It is easy to walk in New York. Imagine big supermarket. If you’re not sure what do you want, just after some food, then you would stroll along each aisle in zigzag fashion – one aisle in one direction, the next one – returning in opposite. Now, New York, of course is not a supermarket. But it works the same way in there. The street’s layout is so geometrically-inspired, that no matter which direction you’d go, you will always find your way back if you turn next street and just go back to where you came from…hmmm…some strange analogy in it, huh? this is not how they do it in Europe, where walking the street you never know what to expect around the next bend or curve. Streets of New York are pedantically straight. This creates an impression of an open space, actually. No matter how tall and cluttered are the buildings around, you can always see the light in the end of the Street-Tunnel. The impression remains of something airy and spacy and transparent. New York is definitely not claustrophobic!
I walked a lot in New York. And when I said “a lot” I mean – literally everywhere. I’ve tried out NY subway for the first (and last) time on my last day in NY. The rest of a time I’ve spent walking. It felt very healthy the least...
Traffic in New York.
I’m totally convinced that it is taxies that create it. These yellow devils were everywhere. They invaded the roads so densely that normal cars have no chance to live. Ironically there were also too many people trying to catch a taxi. Those were also everywhere. Every pedestrian crossing, at all four corners of every cross-road, simply on the kerbsides along the road. Looked like funny sport competition to me: when there were too many of those desperate for a ride, each next one standing tried to step into the road a bit more then the previous one…eventually the last one in this make-shift queue will find themselves in the middle of the road, being madly honked by the oncoming traffic. I couldn’t figure it out: that there are so many cars as well as matching demand for them, how come it is still a problem to catch a taxi in New York!? It looked as if all the taxies just drive the streets for pleasure without actually picking up the passengers. I wouldn’t be surprised if hear the taxi drivers meanly laughing behind the wheel passing by “those suckers”…
But back to the places to talk of and views to share…
5th Avenue.
When I’ve announced in my office that I’m going to New York, someone reacted: wow lucky you - 6 days of shopping! Well, I hate to disappoint expectations, but truly shopping wasn’t on my travel list at all. However, I did walk the whole 5th Avenue. It was a cunning plan of mine: I can now say “I’ve been on 5th Avenue” and let people's imagination work out the size of a diamond from Tiffany’s, I might've bought ;-) I was surprised at how many people are actually impressed by something like decorated shop window - I’ve noticed few girls, taking pictures on the background of a bunch of soulless mannequins in gold and red. It is tasteful, I agree, but not something to keep your memories of, or is it?! [scratches head]
This is not a museum, this is a NY Public Library (“professional interest brought me there”):
United Nations HQ
The advantage of being a solo traveller is that you can make a decisions on where to go next “on a spot” and you don’t get to argue about who fancies what. I found myself in front of a bus which says: “United Nations” on the board. I had no idea how far it is but I thought it would be nice to try a bus in New York. And I let the bus to take me right across the city to the bank of another river…United Nations is a fine building. Nothing impressive, but build with dignity in thoughts and well-kept. Apart from flags of all the UN countries on the raw of poles in front of it, there were also two rather puzzling monuments. One of them was a ball that looks like blown up Earth. And another one of a pistol tied in knot…I couldn’t figure it out whether the message was: “if you don’t tie up your guns in knots, our planet will be blown up” or did it say “if you blow up our planet, that what we’ll do with your gun”…hmmm…either way remarkable sight
Rockefeller Centre
Large complex, house of TV, Radio and something else. A lot of things, that I didn’t care enough to find out. I liked the architecture though. Especially at night – the tower looked as if reaching skies. A flight of fantasy. The trees around were decorated in sparking lights – fairytaled magic! And an ice rink in front. Ice rinks are something that I will always associate with New York along with some other things. It was only the end of October but the ice rink already was full…music, beautiful dancers…colourfully illuminated fountain…But you know what rocks the most about Rockefeller Centre? The Top Of The Rock Observation Deck on the 70th floor. Having been in ESB, I didn’t expect much of the thrill, but I had an evening to kill and I happened to be by the Rockefeller’s. So I gave it a chance to impress me more then I was already. And it did! If you ask me what to visit the best – Top of the Rock or Empire State Building, I’d be hesitating now. From one hand ESB is The Landmark of NYC and it feels almost obligatory to visit it. Yet the Rockefeller’s observation deck is far more impressive, though slightly (16 stores) smaller. The ride on elevator set up the mood – as we started to move, the ceiling gone missing…I mean – it became transparent and we watched in awe the shaft lit up with purple lights as we were speeding up into the skies…fantastic! And the top deck was also styled in a funky space design. The barriers were of glass, unlike those fences in ESB, overall it was just magical and since I’ve been there late evening, the shining illumination of the city did leave a long lasting imprint. Or, and one more thing – from there you can see the Empire State Building in all her splendour of colourful floodlights oh so close! The view you can never get from the streets.
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Since it happened to be close to Rockefeller Centre, I visited it as well. It is said to be the largest gothic-style Catholic Cathedral in North America. It is beautiful, fine carved wood and stone work. And it made me feel like I’m in back Europe ...
Greenwich Village.
A nice and somewhat less “newyorky” area of New York. Lots of light iron-cast buildings. Just something very different from the rest. Creates a mood for singing something from Don Henley. Too many beautiful facades, impossible to choose which is the most pretty one… also - a place where they named their streets, not numbered! Nice human touch...
Ground Zero.
What to say…an emotional place. Lots of heartbreaking memories. Peaceful Trinity church that used to be a shelter for survivors. It is a shrine now with lots of memories…pieces of cloth, letters, toys, gifts, words, tears, emotions… The site itself resembles big construction site, but this is not a place to go to be amused. I’ve noticed how people were taking pictures not of the site itself, but of them posing on the background of the site of the tragedy…sad…Pain of the loss should be so very personal to every one…I don’t believe that even single person who came here, walked away emotionless…Site Of World’s Tears…I walked into the subway hall that used to be right under the Twin Towers and there was a piece of iron beams sticking out of the ceiling…has been left to remind? Or nobody dared to touch it? Either way felt somewhat significant because of it's origin...
I walked a lot in New York. And when I said “a lot” I mean – literally everywhere. I’ve tried out NY subway for the first (and last) time on my last day in NY. The rest of a time I’ve spent walking. It felt very healthy the least...
Traffic in New York.
I’m totally convinced that it is taxies that create it. These yellow devils were everywhere. They invaded the roads so densely that normal cars have no chance to live. Ironically there were also too many people trying to catch a taxi. Those were also everywhere. Every pedestrian crossing, at all four corners of every cross-road, simply on the kerbsides along the road. Looked like funny sport competition to me: when there were too many of those desperate for a ride, each next one standing tried to step into the road a bit more then the previous one…eventually the last one in this make-shift queue will find themselves in the middle of the road, being madly honked by the oncoming traffic. I couldn’t figure it out: that there are so many cars as well as matching demand for them, how come it is still a problem to catch a taxi in New York!? It looked as if all the taxies just drive the streets for pleasure without actually picking up the passengers. I wouldn’t be surprised if hear the taxi drivers meanly laughing behind the wheel passing by “those suckers”…
But back to the places to talk of and views to share…
5th Avenue.
When I’ve announced in my office that I’m going to New York, someone reacted: wow lucky you - 6 days of shopping! Well, I hate to disappoint expectations, but truly shopping wasn’t on my travel list at all. However, I did walk the whole 5th Avenue. It was a cunning plan of mine: I can now say “I’ve been on 5th Avenue” and let people's imagination work out the size of a diamond from Tiffany’s, I might've bought ;-) I was surprised at how many people are actually impressed by something like decorated shop window - I’ve noticed few girls, taking pictures on the background of a bunch of soulless mannequins in gold and red. It is tasteful, I agree, but not something to keep your memories of, or is it?! [scratches head]
This is not a museum, this is a NY Public Library (“professional interest brought me there”):
United Nations HQ
The advantage of being a solo traveller is that you can make a decisions on where to go next “on a spot” and you don’t get to argue about who fancies what. I found myself in front of a bus which says: “United Nations” on the board. I had no idea how far it is but I thought it would be nice to try a bus in New York. And I let the bus to take me right across the city to the bank of another river…United Nations is a fine building. Nothing impressive, but build with dignity in thoughts and well-kept. Apart from flags of all the UN countries on the raw of poles in front of it, there were also two rather puzzling monuments. One of them was a ball that looks like blown up Earth. And another one of a pistol tied in knot…I couldn’t figure it out whether the message was: “if you don’t tie up your guns in knots, our planet will be blown up” or did it say “if you blow up our planet, that what we’ll do with your gun”…hmmm…either way remarkable sight
Rockefeller Centre
Large complex, house of TV, Radio and something else. A lot of things, that I didn’t care enough to find out. I liked the architecture though. Especially at night – the tower looked as if reaching skies. A flight of fantasy. The trees around were decorated in sparking lights – fairytaled magic! And an ice rink in front. Ice rinks are something that I will always associate with New York along with some other things. It was only the end of October but the ice rink already was full…music, beautiful dancers…colourfully illuminated fountain…But you know what rocks the most about Rockefeller Centre? The Top Of The Rock Observation Deck on the 70th floor. Having been in ESB, I didn’t expect much of the thrill, but I had an evening to kill and I happened to be by the Rockefeller’s. So I gave it a chance to impress me more then I was already. And it did! If you ask me what to visit the best – Top of the Rock or Empire State Building, I’d be hesitating now. From one hand ESB is The Landmark of NYC and it feels almost obligatory to visit it. Yet the Rockefeller’s observation deck is far more impressive, though slightly (16 stores) smaller. The ride on elevator set up the mood – as we started to move, the ceiling gone missing…I mean – it became transparent and we watched in awe the shaft lit up with purple lights as we were speeding up into the skies…fantastic! And the top deck was also styled in a funky space design. The barriers were of glass, unlike those fences in ESB, overall it was just magical and since I’ve been there late evening, the shining illumination of the city did leave a long lasting imprint. Or, and one more thing – from there you can see the Empire State Building in all her splendour of colourful floodlights oh so close! The view you can never get from the streets.
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Since it happened to be close to Rockefeller Centre, I visited it as well. It is said to be the largest gothic-style Catholic Cathedral in North America. It is beautiful, fine carved wood and stone work. And it made me feel like I’m in back Europe ...
Greenwich Village.
A nice and somewhat less “newyorky” area of New York. Lots of light iron-cast buildings. Just something very different from the rest. Creates a mood for singing something from Don Henley. Too many beautiful facades, impossible to choose which is the most pretty one… also - a place where they named their streets, not numbered! Nice human touch...
Ground Zero.
What to say…an emotional place. Lots of heartbreaking memories. Peaceful Trinity church that used to be a shelter for survivors. It is a shrine now with lots of memories…pieces of cloth, letters, toys, gifts, words, tears, emotions… The site itself resembles big construction site, but this is not a place to go to be amused. I’ve noticed how people were taking pictures not of the site itself, but of them posing on the background of the site of the tragedy…sad…Pain of the loss should be so very personal to every one…I don’t believe that even single person who came here, walked away emotionless…Site Of World’s Tears…I walked into the subway hall that used to be right under the Twin Towers and there was a piece of iron beams sticking out of the ceiling…has been left to remind? Or nobody dared to touch it? Either way felt somewhat significant because of it's origin...
More to come…