Immensity, diversity, and a tradition of defying tradition characterize the city known as “the Crossroads of the World.” Since its earliest days, iconoclastic New York has scoffed at the timid offerings of other American cities, striving instead to embody the American ideal at its most grand. It boasts the most immigrants, the tallest skyscrapers, and the trickiest con artists. Even the vast gray blocks of concrete have their own gritty charm. Returning from a dull vacation in rural Westchester, resident talespinner O. Henry noted, “there was too much fresh scenery and fresh air. What I need is a steam-heated flat and no vacation or exercise.”

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However, if you wish to discover the city’s more delicate offerings, fear not. New York City is full of folks. The stars are covered with a blanket of pollution. The buildings are tall, the subway smelly, the people rushed, the beggars everywhere…BUT for every inch of grime, there’s a yard of silver lining. Countless people mean countless pockets of culture—every kind of ethnicity, food, art, energy, language, attitude. Despite the crowds, there are places to be alone and reflect, but choose to plunge into the fray and you meet the most fascinating types, full of stories, curmudgeonly humor, innovative ideas…and, yes, madness. The collage of architecture, from colonial to art deco to Jetsons, reveals the stratae of history that NYC embodies. Meanwhile, there’s flamenco at an outdoor cafe, jazz underground at night, jungle/illbient under a bridge, Eurotechno at a flashy club. Whatever your tastes, there’s something for you. If millions of penniless immigrants disembarked here and quickly learned to survive, then you, fearless budget traveler, will undoubtedly soar.

MORNING IN THE BIG APPLE

After taking New York up on its invitation to “never sleep,” you can bask in the spectacular silence of broad avenues just before rush hour descends. From the Upper East Side to the crooked alleys of Greenwich Village, the city is a different place at the wee hours. And while it is not completely deserted, it is empty enough to make you feel that it belongs to you alone. Each of these excursions should last you a whole morning. In operation for 160 years, the Fulton Street Fish Market, the largest fish market in the country, opens daily at 4am. From 7am to 9am a group of older Chinese men gather each morning from spring through fall to give sun to the songbirds in Sara Delano Roosevelt Park. Intended as a distraction from vice, this old tradition ends in a symphony from the songbirds who have just woken up with the sun. For the pre-dawn riser with an unquenchable wanderlust, the Boat Livery, Inc., on City Island in the Bronx rents out skiffs and, for the real sailor, offers $1 glasses of Bud at the bar, from 5am.

A NEW YORK FULL-FAT FEAST

New York has the most diverse range of cuisine in the world — but since this is, after all, America, begin your indulgence at the pan-ethnic McDonald’s, 160 Broadway, at Liberty St. Trust us on this one: this Mickey D’s is not to be missed. Move on to Chinatown where Cecilia Tam of the Hong Kong Egg Cake Co., cooks up a dozen of her soft, sweet egg cakes fresh from the skillet. Sweet-lovers will want to make a quick stop at Veniero’s in the East Village for artery-clogging fun with Italian pastries. Lansman! Get thee to a knishery! Yonah Schimmel Knishery in the Lower East Side still serves up Rabbi Schimmel’s signature knish…mmm…delish. Find out what finger-lickin’ really means at Copeland’s in Harlem. With smothered chicken and fried pork chops, Copeland’s soul food takes the cholesterol crown.

THE ALLEN-CLUSIVE TOUR

Any Woody Allen tour should begin at his humble abode on Central Park East. Woody lives on the 900 block of Fifth Avenue; if you camp out here, you’re likely to catch a glimpse of the comic guru strolling with Soon Yi or fumbling for his keys. Since the closing of Michael’s Pub in 1997, Woody has tooted his clarinet on Monday nights at Cafe Carlyle in the Carlyle Hotel. Those interested in the young Woody should visit Flatbush, Brooklyn where Woody was born Allen Stuart Konigsberg. Skip the trials of a bespectacled boy’s youth and head straight for Greenwich Village’s New York University, from which Woody was suspended. He went on to finish at City College, in Central Harlem. Classic New York scenes from Woody’s movies are as common as virgins in a convent. The famous “bridge scene” from Manhattan is a shot of the 59th Street Bridge; Woody sits with Diane Keaton at 57th St., just west of Sutton Place. Young Alvy Singer of Annie Hall grew up in the house under the Coney Island Rollercoaster; the house still rattles underneath. To round it all off, you can spend the night in Hotel 17, on 17th St., where Alan Alda and Diane Keaton find a body in Manhattan Murder Mystery.

More Canadians than ever before, among those heading off to Europe on an annual vacation, are travelling overseas by way of New York City. They do so for two main reasons: to combine a brief holiday in the city with a stay in Europe and, as well, to take advantage of the greater frequency of air service from New York. A greater number of airlines fly more often to more cities in western Europe out of JFK Airport than depart from both Montreal and Toronto combined. The average length of stay here is three or four days, sufficient time for taking in many of the best attractions the city has to offer. To take in and savour all of the sights described below will require the better part of a week.

It is no wonder that so many fly south of the border, not when you consider that year after year New York City, with its five boroughs that include Manhattan, continues to draw more tourists and business travellers than any other metropolis in North America. No urban area in the world fascinates the visitor quite as much as the island of Manhattan, reflecting as it does the greatness and dynamism of America. The island's very name signifies something out of the ordinary, eliciting in prospective travellers based even in remote corners of the globe reactions of wonderment and awe. There has never been anything quite to compare with the city, a global financial capital and a centre of advertising, music, publishing, fashion and industry in America.

Complete, full length guidebooks have been written to extol the merits of New York City's points of interest. The museums are world renowned, the restaurants among the finest in the United States, the Broadway district the nation's centre of legitimate theatre and the cityscape a panorama of diverse architectural styles. The visitor could spend weeks on end becoming familiar with the local sights and attractions, yet of necessity only the highlights can be seen on a trip of brief duration lasting several days or less. As Manhattan is a smallish island, much of what there is to appreciate can be taken in on walking tours.

Certain of the attractions require no or little introduction, among them the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Centre, the United Nations and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Statue of Liberty commands our attention because of the dimensions of the statue and the significance it holds for freedom-loving citizens everywhere. While the Empire State Building is no longer the tallest structure in America, I still suggest you take an elevator to the observation platform at the summit of the building so you can enjoy the views from the heights. No visitor should deny himself or herself that opportunity to see all of New York from this marvellous vantage point.

The United Nations Building, on the East River between 42nd and 48th Streets, is open on conducted tours that provide useful information on the varied activities and objectives of the U.N. Tickets are also available for free admission to gatherings of the General Assembly. The renowned Ellis Island, only a short distance north of the Statue of Liberty, has been fully restored and is operated as a first rate Museum of Immigration. Open to the public just since 1990, the museum provides a wealth of fascinating exhibits, historic items and an impressive array of photos.

Manhattan compares to London and Paris in the number and quality of its museums and art galleries and several days could be profitably spent merely going from one to another. Among the best of them all, by common consent, are the Museum of Modern Art, Guggenheim Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Whitney Museum of American Art.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue is one of the top museums in America, requiring hour after hour of your vacation time for even a cursory tour of its countless exhibits. A random enumeration of the exhibit hall's top displays include the section on Rodin sculptures, exhibits belonging to the section on ancient Egypt, the works of art from Europe, Africa and pre-Columbian America and the sections on musical instruments, Chinese porcelain and medieval art and armour.

The Museum of Modern Art, founded in 1929, is noted for its open air sculpture garden. Within its walls is found one of the most comprehensive displays of modern art imaginable, for a tour of whose thousands of items on display a full morning might well be allotted. The range of the museum's collection of twentieth century art and design includes exhibits of photography, prints, illustrated fine books, architectural models, drawings, examples of graphic design and paintings. The halls are filled to overflowing with works by great artists, among them Picasso, Matisse, Chagall and Mondrian. The Whitney Museum of American Art on 945 Madison Avenue houses a superb collection of modern paintings by distinguished American artists, including Jasper Johns, Edward Hopper and Roy Lichtenstein.

Guggenheim Museum, noted for its controversial design by Frank Lloyd Wright, is situated on Fifth Avenue between 88th and 89th Streets. The largest part of the exhibit area consists of twentieth century art donated by Solomon Guggenheim, the museum's founder. Important to the overall collection is the Thannhauser Wing, a treasure trove of works by Picasso, Pissarro, Manet, Renoir, Matisse, Degas, Gauguin, Van Gogh and Degas.

The American Museum of Natural History on Central Park West is one of the foremost museums of its type in the Western Hemisphere. At least half a day is recommended to enable the visitor to tour just its most impressive exhibits. Among them are the displays on meteorites and precious gems, the totem poles of the Indians of the Canadian Pacific Coast, the Hall of Reptiles, the Hall of Ocean Life and the sections on Africa mammals, Asia and pre-Columbian Central and South America.

The South Street Seaport Historic Area, overlooking the East River, combines many noteworthy attractions dating from the period this district served as an early port for New York City. There is much to take in at this site, including the museum's more than dozen buildings constructed in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Visitor's Center on Fulton Street, the countless shops and restaurants, Fulton Market Building and the historic vessels (among them the Peking, a magnificent barque, the Ambrose, used as a lightship and the Wavertree, dating from the late nineteenth century). You can always take advantage of the option of joining one of the cruises sailing from the port, operated to New York Harbour during the warm weather months.

A lesser, yet recommended sight is the Frick Museum at Fifth Avenue and 70th Street. Housed in a delightful residence, it boasts a splendid collection of paintings and furnishings. Historic sites not to be overlooked are Trinity Church and graveyard on Broadway, the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue on West 70th Street ( dating back to the 1650's, it is one of the oldest synagogues in the New World), the stately City Hall (1803), the Pierpont Morgan Library on 36th Street (its museum exhibits not to be missed) and the Morris-Jumel Residence at 160th Street (a Georgian style home dating from the colonial period). Theodore Roosevelt's Birthplace on 28 East 20th Street is operated as a National Historic Site. The rebuilt Victorian structure, his home from 1858 until 1874, contains museum displays related to the life of the former President.

The local architectural sites are so impressive you ought to find the time to spend a short period at each. Worth your scheduled sightseeing time are the Pan Am Building; the splendid lobby of the Woolworth Building on Broadway; the indoor garden of the Ford Foundation Building on 43rd Street; the Art Deco lobby and striking stainless steel tower of the Chrysler Building; the capacious interior of Grand Central Railway Station; and the architectural features of the AT and T Building on Madison Avenue. Suggested for inclusion on your itineraries, as well, are conducted tours of Radio City Music Hall, the complex of buildings known as the Rockefeller Centre and visits to the Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts.

Few need be surprised to be told that there are hotels in central Manhattan that are of world class stature, sought out by the most discriminating business and leisure traveller. One of New York's most highly rated is the Rihga Royal Hotel, a beautiful property located at 151 West 54th Street. The all-suite hotel, close to the commercial district and top sightseeing attractions, features everything you would expect from a first rate lodging establishment: spacious suites, a fine dining room open around the clock, a health club that never closes, 24 hour room service and the provision of the unusual benefit of a complimentary shuttle operated to Wall Street. The Kimberly at 145 East 50th Street is a European style hotel highly recommended to the most fastidious traveller. Conveniently close to many of Manhattan's major points of interest, the hotel's accommodation consists mainly of well furnished suites containing full kitchens and marble baths. In addition, the Kimberly features its own private yacht (on which guests can enjoy complimentary cruises), two restaurants and two supper clubs: Tatou and Paradise Barcelona. Guests also enjoy access to a nearby health and racquet club. A property of great distinction, as well, is the New York Palace Hotel, situated midtown at 455 Madison Avenue. Not far from the Rockefeller Centre and other attractions, the luxury establishment is noted for its impressive lobby, fine restaurant and beautifully furnished rooms and suites. There are floors that have been set aside by the management for non smokers. Harry's Bar on the premises is a great place to relax at the end of a day's round of sightseeing or business appointments.

If the current exchange rate has you pondering the wisdom of taking a vacation down south, you may be pleased to learn that the state of Massachusetts has revived a programme that will help you stretch your vacation dollars. The state Office of Travel and Tourism has announced the "Sensational Savings" program will be offered exclusively to Canadians for the second year in a row. This money-saving plan gives visitors huge discounts at some three hundred hotels, restaurants, shops and tourist attractions in and near Boston, Cape Cod and the Berkshires. For instance, a family of four could save as much as five hundred dollars during a stay of five days in the Berkshires.

While words such as the Bronx and subway (in a country where a murderer strikes every 25 minutes) instills spasms of fear in cowards such as myself, it looks as though the crime-ridden streets of 1980s New York are becoming a thing of the past. According to Federal Bureau of Investigation figures, of the 10 US cities with over a million people, New York comes out a happy number eight in the murder charts.

Like all big cities, it’s not entirely free of society’s less endearing attributes. There are still plenty of peep shows, filthy videos and unhinged types roaring, “I am the Lion King” at passing Englishmen. Despite this, there’s a perverse twinge of naughty nostalgia in me that would liked to have seen the New York of yore.

While Paris and London slogged out the title to the 19th Century, there’s no doubt the 20th Century has belonged to America and more importantly, its cultural ambassador, New York.

It started the 1900s in Dickensian squalor, where manure clogged the drains and realms of families lived with goats in the filthy, airless rooms of the notorious slums. It looked set, in the ’70s and ’80s, to end the millennium on a similar yet more contemporary note of drug-crazed violence and dismay. In between though, New York has become a living icon to the modern age, with its movie-image sentimentalism of steaming manhole covers, Irish policemen, grinning hot-dog vendors, Broadway shows and demented yellow cab drivers all living to the beat of hip-hop, jazz and sirens.

Although sprawling for kilometres, New York proper is just the island of Manhattan and it’s here the contrasts can be seen. Even when strolling past the exclusive shops of 5th Avenue, where the world’s most glamorous shoppers swing their Macy’s and Tiffany bags at the unshaved, you are never far away from the Victorian tenements and cheap liquor stores. A block away from security guarded apartments with air-conditioning and private gyms are booze-swigging perverts who shout at themselves in the litter-strewn backstreets of blackened fire escapes and broken windows.

Wander toward Wall Street before the rush of money and the frantic bustle of finance takes over, and following your nose will take you to the Fulton Fish Market. A couple of blocks away from the looming World Trade Centre is the fishy pandemonium of this working, Mafia-run market. It’s a great place to watch traders shout over crabs and octopus before they settle down to a rowdy game of cards on the upturned crates. As the sun comes up over Brooklyn Bridge, bringing life to the downtown skyscrapers, the strange swiping sounds of elderly Chinese women swinging swords around and performing breathing exercises, merges with fish-crazed sea-gulls come to feast on the left-overs.

Go down to the Lower East Side or the Bowery, once home to cheap theatres and the infamous “flophouses” where itinerant workers and the poor pay a dollar for a bed, and you’ll see New York life.

Here, rising rents are working their gradual way in, letting unsteady people with tar-stained beards brush shoulders with would be film-stars and loft-apartment artists outside the tattoo and piercing parlours. You hear the rolled Spanish of Cubans and Puerto Ricans on the streets and in the diners along with the sounds of old Eastern Europe from the bagel shops and kosher delis. Dark-haired kids spray the ubiquitous fire hydrants at passing limos and Pontiacs while burly cops feed on take-out coffee and doughnuts.

Then there’s Chinatown, with its Buddhist temples, countless Cantonese, Hunan and Szechuan restaurants with unpronounceable menus. Market stalls abound round Grand St and Canal St and not far away are the streets of Little Italy with their huge salamis and sidewalk cafés. Further afield are the Gospel churches and jazz names of Harlem, the county’s most famous African-American community.

At night, when the neon comes on, it’s down to Greenwich Village to live up to Sinatra’s claim that the city “never sleeps.” Bars and cafés are full of the bleary-eyed giving it their best shot to live up to the tradition.

It was soon back to business though, with the hapless cab-driver, enraged by the vanishing peep shows. Some people don’t know how lucky they are.