The Big Apple

Thursday, June 6, - Sunday, June 9, 2013

 

With Tropical Storm Andrea on our heels we closed in on New York City. We followed a Coast Guard buoy tender but they pulled away from us. I guess they didn't want to get wet either. We entered the harbor at Lower Bay, Staten Island to our port and Brooklyn to the starboard and rain from above. Skyscrapers began to distinguish themselves from the gray clouds above them. We spotted the Statue of Liberty in the distance! Entering the Hudson River is like crossing a busy street. No cars of course but ferries criss-cross at our bow and stern. Some are tours and others transport commuters from New Jersey to New York and between the boroughs. The buildings are magnificent, even this weather. It's been a long day, almost 10 hours. The rain slowed as we pumped out on the way into the Liberty Landing Marina. Our dock hand, Gavin, was from Ireland and liked our boat's name. He gets it! He took a picture of the Irish Attitude and sent it to his girlfriend. We made it to our slip just before it began to rain. Symmetry was 2 boats away. We had finally caught up to Blue Grass! Tony met us at the dock, helping us tie up. After we were settled we joined Tony, Stephanie, Margie and Tom for dinner. T/S Andrea caught up with us as we slept

safely in our slip.

Fort Wadsworth On Staten Island



Manhattan with Ominous Clouds

Who's That Lady In the Distance



Gray Skies Over Manhattan

The Statue of Liberty Looking Regal Even in the Rain

Ellis Island



Central Railroad Station of New Jersey



The Freedom Tower... Towers Above All Others

Liberty Landing Marina

The City That Never Sleeps

One night at Liberty Landing was enough to get the experience. At $4 per ft. a night we were ready to head north up the Hudson, rain or not. Half Moon Bay Marina rates are nearly half and we can catch a train from there into the city. (More about the Hudson River in the next post. This post is dedicated to "The Big Apple".)

Mike had contacted his brother-in-law, Eddy about our arrival. True to the boating life style, plans changed. Eddy was out of town and we did not wish to pay to stay in the city. No problem. We would meet him up river, he could spent the night aboard and we Mike and I traveled into the city with the morning. Luckily the weather had improved!

Tour guide extraordinaire, how lucky are we?! Eddy grew up in NYC and is a retired architect. He added insight into the buildings many of which he was involved in. Our first stop was a project of Eddy's. A complex in the Bronx with multiple buildings, a park, river walk and shopping is nearby! One building is still under construction. The view across the river is prime too!


Amazing Complex



The View Across the River
The United Nations and Chrysler Buildings



Up the Harlem River

Looking Back from Manhattan

From there we drove over to Manhattan and parked. Not a simple feat! Eddy was shocked to find a parking garage with a special of $9.95 a day! Now we are hoofing it. What a tourist I am. I walk with my nose up in the air trying to view the buildings while Eddy and Mike talk. Classic structures are more period styles (Gothic, Art Deco) and the modern ones vary in shape, windows and color. (Architectural Digest will not be calling me to publish an article anytime soon but you get the idea!) We rode on a double decker tour bus, a first for Eddy. I think he enjoyed being a tourist for the day.

 









Looking Up To Eddy's Office

Chrysler Building in Back



Elevator Doors Inside the Chrysler Building

Inlaid Wood Murals

 

Grand Central Terminal



Meet Me at the Clock!



 Celestial Ceiling



Ballroom or Train Station?!

Restored Beauty





Where Did She Go?
(Mike and Eddy)

Bryant Park



Sensory Overload

Hey! Robin Roberts!

Time Square Structures are Required to Have Lights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Empire State Building




U.S. Post Office



Flat Iron Building

Radio Music Hall

Brooklyn Bridge





Rockefeller Center





Classic and Modern



We had the option of hopping on and off at various stops from the tour bus. We hopped off at Central Park. It is huge but we walked enough to appreciate this gem. As prime as this real estate is, it’s wonderful that New York had the vision to protect this land from development. Surprisingly, it is very hilly with giant boulders. Eddy shared stories of how he used to play here as a child. Sledding in the winter and a favorite fountain he and his father visited.

Looking Up



Huge Boulders

 

We Had a Great Day!!

Bethesda Terrace and Fountain









A Beautiful City

There are many other building I find interesting but cannot recall the names.

 

A Different Slant



 

 

 

Ornamental

 





 



What's Your Sign?
Astrologically Speaking

Your Pod or Mine?

 

 

On the way to Grand Central Station we stopped and had dinner at one of the many NYC diners. Eddy said the menus served the similar fair but it was unique to us. Mike and I took the commuter train back to the marina that night. Upon our return we found out the train did not stop just behind the marina. We found a paved path and followed it for 2 miles until we reached the marina. Spooky! It was almost dark and I had just enough battery left to shine my phone on the gate and enter in the code.

 

Sunday, we did it all again. This time we rode our bikes to the train station! It was not creepy at all in the daylight! Our friends from Blue Grass were heading into the city as well. Stephanie and Tony were going to an art museum. Our plan was tour one of the other 4 boroughs but Ground Zero is a stop on the Manhattan tour. Tom and Margie joined us. Our tickets were still good, nice! Mike grabbed a hot dog from a NYC vendor. Another item on the bucket list checked off!

 

A parade was taking place and that could make getting around more interesting. For us on the bus, the changes were not noticeable. A few blocked off streets filled with brightly colored native Puerto Rican costumes. The extra 80,000 people were not a problem. 250,000 people live in Manhattan but 3 MILLION visit it each day! 17,000 taxis vie for your business.

 

Parade Day

Ground Zero/World Trade Center

Advanced tickets to Ground Zero are recommended. It is hallowed ground and millions have paid their respects. As we entered I felt mixed emotions. Sadness at the horror when I recalled watching the attack unfold on the TV. Imagining the terrified masses covered in white dust escaping while police, firefighters and paramedics ran in!Once we make it past a construction zone and the area opens up, the scene is inspirational! 3000 people from 90 nations were killed that on September 11, 2001. Their names are laser cut in the bronze that line the north and south pools. Americans, New Yorkers in this case, pulled together in a time of crisis and would not be beaten down. Now, nearly 12 years later, is a peaceful memorial for reflection, a museum (not yet open) and with a variety of buildings standing guard on the perimeter. The tallest is the Freedom Tower. Eddy also contributed to museum project (meeting the deadline!).  The museum is mostly below ground with a glass and steel pavilion above. Two steel tridents or forked columns were recovered from the facade of the original North Tower and are a structural focal point. There is pear tree known as the Survivor Tree recovered in the wreckage. It was reduced to an 8 ft. stump. Nursed to health off site the tree survived uprooting in a 2010 spring storm. It has since been returned to the WTC site proudly standing 30 ft. tall! It’s an amazing site.

 

Freedom Tower - 1776 Ft



Memorial Guide

Names of the Fallen
Border the Pools



South Pool with Museum Pavilion Behind







Water Cascade Over the Sides.....







To the Base of the Pool





Reflection from Above

 

Nearby Structures Reflect Off the Museum



Tom, Margie, Mike and Me

 





 

 

Margie called Steph so we could met up again. Coincidental Tony and Stephanie were at TGIFridays (I know, with all the extraordinary places to eat in the city…..it was hot out and we were standing right outside!). Back to Grand Central to catch the train to the marina. It was an hour ride but a good time to reflect on the day. Tomorrow we continue our travels up the Hudson River.



New York's Finest Re-Group After the Parade