Post #8 "New York City"

My previous blog posts have been centered around places outside of the United States, but there are plenty locations that I really want to go that are right here in the U.S., one of them being New York City. New York City is arguably one of the most famous cities in the United States, home of the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Empire State Building, and the famous Time Square. This is the most populous city in the U.S., and holds the world’s major financial and commercial centers. New York is known for many things and one of them being the center location for films, since 2011 there have been over 300 movies filmed in Central Park alone. I think it would be awesome to go and roam around the city and be able pick out places that you have seen on your T.V. screen back home.

While in New York I would want the full effect of the city life, I would take my first taxi ride and

walk from shop to shop exploring through the unaffordable stores in Time Square. Although it would be an unforgettable experience to go on New Year’s Eve, I’m not sure I would want to sit in the freezing cold for hours on end to see a ball drop for a minute. I would probably plan a trip in the summer time to avoid the snowy and cold weather. Central Park is where I would wind down, it would be a time to get away from the hectic city life and traffic and sit down on a bench to drink a cup of coffee and have a donut. While traveling anywhere food is a big deal for me, although its America and all food is pretty much the same, I would want to go to a five start restaurant and experience something that I haven’t before.

Next on the list, I would go to the Statue of Liberty. To get to there you have to take a little ferry ride from the city to Liberty Island where the statue is located. Once you arrive on the island you can take the Ranger Guided Tour with a tour guide or you can take the opportunity to wander around the island on your own. They have many small statues and plaques that go more in depth about the history of the island and the Statue of Liberty. After the Statue of Liberty I would want to adventure to another historical destination, the Twin Towers memorial. Even though I do not remember much about 9/11 and the twin towers, I have always wanted to go see where the two tallest buildings in the world once stood tall and mighty.  It’s weird to think that I was alive during such a horrific moment in American history, but it would be humbling to see where it all happened and how they have turned it into a memorial for the ones that were lost.

Post #7 "England"

England is somewhere that I have longed to go, ever since I was a kid. My mom and I have always enjoyed watching old English movies together, and the picturesque scenery and life style has given me the desire to travel there and learn more about it. Whether I were to just travel to see London itself, or extend my travels to the country life as well, I would enjoy every second of this adventure. The climate in England is similar to Michigan’s climate, warm summers and mild winters, which is why I would rather travel in the summer. It wouldn’t be much fun to travel to such a beautiful place in the cold weather and it wouldn’t be too hot during the summer months to walk around and enjoy what it has to offer.

The first stop in England that I would make is to Highclere Castle in Newbury. This is the location where many scenes from the popular show, Downton Abbey, were shot. It's an absolutely stunning castle, aren’t they all, and it would be awesome to see where this show was produced. Of course, while in England this would not be the only castle that I would see, but it is defiantly at the top of my list. At this point in the trip I would also take the opportunity to take in the country life. Jump from little town to little town and learn the way of life in the quant communities.

Next stop would be London.  Home of the Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the Tower Bridge. I would stay at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, located in the central part of the city, just 0.8 miles away from Buckingham Palace. This hotel offers bed and breakfast, spa treatments, and luxury dinning. In the days that I stay there, I would go site seeing every possible second. I would go to the well-known Big Ben clock tower, the stunning St. Paul’s Cathedral, the historical British Museum, and just journey around the big, beautiful city in the iconic double-decker busses.

This stay would be one that I would never forget. Touring around the country side of England with my mom who would get just as excited as me to see the magnificent castles that were built hundreds of years ago, and the little towns that no one knows about but have so much character. And lastly, there would be no trip to England with out exploring London and witnessing all the great architectural masterpieces that everyone talks about. It would defiantly be a dream come true to be able to take this trip.