New York

We discovered New York today. First we climbed 69 floors to the observation level of the Rockefeller Centre (by elevator; we walked up stairs on the last two). Even though it was a little cloudy, it wasn't raining. Amazing views from more than 700 feet up in the air! On such a grey day, the only splashes of color seemed to be the numerous Yellow cabs on the streets below.



In the distance, that's the Empire State Building, built in the early 1930s and until last week, the tallest building in New York. Then the builders of One World Trade Centre stuck a piece of steel on top which put it just over the ESB. It will top out at 1,776 feet -- see three pictures down.
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Here is Central Park from up on Rockefeller Center, as big as Stanley Park but surrounded on four sides by buildings. That's Fifth Avenue running up the right side of the park, chock a block with museums.


The Rockefeller Centre -- yes, that's 30 Rock -- is an amazing art deco building built between 1931-1940. Actually, it's a grouping of several buildings, including Radio City Music Hall and NBC studios, where they produce the Today show and Saturday Night Live.


A circle tour of Manhattan by boat was next on our agenda. It was an excellent way to see the city. The Circle Line boat left from a dock in midtown near our hotel and circled Manhattan island counterclockwise, down the Hudson, past Battery Park at the bottom, out to near Ellis Island and a sail past of the Statue of Liberty. (They sure do love their symbols here, the George Clooney-sounding guide talked about her as "Our Lady" several times.)



Then we headed up the East River, under the famed Brooklyn Bridge and 19 other steel suspension, swing and lift bridges, plus one disused aqueduct that used to bring water into New York, now obsolete since a massive miles-long tunnel has been bored deep through the rock.
A trip along the New York shoreline also shows how real is that symbol of New York, the round conical-roofed water tank. They are everywhere and made necessary because even the huge tunnel under New York can't deliver the water pressure to push it higher than 90 feet.


New One World Trade Center.



Chrysler building and the United Nations.


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Location:New York City