New York was never on my bucket list. It alway conjured up an obligation to shop which for me is the stuff of nightmares. But when my brother and sister-in-law announced that they would be there on my birthday I thought why not. Doing my birthday burpees in Central Park sounded quite appealing.

My first impression was not positive. A two hour wait to get through passport control. Which I understand grew to three hours a few days later. But once we were through we (my daughter travelled with me) jumped into a  iconic yellow taxi and were on our way to Times Square.

What immediately grabs you is the number of very tall buildings. New York City has over 274 skyscrapers standing over 150m tall compared to London which has 33. Everything is so much bigger. I’m use to the London landscape but it just doesn’t compare.

Once we had dumped our stuff in our hotel we went out to explore. A little later than anticipated thanks to passport control. We went to see how long the queue was to get into Ellen’s Stardust Diner. A little too long so we gave it a miss and settled for a large slice of pizza instead.

What immediately assaults your senses is the smell of weed. In 2014 it became legal for adults 21 and older to smoke or vape cannabis wherever smoking tobacco is allowed. And a lot of people do. I quite like the smell but sometimes it was overwhelming. There are also a lot of people living on the streets resulting in a strong aroma of urine every morning.

On our first morning we took on the subway which we still hadn’t mastered by the time we left. Below ground was certainly more confusing than above. The street/avenue set up makes getting around New York on foot very easy. 

We had a ‘to do’ list that included the main sights. First stop the Ground Zero museum only to find that there were no available tickets for that day. Most of the popular sights are ticket only. Usually you can purchase them shortly before entry but not always. And consider getting a CityPass which does save you money. 

We decided to do the ferry trip around the Statue of Liberty. Unfortunately, the weather was starting to deteriorate. It was a wet, grey experience with many of the sights being a little hazy due to the poor visibility. But the ferry does get up very close to the Statue of Liberty so no issue in viewing her. 

Our next stop was Grand Central Station. A very impressive building. It is the largest station in the world with 44 platforms. Not that we saw any trains. We were there to sample a lemon drop martini and a very expensive sandwich. 

Next stop, Macy’s. Not to shop but to look at the displays. It felt like John Lewis but a lot smaller. 

That evening I celebrated my birthday in Little Italy followed by live music in Greenwich Village. I drank a good amount of Sangria. 

The next morning we returned to ground zero. The memorials are impressive and very moving. Two large (nearly an acre each and 45 feet in depth) sit where the twin towers once stood. They are surrounded by bronze parapets containing the names of all that died in the terrorist attack. Every day, a single, white rose rose is placed at the names of the victims whose birthdays would have been celebrated on that day.

The museum is underground. We invested in the audio head phones with the voice of Robert de Niro guiding us through the displays. It choked me up on a couple of occasions. The messages that were sent by victims to loved ones during the last few minutes of their lives. The chirps that could be heard by firefighters when one of their colleagues hadn’t moved for 30 seconds. 

Next stop the High Line, a public park built on a historic, elevated rail line. We had been told by a couple of people that this was a must see with art, performances and street food to be savoured. Unfortunately, although there were a number of interesting structures there were no performers or delicious food to be had so we decanted to a restaurant.

We spent our final evening at Ellen’s Stardust Diner followed by trip on an open top bus. I also had the misfortune to be dragged into one of the street performances which delighted my daughter. 

Ellen’s Stardust Diner is a 50’s diner where the waitstaff take it in turns to sing. Many go on to have successful careers on Broadway. You can’t book so you need to queue up to get a table. Fortunately, if you are a two the wait is fairly brief. We only waited about 10 minutes as we were ushered past families and groups. It is a great experience but you are in and out within the hour which didn’t feel long enough given the superb entertainment.

One of my best experiences in New York was taking a trip on a open top bus that takes you from Times Square (Uptown), through midtown and downtown, across Manhattan Bridge and back by Brooklyn Bridge. Viewing New York at night is quite magical.

We spent our last day in Central Park, a visit to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building and a final drink in an Irish pub.

New York Zoo in Central Park was very disappointing. Very small and appeared not very animal friendly. One of the grisly bears looked very distressed. Just pacing up and down with a flick of its head. We were in and out in less than half an hour.

I was determined to do a few birthday burpees whilst I was in Central Park.

It was very busy so my daughter was never going to stand around whilst I did all 64. It was too embarrassing. So I did a few and done them in my own garden a couple of days later.

Finally, the Empire State Building. We opted for the 86th floor not the 102nd. Primary down to the price. $44 compared to $79. My bank account had taken a big hit in the 3 days I’d been in New York. $35 for an extra 16 floors felt a little extravagant. But if I ever did return to New York I’d visit The Edge in Hudson Yards which has a glass floor, through which you can look 100 floors below. Although there is no way my daughter walk across it.

Visiting New York for my 64th birthday was a great experience. We saw many of the sights. And there was something special about going into my 65th year on another continent. But I wouldn’t go back. Firstly, there is too much else to see in the world as my time is ticking away. But the bottom line is that I was a little disappointed. It is just a big city that smells of weed and piss. London has more to offer but I may be biased.