Harlem Flop House, New York City

Advantages: Has to be seen to be appreciated.
Disadvantages: Noisy, smelly, crowded, expensive

...New York is a great site, so full of interest.Sights such as the Empire State building, The World trade Centre, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, The United Nations Building, Central Park, The Rockefeller centre, Times Square by night etc really do have to be seen to be believed. Like any major City, however, some care is needed by visitors. Choose a hotel in central Manhattan. Be very observant in Central Park, and dont have cameras or valuables in open display. Only visit Harlem in a guided group. Be aware of the hazards of the underground, especially at night. The restaurants and the night life are superb. The shows on Broadway alone are worth a visit. But use cabs especially at night to and from your destinations. That way you can really enjoy the City and bring home only happy memories!... Read review

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Advantages:
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...I stayed in New York for 3 months and during that time I learnt a lot about the truth of the city. Initially I felt very intimidated by it and scared to go out alone. I was female and on my own so what was I to do? I was in the big bad dangerous city wasn't I? As time went on, I grew more confident about travelling on the subway on my own, sometimes at night. I realised that there were many women who did this. New York is not the dangerous place it once was and it has been cleaned up a lot. You get to know which parts are safer than others. For example, I wouldn't go to Harlem, Alphabet City or Times Square on my own at night (especially after the theatre crowds have gone). It is best to stay away from parking lots because of the people who hang around there. My advice is be sure about where you're going, look confident, be alert... Read review

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Advantages: nice people
Disadvantages: a lot of prejudices

...After I heard about "The Harlem Gospel Singers" (they had some shows on German stages) a friend had the great idea to go to a Harlem Church in New York. Since we don't live too far from New York, that means no problem getting there. Before we went there, we didn't know how to go there. Should we go by car or by subway ? On the one hand, people told us not to walk around in Harlem when you are a "white" person and on the other hand people told when you leave the church your car is going to be stolen. What should we do ? In the end, we took the subway. We heard from travel agencies that taking tours in Harlem in a group. That is safer than going independently. That we didn't want to do. We found the directions to the Gospel Church online. As we got off the subway, we felt a little bit uncomfortable. That's because we had heard too... Read review

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