How is the shortest way from Rockefeller Center to the bus stop on Sixth Ave? Certainly not through Times Square! And that’s why I went exactly this way. To miss the Times Square – I would probably get dammed by most of my friends (and I believe that even unknown ones).

          “Ya have to take the left street under those shining billboards,” explains – using really ungrammatical, and therefore to me almost incomprehensible English – Ironman. I really tried to avoid all these foreigners in customes, but not everything always goes according to plan – and it turned out that they are the only ones able to advise you in finding the right street. Native New Yorkers had Times Square on their list “places to avoid” on the top. And I don’t blame them. But we should start from the beginning.

♥

From the HOFSTRA University directly in front of Rockefeller Center by bus – and then everything by foot. Thanks to God that they do not have any stairs on The Top of the Rock, but lift. Anyway, I cannot imagine a single person who would be able to make it to the top using stairs. Once they crowded us into the elevator – nicely on the allowed number, so there was no place to move – all the lights went out and we started to climb the speed at which my ears crackled, through an animation of constellations on the ceiling.

Seeing New York from a bird’s eye view… I have to say that even though I’m not much of the city person, it took my breath away. Sometimes literally – because of the strong wind. Had there not been the barrier of plexiglass, it would blow us all down. And at exactly the moment when I saw Central Park for the first time and from such a height, I realized it was my bounden duty to visit that place. But about that, I’m gonna write much later.

Now just disentangle myself from Rockefeller Center and go on my journey. Despite the fact that I came with maps in contact constantly since I was five years old, I have some regrets while I have to inform you that finding the right street which I was in took me more time than I would have liked. Since I exited through the first door I found (it took me about a quarter of an hour), I found myself somewhere else than where I was supposed to be.

        The universally known fact that the streets of New York City are highly organized did not help me. Embracing noise, rush and confusion employ your mind so that you would not recognize your own parents, even if they were directly in front of you. But I do admit one thing to the city. This is just beautiful, very special, exactly THIS belonging to each location.

I ran to Times Square (literally, since I already had a delay) and hoped to just “fly through”. And exactly at this point, it turned into hell. The way was blocked by few thousands of people, perhaps half of them were superheroes. And the other half featured a horde of Mickey Mice. At first, I fought my way

through the Wonder Women and Batmen. They thought for some reason that I can’t leave without taking a photo with them. Bravely, I crawled around Minnie and Donald the duck and managed to avoid several Ironmen before I hit the one who eventually became my salvation and sent me the shortest way out of this hellish place.

With hindsight, but I must admit that Times Square is a truly unique place. And despite the initial shock, horror and absolute determination that I was not gonna go here anytime in my life again, I’m going here again – for Christmas. And then, “nevermore.” Although … never say never. And what was on this mildly stressful journey proverbial icing on the cake? Now the good, do not worry. Empire State Building shone like a beacon showing me the destination of my journey. Just a little further west than where I was actually supposed to be. 🙂

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