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Who hasn’t dreamt of visiting New York City at least once in their lifetime? Catherine Zhang was in NYC for three days this summer. She shares with us her sojourn in the Big Apple.

Sunset view of New York City from the Empire State Building.

The city might seem overwhelming at first, with the raging crowds, endless skyscrapers and the plethora of attractions you can visit.

Having only three days between my summer programme in Ithaca and volunteering at an animal sanctuary in the Amazon jungle in Peru, I was spoilt for choice on which sights to see on my first visit to NYC.

The Empire State Building

My favourite sight was the Empire State Building. An iconic feature of the NYC skyline, it towers over most of the other skyscrapers in Manhattan.

Despite its popularity, I was able to easily book a timeslot online to visit the building just the day before.

Night view of the Big Apple after nightfall, from the Empire State Building.

The first few floors feature a museum commemorating the cultural importance of the building, including a gallery of the various movies – from King Kong to Superman to Independence Day – which have featured the Empire State in one way or another.

However, the highlight of the building is easily the 86th floor observatory, where I was able to catch a beautiful view of NYC at sunset.

The thing is, you might forget how beautiful NYC is when you’re down on the ground jostling with hundreds of tourists and seeing the skyscrapers stretch out endlessly above. It is so easy to feel lost in a city so big and bustling with the stories of hundreds of other people.

But when you’re up high, looking down at the lights of the city that never sleeps, then it’s easy to see why so many singers, movie makers and artists have been captivated by its fast-paced charm and charisma.

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