NYC Tour - Day 6, September 13, 2013

Our day started with waiting for the bus to arrive!  Supposedly due to a flat tire, but I used to work for a construction company that used that excuse when they were late.

We went just a short way to Liberty State Park to catch the ferry to Liberty Island and Lady Liberty.  There was damage done to the area by Sandy.  It was quite a walk (for some) to the temporary pier.  Ellis Island is still closed due to Sandy.

This was taken at Liberty State Park.  In the foreground are pieces from 9/11.  The two walls represent the towers and the site of the towers is viewed between them.  Unfortunately, we didn't have time to explore and get better photos.

This beautiful building is the Central Railroad of new Jersey Terminal, and it is closed due to Sandy.  After Ellis Island, this is where immigrants came to catch a train to wherever they were going.

 Ellis Island.  My ancestors came long before the use of Ellis Island.

 

We went through airport type security twice.  The second time the man in front of me had to make several 'return trips', removing something else each time he did so.  He finally made it through.  I went through the scanner and the tub with my things was nowhere in sight!  That is an awful feeling!  There were not the number of people milling about as in an airport.  I finally looked at the man at the scanner and shrugged my shoulders because the man behind me had his things.  Seems the man in front of me tossed his things, including his shoes, on top of my things!!  Whew!

There is a wonderful display of how the Statue of Liberty was constructed, paid for, etc. Our tickets allowed us up on the pedestal. I thought I was in line for the stairs, but it turned out to be the elevator! By the time I figured it out, I was almost at the head of the line so played lazy.

This is the wooden mold for a portion of the foot (sorry it is fuzzy).  The thin copper sheeting was hammered into this mold for the foot.

This is a replica of the inside of the Statue of Liberty.

This is looking up the statue's skirt.  Look close and you can see the spiral stairs.  I believe the fee is $50 to climb to the crown.

 

We rode the ferry to Battery Park in NYC.   There are memorials to military who lost their lives during WWII on the Atlantic coast.  All are listed on the cement 'walls'.

There is an urban garden in the park.

Next stop was St. Paul's Chapel which was a place of rest, food, etc. for the 9/11 rescuers. We had 20 minutes here so I rushed so I had time to stop at St. Peter's on the way back to the bus. It is the oldest Catholic Church in NYC.

George Washington worshipped at St. Paul's after his first inauguration.  

A cot for rescuers to rest.

 

 A cross forged from the destruction.

 A gift from London following 9/11.

 

St. Peter's Catholic Church, oldest Catholic congregation in New York.  Present church built in 1838.

 

There were so many people praying inside that these were taken through glass so as to not disturb them.

 

We made a stop at Washington Square Park which has a beautiful arch and fountain. Along the way we passed the buildings with the iron pillars again so I was able to get better photos.

 Washington the Statesman.

 Washington the soldier.

Bloomingdale's with the iron pillars to support the weight of the windows.

Chelsea Market was next. It was mostly food stores and restaurants. Since we had dinner reservations, no eating here even if there is lobster!!

Off to Little Italy and the San Gennaro Festival. Many of us commented that we would have liked to have eaten dinner at the Festival, but our reservation was at one of the Italian restaurants. I did stop after dinner and pick up a canoli.

 

Dinner was way too much - salad, pasta, I had eggplant parmesan, and dessert!

And then we waited in the cool evening air for the bus!! Traffic was extremely heavy so it took us 2 hours to get back to the park - I think normally it was 45 minutes. The intersection traffic cops weren't helping get rid of the gridlock. Many of us are starting to wear out. All the slow walking on cement is making me very sore.

 

NYC - Day 5, September 12, 2013

Yesterday (Day 4) was a free day, and I stayed home.  Temperature was 96 degrees!

Today started with a new bus driver who doesn't have a clue.   First thing she did was 'get lost' on the way to the Holland Tunnel.  The traffic was much heavier today plus she is a timid driver, so all we did was ride the bus before lunch.

We did drive by the 'Intrepid' and the back of Trinity Church along the way.

 

For whatever reason, we didn't go to the scheduled cafe for lunch and were suddenly dropped off and told there was food across the street.  There were several choices.

We had a scheduled appointment to visit the 9/11 Memorial.  On our way there the sky opened up and we had a brief downpour.  The Memorial is a lovely 'park'.

This is the Survivor Tree.  It survived in the rubble of 9/11 and was replanted.  It then withstood the winds of Sandy in 2012.

I took many photos of Tower Number 1!

The arched glass building in the center of the photo is where Ground Zero was viewed from when I was here in 2006.

 

The steeple is St. Paul's Church which was a haven for rescue workers.  The orange crane is lifting what, to me, looked like wings and will be a parking structure.

The ledge around the two pools list all the names of those lost on 9/11.

There is a pool where each of the towers stood.

Building Number 4 rebuilt.

The grounds.

On our way to Wall Street, we walked by Trinity Church and cemetery.  I was disappointed we didn't go into either.

Taken from down Wall Street.

I have been to Wall Street before, but I had missed the plaque regarding a wall the Dutch had built to protect themselves from enemies.  There is evidence of this wall in the pavement.  Again, my ancestors were part of that Dutch community so I need to do some more reading in a book that is in storage.  These photos were taken in front of Federal Hall.

The plaque says logs, but these remnants are all along Wall Street.  My feet are in the photo on purpose - perhaps my 8th great grandfather stood here as well.  He and his brother owned land near Wall and Broadway.

Next we rode the bus to kill time and drove right by Trinity Church!!

Dinner was at Mustang Harry's.  I had salmon which was very good!

Next we were dropped off at the Gershwin Theater - early - to see Wicked.  I had heard so many raves about this show, but, while the performances were very good, I just didn't care for the show.  I probably had an attitude when I couldn't understand the words of the songs the chorus sang or hear some of the actors' lines. 

We got back to the park after eleven.  By the time I got settled down and ready for sleep, it was 2 a.m.  Up at 7 this morning for 9 o'clock departure.

New York City - Day 3, September 10, 2013

We left the park and immediately had a 'road block' - we think the poor semi driver took a wrong turn.  With the help of a policeman, he at least got pulled over to the side so we could pass, but I have no idea how they were going to get him out of the narrow street.

Today I had my first, and possibly last, subway ride to Grand Central Station (Terminal). As we were waiting for the train, we watched other trains really zip by. It was easy to see how someone could fall onto the tracks so I wouldn't want to be waiting on the platform at the front of a crowd.

 I'm not sure what this tree was about except the little table to the right had a place to donate for art.

We were on our own for lunch at the food court on the lower level of Grand Central.  I ordered a lunch special of small Caesar salad and half a pastrami sandwich, and the meat was piled high on a small bun.  The station is beautiful and its 100th anniversary was celebrated in February.  As I found at the Port Authority a few years ago, there is no seating on the main concourse if you have to wait.

Next we were off to Radio City Music Hall for a backstage tour.  Rehearsal was taking place for tonight's live airing of America's Got Talent so we were not allowed to take photographs of the stage.  All I could have told you was that we watched some guys jumping rope, but my daughter later told me they are the Chicago Boys.  The judges weren't there, but the emcee was.  We saw some of the wonderful Rockette costumes and met a Rockette.  Like many of these places, they take your photo - talk about feeling short and dumpy next to a Rockette!!

 Surrounded by tall buildings.

This is a display model of the stage and the workings beneath.

 

Looking down on the lobby.

 We also toured the Gentlemen's and Ladies' Lounges. The lounge was so comfortable, and we all seemed to be wearing out. The guide had to come back and get us going again.  The wallcovering in the Gent's lounge is leather.

The little foot pedal between the sinks in the Ladies' is to operate the hand dryer.

Next we are off to Rockefeller Center.  St. Patrick's Cathedral is nearby.  I walked the two blocks or so on my own and didn't get turned around or lost!!  We had driven past the Cathedral the other day so I knew it was covered with scaffolding.  What I didn't expect was the scaffolding inside as well.  They are doing a 4 year renovation.  Still the altar area was open and beautiful.

I left the church and found the Atlas statue just across the street.

Back at Rockefeller Center I saw the plaque where the annual Christmas tree is placed.  The ice skating rink is filled with eateries and umbrella covered tables in the summer.

 

 

 

 The Rockefeller Building where we went to the Top of the Rock

 NBC news just up the street.

 

Dinner was a B. Smith's restaurant.  An African-American model from the South who brought Southern cooking to NYC.  It wasn't Southern food I think of, but it was very good.  I ordered Swamp Thang (that is not a misspelling) - Shrimp, scallops, and crawfish in a Dijon sauce over Southern greens.  The seafood was quite good - greens weren't my 'thang'.  Dessert was Mocha Mousse - yum.

 

 

And now we are off to see Cinderella at the Broadway Theater.  I wasn't sure about this particular choice, but it was fantastic!  Some of the costume changes onstage had us scratching our heads asking, 'How did they do that'.  Great show.

This was a smooth day.