Ya Can’t Miss This!

Times Square is probably the one image that comes to mind when thinking of New York City.  The shoulder to shoulder sidewalk traffic, the bumper to bumper street traffic full of yellow cabs with constantly blaring horns, the huge stories-high neon signs and video screens advertising the Broadway shows, the iconic wedge shaped building where the New Year’s Eve ball drops each year….VistaVision, Technicolor and SurroundSound.  Yes.  That is Times Square.  It’s bright, electric, loud and vibrant!

Times Square is actually a bow tie shaped area.  7th Avenue runs North and South (more or less) and Broadway slashes across creating a weird intersection.  From 42nd Street on the South to 47th Street on the North, the bowtie is formed.  Broadway has been closed to traffic and is now a pedestrian park. Traffic continues streaming down 7^th Avenue, black Uber cars, yellow cabs, delivery trucks, and double decker tourist buses all rolling south.

The New Year’s Eve ball drops from the building on 42^nd Street. The first ball dropped here in 1907 and has dropped every year since except during WWII when moments of silence were observed instead because of the blackouts in the cities during the war. I think Dick Clark was here as the Master of Ceremonies that year, before he turned things over to Ryan Seacrest.

Tourists are easily spotted by their craning necks looking up at the giant skyscrapers.  They are taking family selfies with iconic features in the background.  They are handing money to Batman or Spiderman, or Mario.  Taking selfies with Mickey and Minnie Mouse. 

Tourists take selfies on the steps of Times Squared

Selfies on the Square

The women have their arms around the Naked Cowboy and the men are lined up for pictures with the girls in the thong panties and patriotically painted boobs.  Everyone is in some sort of costume!

The lengths they will go to

Naked Cowboy at Times Square

Natives avoid the area unless it is absolutely necessary, if so, they are the ones pushing through the crowds in a state of irritation.

This is definitely a must see for someone visiting to see and it’s a fun place to wander through, especially if people watching is your hobby.  This is an intersection of the globe for sure.  As you walk about, you will hear many different languages.  Some recognizable, some not. You realize that people are here from all over the world.  And a lot of people come here.  330,000 a day.  Over 125,000,000 a year.  500,000 on New Year’s Eve.  That’s a lot of people.

Times Square is a sight to see and a sense to experience.  If you haven’t been here, you should come.  This message comes to you from the New York City Chamber of Commerce or something like that!