We arrived at the JFK Airport around 1:30 PM local time.
After 9 hours of flight, we were happy to move again like ordinary people.
We had luck, my wife she is the one who organizes all our trips, and we got an upgrade to the premium economy class. Flying with more space was a remarkable difference when I compare it with our trip to the Maldives a few years ago where we flew economy class.

We took a cab which offered a fixed price, and we checked in our hotel The Dominick in Manhattan.

We were already tired. In Austria, it was already late. Yes, you know what I am talking about.😴
We said to ourselves that the first day we would not do so much and start our exploration the day after. We walked a bit around our hotel, and we landed first in China Town :D

Not my photo
I said to my wife: Where are you leading us?
She was looking on her phone to figure out where we should find a street with, some different restaurants. After 30 minutes walking, we were at the other side of the Spring Street, the Street of our hotel but at the first, we followed the wrong way from there.

I put my camera out and started to shoot a bit; I was looking at some stores in that time. These high buildings already impressed me.

We looked for a restaurant, for now, the hunger was hunting us.
We had no power anymore and took the next best opportunity. A small pizza stand. Yes, not healthy, but hey I am on my holidays, and I will burn some calories for sure.

After eating we walked back to our hotel, it was already 8.PM and we went to sleep soon.

Day 2

From our hotel room, we have a beautiful view over one part of Manhattan where I took this shot here.

We forgot to close the curtains, and the bright light was shining into our room early. At 6 AM local time we woke up. My wife is also into fitness, so we decided to start the day with a workout at the gym. I made an interval session on the bike for 30 minutes, and after that, I continued for 10 minutes more on the treadmill. I was full of swat!

With that feeling, we could start our day.💪🏾
After taking a shower, we took breakfast in the restaurant of our hotel but let me say that: I am now the third day here when I am writing this post. We ate already a lot but this breakfast was a scam, and we never ate there again. Don't get me wrong; the food was good but too expensive compared to other restaurants we ate. Ok, we need to make these kinds of experiences ^^

You know I am just as an amateur photographer. I love photography, but I call myself definitely an amateur. I have the attitude when I am shooting just to shoot with prime lenses. But already the day before I knew that here in New York I can't go far with only prime lenses. That's why I wanted to buy my first zoom lens. I know that B&H Photo is here because some tec youtubers visits this camera store a lot. So I told my wife first to navigate ourselves to this place before we start exploring.

(Not my photo)

A great decision. With the Subway, we arrived at a crossroad of Time Square. Guys, I was only looking up. I picked my camera and started shooting but so bad pictures. I needed a zoom lens. So without wasting too much time we went too B&H. A dream store for Tec enthusiasts. You find nearly everything in there what comes to photography, videography/cinematography, and music!

I had already one lens in mind, and I had luck because it was the last one. Already in Austria I did researches and found out that my desired lens is tough to get. So I purchased the Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS.

Covering great focal lengths would give me much more versatility. Not the fastest lens with an aperture of F4 but for mainly shooting Street Photography in my case one of the best for Sony full-frame cameras. And I also had my prime lenses for some tight portraitures.

My first recommendations for you: When you are visiting a new country, and you want to shoot pictures take definitely a zoom lens with you.

I also bought a new messenger bag because my backpack made it hard for me to switch lenses fast enough. So I took also a messenger bag of the brand Peak Design I also have a clip of them where I can mount my camera on a bag strap. When I was in London, you saw a picture of me and my camera hanging on the belt. So I was definitely ready now!

This was for me the most overwhelming place at this day. The weather was great which gave me an extraordinary experience. The high building full of significant publicity of different brands, the busy traffic and of course the busy people pounced on me at the same time. First, I didn't know where I should starting shooting. By the way let me share with you some more photos I took there. Some you already saw here are some more.

My favorite shot!

Definitely, a place someone must visit when he/she is in New York.

But let me give you some facts about the Time Square.

Time Square facts!

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1. Times Square is one of the world's most visited tourist attractions, drawing an estimated 50 million visitors annually. Approximately 330,000 people pass through Times Square daily.

1. Times Square functions as a town square, but is not a square in the geometric sense of a polygon; it is more of a bowtie shape, with two triangles emanating roughly north and south from 45th Street, where Seventh Avenue intersects Broadway.

1. Formerly known as Longacre Square, Times Square was renamed in 1904

1. Nicknames are: The Great White Way
The Crossroads of the World.

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Before we leave, we will go back again to absorb the atmosphere one more time.

Let's move on to our next destination.

The Rockefeller Center is near to the Time Square, so it was not a long walk. Do you know The Tonight Show hosted by Jimmy Fallon?
Below you see their​ Youtube Channel trailer.

This show is recorded in studio 6B in the Rockefeller Center. Its a complex building consisting of 19 commercial buildings.
What we wanted was to go to the Top Of The Rock. But we got only tickets for a later visit. Because of that in the meantime, we decided to go to the Central Park.

I know this park from the movie Kevin Alone In New York :D
That was in my mind. We didn't find the way immediately, so sadly we made a big detour.

Here some Central Park facts.

Central Park Fatcs

1. The park was established in 1857 on 778 acres (315 ha) of land acquired by the city.

1. In 1858, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and architect/landscape designer Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they titled the "Greensward Plan".

1. Construction began the same year, and the park's first area was opened to the public in the winter of 1858.

From there we reached the Fifth Avenue. The most expensive street. All luxury brands are present there. We just did a window shopping or better my wife :D Also we needed to go back because it was time to go to the Top Of The Rock.

Let me give you know some facts about the Rockefeller Center.

Rockefeller Facts

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1. In 1928, the site's then-owner, Columbia University, leased the land to John D. Rockefeller Jr., who was the main person behind the complex's construction.

1. Construction of Rockefeller Center started in 1931, and the first buildings opened in 1933. The core of the complex was completed by 1939.

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It was the perfect destination to finish the day. Being at the Top Of the Rock during sunset and having this fantastic view over New York was precious. All people were literally fighting for a good place to take some photos :D

Standing there and looking around had something majestic. The city radiates power. And even it was getting darker I had the feeling that this city is not going to sleep.

Here my final shot!

Yes, guys, these were our first days in New York.
I am glad to be here and to explore this vast city.

More is coming.

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