We spent the week of Christmas in New York City, which is truly the city that never sleeps! We took the Lincoln Tunnel into Uptown Manhattan, and there were so many people walking and so many Times Square lights flashing that it looked like the middle of the day. We stayed at the Hampton Inn Manhattan Times Square. Unfortunately, our room was on the 29th floor. As AARP members, we would hope that placing seniors on the 29th floor would be discouraged, however we were tired, it was 1:00am in the morning, and our brains weren’t functioning well enough to ask for a lower floor. The Hampton Inn Manhattan Times Square does not have parking at the hotel, so we had to use valet parking. The parking attendant parked our car in a garage about 5 blocks away, and there is no “in and out,” meaning we could not request our car until we were checking out.
The next day, we took a cab to Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree and decorations. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is HUGE! The crowds of tourists from all over the world are HUGE too! Beautifully decorated angels and Christmas trees add to the festive atmosphere. A Menorah decorated one of the buildings on 5th Avenue. There were so many tourists around the Rockefeller Center Ice Skating Rink that you couldn’t see the ice or the skaters! Everyone had smartphones, so there were scores of people taking selfies. It was difficult to walk without disrupting a photo session, so we just apologized and made our way through the crowds.
If you are looking for a break from the massive crowds, the NBC building is a nice respite because it has stores, restaurants, and restrooms! NBC studio tours are also available. If you need to take a break, sit down, and have refreshments, the Starbucks inside the NBC building is a perfect choice. The NBC building guards are very nice and provide excellent directions.
For those of us over the age of 50, massive crowds can be a little disconcerting. I am always looking for a space to take a little break. I enjoyed sitting down in the Starbucks at the NBC building, having an ice water, and people-watching. We have visited New York City many times over the years. For some reason, this trip encountered huge crowds. Maybe it was due to the 70 degree weather! Nevertheless, as a senior, we don’t have to do all of the sight-seeing all over the city. We can pick 2 – 3 sights, look for places to take a break, and pace ourselves. We usually stay at the Iroquois Hotel near 5th Avenue, but the Hampton Inn Manhattan Times Square had very low rates, approximately $150 per night with a free buffet breakfast. The hotel is 30 stories tall, and as I mentioned earlier, we were on the 29th floor. At about midnight on our second night, the fire alarm was triggered. We got up, got dressed, and walked down 29 flights of steps. Fortunately, it was a false alarm and we could take the elevator back up to the 29th floor. After undressing and getting back in the bed, the fire alarm went off again in about 30 minutes! How exasperating! We repeated the drill, but when we started to go down the steps again, my legs felt a little wobbly. Thankfully, the hotel personnel used the intercom to tell us it was another false alarm, and we could return to our rooms. I have read that seniors should request rooms below the 7th floor, and now I can affirm that it is excellent advice!
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