New York City

Few cities evoke extreme emotions as New York City, which underscores the interesting nature of the place.

In keeping with this site’s spirit, let’s focus on the positive.

The city is home to over 8 million people, with about 1.8 million of those living in Manhattan, making it, on less than 34 square miles (87 square kilometers), one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

Even die-hard New Yorkers seem to have a love-hate relationship with their city, but none of them can imagine living anywhere else. The convenience of travel, the cultural offerings and the extensive restaurant/nightlife choices are just some of the main reasons given by people who live here.

Travel, both locally as well as larger distance, is indeed quite unique. Manhattan, besides being very pedestrian friendly, has a substantial network of public transportation, resulting in only 16 % of its inhabitants owning a car.

If one desires a change of scenery, both countryside and beaches are easily accessible by public transportation as well.

The area’s three airports have direct flights to just about anywhere in the world.

The city has a history of being a breeding ground for artists and cultural movements.

For plays and musicals, Broadway has 39 theaters with at least 500 seats, which are sold out daily. Opera can be found in both the Metropolitan Opera House as well as in New York City Opera. For classical music, Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall are the main venues. Jazz, blues and the like can be found all over the city, with Jazz at Lincoln Center, Blue Note, B.B. King being the most popular, even though smaller places like Village Vanguard and Zinc Bar will offer a more intimate experience. For popular acts, one should check out Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall, however there again places like Bowery Ballroom, Webster Hall and Irving Plaza can be lots of fun.

For art, one can go to any of the world-class musea, like Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum or Whitney Museum of American Art. New York is also home to close to 300 galleries, covering both established and emerging artists.

As a tribute to the strength and resilience of this beautiful city, I chose a picture that I took on July 9, 2011 of the Freedom Tower under construction.