudi said that it'd be better if I buy an unlimited metrocard. Then, I bought a new metrocard for one week unlimited. It was $30. So much better.


Metrocard Machine

 

Right after I put all my stuff in the hostel I met up with Kokoh Rudi. I was so hungry after that long trip from NC to NY. We went to Upi Jaya, Indonesian restaurant. It sold Nasi Padang as its special menu. OMG, I was so happy. Almost one year I didn't eat this kind of food. Then we went to Times Square, it was raining so I bought an umbrella. Even rainy, Times Square was still crowded. Yea, this place is one of the iconic places in NYC. No wonder.

Times Square at night

 

One of Shack Shake Burger

Since it's raining all afternoon, we decided to watch the Broadway Show. We picked The Phantom of The Opera show. We got 30% off, we paid $70 for each ticket. While waiting for the show to begin we ate in Shack Shake Burger restaurant. Koh Rudi said that this place has the most delicious burger in NYC and is very famous. He's right. When we got there, the line was so long. We might  have waited for about 30 minutes to get that burger. But yeah, my first bite on this burger I could say the same. So delicious!
 

 
 
The show was great. I really enjoyed the first chapter. I like the dresses, the songs, the stars expressions, the stage, the ballet dance, everything. The second chapter I felt bored, I even fell asleep for about ten minutes right before the show ended, hahaha.

The Phantom of The Opera show Starts, I still can Feel the Atmosphere.

On the second day, We went to some of must visited places. We went to Grand Central Terminal, Washington Square, 9/11 memorial, Wall Street, Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), Central Park, and Brooklyn Bridge. It was a happy and busy day. Most of those places were free. I only paid $25 for the museum. Really it's worth it. I love museums, at The Met I saw so many things. I didn't worry about getting lost because they give me a museum map. I don't think that I visited every single corner they have. What I remember is that I visited all in 2nd and 3rd floors but not the 1st and mezzanines. I saw the collections in The American Wings, Ancient Near Eastern Art, Art of Arab lands, Turkey, Iran, Central and South Asia, European Paintings, Greek and Roman Art, Medieval Art, Modern and Contemporary Art, and Robert Lehman Collection. The most interesting place was in Arab Lands. I saw a big handwriting Al Qur'an and "Munajat" (Confidential Talks) of Ali bin Abi Thalib there.

At 9/11 Memorial

 

 Wall Street Icon, A Famous Bull



Main Hall at The Met

Handwriting Al-Quran

 

Picnic at Central Park

Koh Rudi at Central Park

Turtle Pond, Central Park

3$ per minute, anybody?

When I see my photo collection from this museum fastidiously, I realize something. Why do most of my photos depict the naked body? Not only the sculptures but also the painting. I don't think it's merely coincidence. Hahaha.

 

I had lunch from Halal Food cart on that day. It's so easy to find, cheap, and taste good. At dinner time we spent at Bali Nusa Indah Restaurant where located in Columbus Ave. Yea again Indonesian food.

Halal Food Carts

 

 On the third day, Really in the morning we went to The Statue of Liberty. We took a free ferry from the South Port. It took only around 45 minutes for one round trip. We didn't stop in the statue island, but I still could see it from ferry. The statue wasn't that big like I thought before. Then, we went to The Empire State Building. Koh Rudi waited for me in Starbucks when I go to the building. He has been here before. I paid $29 for the ticket. Lucky me the line wasn't so long.


The Statue of Liberty

Thanks Om!

Buildings view from the top of The Empire State Building

This building is one of the tallest skyscraper in the world. This 381m building was opened in 1931 and until now this building is still being a legend. I could feel how the lift moving really fast. The view from the top was so amazing. What a crowded Manhattan with those buildings. Oh!, from the top I saw Statue of Liberty also. It looked so small.

 

We had lunch at Janchi-Janchi Korean food in Korean town. I liked it.

 

After lunch I visited other famous museum. Wohoo I went to American Museum of Natural History. A place to peer up what happened in the past. The most interesting place for me was Mexico and Central America exhibit. I saw Inca, Maya, and Aztec stuff. The famous Aztec calendar stone, sculptures, jewels, hunter tools, and many more. The Dinosaur and Hall of Biodiversity were also interesting. I saw Indonesian hall here. I was feeling so proud of it. There were Batik process exhibit, puppets, masks, and others handy crafts. I think I'd have spent my whole afternoon there.

Aztec's Calendar Stone

Proud of  Masks from Indonesia

If They are Alive!

 On the last day, My flight was at 1.42 pm. I couldn't go crazy. We spent all morning at Columbia University. OMG, Could life be better than this. I think this place is the most memorable place for me. I don't know why. There's something crawling out of my mind. Like a spirit. Hahhaa... yea maybe one day I will go back to school.

Until The Gate is Open to Welcoming Me.