Week 175-176 - New York City Photo Collection - 12-27-2009
New York City?
, "That chaps my hide!",While we would never want to live there, our visit to New York City is one of our fondest travel memories. No doubt the wonderful Friday night tour our friend Stephanie took us on, laid the ground work for a great three day experience. Okay, we are going to the Big Apple, but how. There is only one RV Park close; it is in Jersey City. It is pricey and you need reservations, which we don't like to make; they ruin our "go at your own pace" mode. Okay, we'll drive the Mothership into the city. Not! There is no parking anywhere for something that big. Sure, tractor trailers make deliveries, but they always double park. Alright, we'll ride the scooter. Not! Of the thousands of parking garages, none would allow a motorcycle; they did not want the possible damage liability.
So how to do travel in NYC? 1) Trains and subways 2) Buses 3) Walk 4) Little scooters and 5) Taxis.
So what is there to see? Everything. Old buildings, new buildings, apartments, stores, restaurants, shows, parks and oh yeah, 8 million people.
There are plenty of famous places. 1) Times Square 2) Empire State Building 3) Ground Zero 4) Un-United Nations.
1) Crown Plaza Hotel 2) Apollo Theatre in Harlem 3) Central Park
1) Waldorf Astoria 2) Ellis Island
The Statue of Liberty and hundreds more names of places you have heard of. "There are 8 million stories in the Naked City, this is just one of them."
Be sure to ascend the Empire State Building. The views are amazing. 1) The Chrysler Building 2) Macys 3) Central Park.
1) Billboards 30 stories below 2) A few people. Wait your chance and push your way to the edge for great views. 3) Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
The Manhattan Bridge, more bridges and a couple of tall buildings.
In the 1800's NYC required any building six floors and higher to place a water tower on the roof for fire fighting. At that time, the high pressure needed to shoot water from the ground level would cause the water pipes to burst. Today, some builders still put water towers up as a "touch of history".
What's unusual in these photos? Well, the buildings on the right are a little different. But, the odd feature is the plaza on the left. The majority of Manhattan is tall buildings next to sidewalks, next to streets. It is rare to see any open space. For country folk like us, it was nice to reach an area where you could stand back and watch people, without being pushed along with the flow.
There are thousands of beautiful old buildings.
And thousands of beautiful new buildings.
There are unusual things like FAO Schwartz $250,000 dollar piano and the hand over Madam Toussauds.
1) And everyday things like the Subway restaurant 2) However, most restaurants in New York are unique. Take Bar 89 in SoHo (South of Houston street). The restaurant has a common bathroom for men and women. There is a couch on one end of the room facing five stalls with clear glass doors! Sitting on the pot you stare through the glass at those sitting on the couch. That is, until you completely close the door, at which time it fogs over so no one can see in or out. 3) Then there is Las Esquinas (The Corner). We did not eat at the take out counter, nor the ground level restaurant. But, through a tip from the doorman at Bar 89, we were allowed to descend through a narrow door and stairway, through the kitchen to a quaint little basement area dining room. 5) And finally, don't miss Johnny Rock's Caffe' Palermo in Little Italy for world famous pastries and desserts.
This 18,000 square foot mansion is just across 5th Avenue from Central Park and a few blocks aways from these skyscrapers.
The new reflects the old. You could spend days getting photos like these with the glass of new structures providing images of the nearby buildings.
This globe is just outside the Trump International Hotel and Tower at One Central Park.
Central Park could have photo series of it's own. The park is 843 acres of which 250 acres is water. Like the rest of the city, there are people here, lots of people. But you can always find a spot for yourself on the lawn, on the water or in the rocks. You remember those romantic films where the star and co-stars go for a solo boat ride in the park. Well, as you can tell they have to rent the whole lake to get those private shots.
The city and the park abound with street performers. 1) Singers 2) Young violin player 3) Break dancers 4) Harpist and 5) Two men walking a couch!
On a normal night, we are home by dark and maybe in bed. But this was New York, and with our lovely guide Stephanie, we saw Madison Square Garden and Times Square. At night, there are more people at the Square than in the daytime. We only stayed a few minutes as we had to literally run to Grand Central terminal to catch our train back to New Jersey. With no time for hugs, Stephanie threw kisses as we jumped onto the train as it departed. Thanks, Steph.
A final view of the city as we viewed it from the New York Harbor near the Statue of Liberty. The Twin Towers used to be in this skyline.
May God Bless the USA and your New Year.
Love, Pete and Ellen
By Pete . Ellen Mattson