Times Square NY seen through my eyes

The New York Times Building (Zoom to get a clear picture)

Times Square is a major intersection in New York City in the borough of Manhattan and was named after the Times Building (now "One Time Square") which was the former offices of The New York Times. It is located at Broadway and Seventh Avenue and extends from West 42nd to West 47th Streets. Like city squares in many other famous cities around the world, Times Square has become a symbol and primary landmark in its home city. Its animated, digital advertisements help create an incredibly exciting vibe contributing to Times Square popularity to both tourists, locals and the Manhattan business community (it is the only neighborhood that actually requires building owners to display illuminated signs!!). Times Square is also home or adjacent to many of the Broadway theatres that feature some of the most popular award winning productions ever produced.

The word "Broadway" means theatre throughout the world. Broadway's shows represent the biggest, the brightest, and the most of their kind - popular live theatre.

New York Marriott Marquis

Even though many of us has  seen it on TV and movies, nothing beats the first time you step into Times Square.
If I were a New Yorker,  I might never go there, but because I am just a tourist, drunk on the image of Times Square for so long, that I end up doing all the touristy things, like gaping at the neon lights, taking pictures of myself everywhere.... this place radiates energy!
If you can afford, then go and see the long running "The Phantom Of Opera", or "Mamma Mia", or the famous " Lion King" and many more.
But I must warn you even the so called discounted tickets costs around  75 USD that is 3415.69 INR , and even then you may not get the seat you want. 

To attend a Broadway show is to be part of an event that millions travel from around the world to enjoy, and millions more simply dream about it, just like me.

I love NYC and I love Times Square !!

This place where I am standing is a very large tiered seating area where you can sit and people-watch. 

Look at the people's faces, they all seem to be in a trance

There are many upscale hotels in Times Square to choose from and the area is a cultural hub featuring music, nightlife and many quality shops that cater mainly to tourists. Don't worry, if you book well in advance you can get very good deals in the best hotels in and around Times Square. Because of the peak peak hours of the day, Times Square gets so congested that we are forced to walk in the streets and compete with traffic.

On New Year's Eve each year, well over one million people crowd into One Times Square to view the annual "New Year's Eve ball drop".  

I love Forever 21 shop.

The huge screen behind me, capturing everyone who passes in front of it or stands there. It is fun to try and spot yourself there, it is a bit tough but possible.

The onslaught of advertisements is almost beautiful in its excess.

The theaters of Broadway and the huge number of animated neon and LED signs have long made them one of New York's iconic images, and a symbol of the intensely urban aspects of Manhattan. Times Square is the only neighborhood with zoning ordinances requiring building owners to display illuminated signs. The density of illuminated signs in Times Square now rivals that of Las Vegas. Officially, signs in Times Square are called "spectaculars", and the largest of them are called "jumbotrons".

Notable signage includes the Toshiba billboard directly under the NYE ball drop and the curved seven-story Nasdaq sign at the NASDAQ Market Site at 4 Times Square on 43rd Street and the curved Coca- Cola  located underneath another large LED display owned and operated by Samsung. Both the Coca-Cola sign and Samsung LED displays were built by LED display manufacturer Daktronics. Times Square's first environmentally friendly billboard powered by wind and solar energy was first lit on December 4, 2008.

Yes it is very late as we return back to our hotel, one just doesn't know how time flies here or maybe 'Time' too stands still here with you in "Times Square".

All the shops are overcrowded, the road leading to Times Square, every where you see only a sea of people. Although, I must say the large presence of police makes one feel quite safe in this area.

The M&M's World features one of the world's largest displays of these bite-sized candies and a vast array of colors not found anywhere else. The three-story, 25,000 square-foot store features a 17-foot Miss Green dressed up as Lady Liberty. The store features over 4000 items including T-shirts, bags, pillows, M&M dolls, pencils and many more fun M&M souvenirs including some one-of-a-kind pieces

This store is what New Yorkers like to say is an "only in New York" experience, with its flashing lights and huge store displays set on a prime corner of midtown Manhattan. It's a great place for the whole family--it even features an interactive kids area--and is a triumph of American candy-making by Mars Inc.  Although there were many interesting things to buy there, we did not buy anything. It was too crowded, and some of the things were very tacky and gave you the feel of shopping in Big Bazaar in India.

Times Square during the day:

During the day is when you can shop for anything imaginable. Times Square boasts some of the most impressive and elaborate stores you will ever find. Day time is the time to do a lot of window shopping, without the crowds jostling, pushing you like during the night. Because we were there during summer, it felt very hot and also very bright, so sun glasses are a must. You can see people just hanging around window shopping, drinking coffee, and eating snacks sitting on benches under the sun umbrellas, generally just lazing or people watching.

 It is also the perfect time to take some good pictures, though the pictures taken by us are not so good, probably  because we were too tired and bored of taking pictures, and also it was our second time in NY on our way back to Bangalore.

The shops were very good especially the jewelery shops: all offering lots of discounts too! It was too tempting to resist, I had to take a look, so instead of just window shopping I just hopped into a jewelery shop, for a pair of large loop sapphire earring had caught my eyes, I had to find out the price.

Once inside, I was shown the earring, and also many other things to go with it. But I told the shop owner, that I was interested in only the earring and also one blue sapphire finger ring studded with a circle of white sapphires.

So now, the bargaining  started, on the already discounted price, for I felt, he had purposely hiked up the price.

That shop owner was a Syrian, and like our Indian jewelers was equally  well versed in the bargaining techniques, and thus we both  jumped into the field bent on outdoing each other with our bargaining skills, leaving my husband literally pulling whatever little hair he has on his head with disgust.

Oh God ! after about 45 minutes, of this drama, I told him my final price and told him,we did not have all day to argue with him as we have a plane to catch in the evening, and pretended to leave the shop like I am used to doing in India.

Sure like Indian jeweler  agreed to my price, and we finished the deal.

Times Square as seen during the day

The Macy's

Mannequins take to streets to help the garment districts, the show must have gone on till September 3rd (Times Square)

Do you see the waves of colors on the street?
Well that is Times Square Crazy and funky eye catching...

Time to say good bye to Times Square and to the beautiful New York City, for I doubt I will ever come back to this wonderful city ever again.

However, it is not goodbye to America yet, for I have to bore you people with our visit to Niagara Falls, and the rest of the US.
Are you game?