Times Square
Dubbed the 'Great White Way' after its
bright lights, Times Square has long been celebrated as New York's
glittery crossroads. The Square went into deep decline during the
1960s when the movie palaces turned XXX-rated and the area became
known as a hangout for every colorful, crazy or dangerous character
in Midtown. A major 'clean-up' operation removed most of the sleaze
and now the combination of color, zipping message boards and massive
TV screens makes for quite a sight. Up to a million people gather
here every New Year's Eve to see a brightly lit ball descend from
the roof of One Times Square at midnight, an event that lasts just
90 seconds and leaves most of the revelers wondering what to do with
themselves for the rest of the night.
