Warning - this is a long post so get a cup of your favorite beverage and sit back and relax.
Neither one of us like big cities so we really didn't intend on going into NYC. Bob wanted to see the 911 memorial but didn't push me into going. We met up with our friends, David and Kim on Overtime who planned to brave the crowds to see the memorial. They said it was all about the experience and adventure. Hmmmm.....I'd have to agree. Bob was pleased, so off we went!
It's a mile walk from the marina to the train station. The train had pulled in just as we approached - no waiting!
Wonderful old fire station on the way with a 911 memorial mural.
The train...
The station...
Reminders to be nice! (and no pole dancing LOL!)
20 minute train ride to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. The ferry was loading as we arrived - again no waiting! The ferries here are free! Can't say the same for the subway and train though.
20 minute ferry ride to Manhattan Island. Oh my! What a view from the ferry:
Brooklyn Bridge,
Governors Island,
The ferry to Governors Island
The Statue of Liberty,
Manhattan Island with the new World Trade Center and the Empire State Building,
and boat after boat after boat - big ones, little ones, and in between ones.
We landed on Manhattan Island and walked to the 911 Memorial. The unexpected beauty of the city exploded into our sight with an awesome mix of exquisite old and shiny new.
The variety of architecture constantly amazed us.
Gorgeous churches stuck right in the middle of huge skyscrapers.
The detail in the old buildings never ceased to amaze us.
The second thing to startle us was the police presence. So sad that this show of force is necessary. A prayer for all our men in blue!
This crowd around a bull caught our attention and alerted us to the fact we were close to Wall Street! Wish we could have seen the whole bull!
We expected huge crowds at the 911 Memorial but were pleasantly surprised that we had room to see the Memorial with no difficulty. It is a beautiful memorial to all the lives that were lost.
There are two of these large pools with all the names of those lost on that sad day. The waterfalls all around the pool is so soothing and peaceful. The new World Trade Center towers over the Memorial.
From the Memorial we decided to take the subway to Times Square. The subway is a challenge. First you have to find the entrance, then figure out the map, the ticket system, and last of all the temporary changes that are in effect because of renovations. These changes are NOT posted!
I love the term "dip" your credit card to pay for your MetroCard.
Big Brother is watching you? These mosaic eyes were everywhere in the subway station!
People watching is a wonderful all through the city but especially on the subway when you have time to see people. This is my "gansta" guy. He even wore his hat at the correct angle. Notice the shoes!
Times Square - there are not enough words to describe the experience, for experience it was. The people, the advertising, the sidewalk kiosks, the hawkers....so much to take in, pictures do not do it justice, but I'll try. The biggest surprise it that it's not a "square". I've no idea how they fit all those people in this small area on New Years Eve!
This exquisite structure, built in 1907-1909, is done in the style of Francis I, a patron of Renaissance, using terra cotta tiles. His symbol - the crowned salamander is visible above the door.
Two well know theaters were also in this area:
The Winter Garden Theater where Al Jolsen became famous.
Carnegie Hall!
When we arrived at Central Park we were surprised AGAIN! We expected a large park like this:
What we found was this and so much more. Central Park is 843 acres of which we were only able to walk a small part. This is what we found in the SMALL portion we were able to see:
NO "keep off the grass" signs
A huge playground in multiple sections to keep the kids corralled.
The biggest surprise was the the huge rock formations throughout this area. They are surrounded by wood chips so the kids (and bigger "kids" too) can climb to their hearts content.
And all this in the middle of a massive city. Notice the skyscrapers in the background!
The coupe de grace was the "Home Alone 2" moment when we first entered the park.
Transportation (other than walking) in the park?
Bicycles
Horse and Buggy @ $55 for 20 min.
The most competitive business was the pedal carriages. They varied from $3 a minute to $6 a minute (yes - per MINUTE). One enterprising young man heard us talking about the variety of prices and said not to pay any attention to them - he only charged a flat $35. He didn't say how many minutes that covered :)
The street vendors of New York City are everywhere and what they were trying to sell depended on the location. Near the Statue of Liberty - tour boat tickets to see her or Governors Island. Near Central Park? - of course the carriage rides but also bicycle rentals. These started blocks before you get to the park. The closer you get, the more vendors there are. They were quite polite and took "no thank you" very well.
The picture I missed was a guitar player wearing a Wonder Woman bikini and a cowboy hat! A real eye popper!
Lastly were the abundance of street kiosks selling food, souvenirs, and the traditional news stands. They were everywhere! The food smells were marvelous. Notice they even have lit digital signs!
Finally it was time to head back to the boat. After 3 hours on the subway, ferry and train rides at RUSH HOUR, (this time there was LOTS of waiting) we made it back! One day was fun, but I wouldn't want to live there!
Anchored in Great Kills Harbor
What a great job of summing our day up! So glad you decided to join us - it was definitely a memorable day!
ReplyDelete