New York City-Part 2

Of course, since I had never really visited NYC before, I wanted to see all the 'touristy' things.

For 30 years this sculpture stood in front of the World Trade Center, but was damaged in the destruction of September 11, 2001. It now resides in Battery Park where it is an icon of hope and indestructible spirit of this country.

 

The Immigrants, located in Battery Park. Dedicated to all people who came to America through Castle Clinton and Ellis Island.

Castle Clinton, built in 1811 as one of the 5 forts built to defend New York Harbor. It is now a National Historic Site and the entrance for the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.

Standing in front of the Statue of Liberty.

I got to climb up in the pedestal of the statue. What a great view.  Only 3000 tickets a day are given for the pedestal, and only 300 per day for the crown. To get tickets to climb up into the crown requires reservations at least 3-4 months in advance. Looking down from the Statue of Liberty onto Ellis Island, where thousands of immigrants landed on their way to America.

In Brooklyn I saw this arch and thought I was back in Rome. This was located in the plaza in front of the public library.

The main doors of the Brooklyn Public Library. Very impressive.

This is the back side of the Brooklyn Public Library.

From Brooklyn we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan. This group of people were walking and being filmed as we were crossing. Asking what it was all about we were told it was to inform people about global warming and how we are destroying the earth. Makes all kind of sense. Couldn't you see that from the way these people were dressed?

They were doing a lot of work on the bridge. I mean, it's only 128 years old.

Looking down over the pedestrian walkway onto the cars below. Looks like the girders there are a little rusty. I'm glad they were doing the repairs. The bridge is 128 years old and was an engineering feat of its time. Just stringing the miles and miles of cables alone was amazing back in 1880.

Another landmark is Penn Station. Although we arrived almost every day in Penn Station on the NJ Transit train, most of the local subways and commuter trains arrive underground. But in my wanderings, I did find the old lobby for the original train station. It reminded me of the grand and glorious train stations I remember as a child traveling on the Santa Fe Railroad with my parents.

Another place I just had to visit was the Empire State Building. There it is in the middle of the background. Sorry about the cloudy picture, but it was foggy and muggy like this the entire time I was in NYC.

As we got close to the top I found King Kong is still hanging around. Somehow he just doesn't look so big as in the pictures.

Looking down from the top onto the city below. Up in the top of the picture you can see some of Central Park. They say on a clear day you can see for 70 miles, but today we were lucky to see across the Hudson River.

Now, wouldn't you like to be working up 100 stories, no safety lines, riviting bolts, straddling a steel beam?

And as much as I like to hike, walk and climb, I have no desire to join this race.

This is the NYC Public Library. I think I like Brooklyn's better.

And Grand Central Station. I just loved wandering around inside its large waiting areas. There are shopping of all kinds and food venders galore inside. It really lives up to its name, it was Grand. (Sorry, but I didn't get any pictures inside, they were all too dark or too blurry)