2025 Summer Vacation in NYC (Part I)

A couple of weeks ago, I took a wonderful one-week trip to New York City with my family. This blog will be a fun change from my usual writing—more lighthearted, just sharing some personal highlights.

New York City is truly mesmerizing. Walking through the streets, you see people from every corner of the world—young, energetic, dressed in all kinds of cool and creative styles, speaking different languages. It’s easy to feel the pulse of the city. After all, NYC is one of the largest metropolitan areas and remains a global center of finance, fashion, and culture.

We stayed at the Four Points by SheratonManhattan SoHo Village. It was a great location—within walking distance of New York University (NYU), Chinatown, and Little Italy. We were just a few subway stops away from Wall Street and Times Square. For sightseeing, food, and access to the city's energy, the location couldn’t have been better.

Our stay at the hotel was very pleasant. Despite being in a busy part of Manhattan, the hotel was clean and surprisingly quiet. Our room was on the 21st floor—the top floor—which gave us a stunning view of the new World Trade Center. The room wasn’t large, but not too small either—just right. Bigger than most hotels in Europe or Japan, but smaller than typical U.S. hotel rooms outside New York.

My son Matt enjoyed catching up with a friend who goes to NYU. The two of them roamed the city looking for what Matt called “cheap food”—his favorite kind of adventure. My husband Alan and I explored the city mostly by subway (I’m not much of a walker). One of the best surprises of the trip was discovering MJ: The Musical. We stumbled upon a giant poster in Times Square, and I immediately told Alan I wanted to see it.

The show was absolutely fabulous—full of energy, incredible dancing, and a deeply emotional story. I cried three times during the performance, which for me is the ultimate sign of a great show.

It was hard not to feel nostalgic. Almost thirty years ago, Alan and I came to NYC for the first time in 1997. We were two broke international students, newly arrived in the U.S., amazed by everything. On that first trip, we visited the original World Trade Center and the Empire State Building. I went up to the observation decks twice—once with Alan, and once with my parents when they visited for my graduation. I’ve always felt a special connection to those skyscrapers, so the 9/11 attacks hit me hard. I remember watching the planes crash into the towers on live TV in 2001, devastated.

One of the top things on my list this year was to visit the new World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial.

The emotional weight of standing by the 9/11 Memorial Pool caught me by surprise. I had seen it on TV, of course—but being there in person was something else. Watching the water cascade down the four sides of the massive square pool and disappear into the dark void at the center brought tears to my eyes. My heart felt heavy as I thought about the lives lost in that horrific tragedy.

And then, looking up at the new World Trade Center rising proudly beside the memorial, I felt something else: awe. A deep appreciation for the resilience, courage, and strength of the American people. No matter what happens, we rise again.

(Copyright © 2025 Moonlite Factory Blog)

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