A first time visitor's reflection of the Big Apple.

It is the city that never sleeps, and it is the media capitol of the world. It is an international city that hosts all kinds of languages and nationalities. It is New York City, and it is only three hours by plane and less than a day’s drive away.

Every block offers a different adventure. There are street vendors offering used books, collectible comics, hot pretzels and fresh fruit. In some parts of the city, people can even find bootleg movies and CD’s or designer knock-off merchandise. Residents of the city move at a fast pace, but they are not necessarily as rude as stereotyped to be.

The subway system can be confusing, but with a map and a little practice the rails become easier to navigate. It also provides a wonderful opportunity to people watch. By buying a Metro card, people can ride the trains and buses for an unlimited number of times, which is easier than breaking out the change each time you need to catch a ride.

In the heart of Manhattan, which is just one of the five city boroughs, is Times Square. In a six block radius, you can feel the total energy of New York City pulsate. There are bright lights, huge building billboards, giant television monitors and lots of people. It is a symphony of controlled chaos.

Restaurants, Broadway theaters and marquees, shops and television studios all in that six block radius. You can hand select where you want to eat, buy full price at the theater or check out the discount tickets available hours before the show.

Entertainment is not the only facet of the city to consider. There is a great big park in the middle of Manhattan known as Central Park, and within that park is a zoo, art sculptures, benches, walking/jogging paths and more opportunities to just people watch.

The city offers even more than can be covered in this short article, but it would also take more than just a few days to really experience everything that New York City has to offer. A person should try to plan at least a week, and visit www.nyc.com to plan some of the events they want to do. At the same time, they should be aware that once they start feeling that New York state of mind that they may not want to leave.