New York Trip – April 2009
Ray & Hester plus Pat (Ray’s sister) and her husband Gordon, spent the end of April absorbing as much of Manhattan as is possible within seven days. It was unbelievable! New York is quite simply stunning – and all the New Yorkers we met turned out to be 100% helpful, friendly and sincere. Yes, all of them! It was fantastic.
To see a more extensive photo gallery, click any picture.
We arrived late and jet-lagged on Wednesday 22 April so only had time to eat before getting enough sleep to tackle mid-town Manhattan the next day. So, on the Thursday, we left our hotel near Madison Square Garden and made our way to Times Square – without looking down! We took in a US-style breakfast at a diner, got to the top of the Rockefeller Centre, had lunch back on the ground, marvelled at Grand Central Terminal and dined on wonderful New-York-sized steaks in the evening.
On Friday, we went to the Natural History Museum. This could easily take a whole day or more, but we rationed ourselves because we wanted to visit Strawberry Field in Central Park and pay our respects at John Lennon’s memorial there. We took an evening stroll to see Times Square at night (even more stunning than it is by day) before embarking on yet another NY-sized dinner.
Saturday was dedicated to Ellis Island, with a photo-shoot of the Statue of Liberty en route. Ellis Island is another fascinating place that can easily occupy a full day. Looking at the history of US immigration, with its tragic as well as heartwarming stories, was a very moving experience, putting many of our own problems into perspective. In the evening, as with most evenings, we did a bit of slow-paced (definitely not Manhattan-speed) exploration of mid-town Manhattan.
On Sunday, we went back for what should have been a lazy day in Central Park. Normally at this time of year, the temperature in New York is 17 or 18 Celsius (64 F) but that Sunday it was a sizzling 33 C (92 F). We did nothing quickly. We watched some half-marathon runners, some youngsters playing baseball, some far-too-keen tennis players – and lots of lazy people like us. This was what New Yorkers did on their day off. The evening meal was at a great restaurant (Irish I think) at the foot of the Empire State Building.
On Monday, we went our separate ways. While Pat and Gordon explored more of mid-town Manhattan, Hester and I went to the New York MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) which really is something special. Words can’t do it justice – you should visit it personally, or at least look at the good but slightly confusing MoMA web-site.
That evening, while Pat, Hester and I went up the Empire State Building for a stunning view of Manhattan by night, Gordon had gone off to the the local Fire Department Fire House to deliver a present from Jeff. This was a North Yorkshire Fire Department T-Shirt, as a thank-you to the New York Fire Department for their support and visit during the UK Fire Fighters strike. In return, the New York Fire Department gave Gordon one of their T-shirts for to Jeff as a memento of the bond between the two Departments.
On Tuesday we went down to the Financial District, which includes Wall Street and the older, historic parts of New York. As well as the Fraunces Tavern, where George Washington made his farewell address to his officers, there is the impressive Stone Street (the first paved street in NY) and, of course, the Stock Exchange.
On a different level altogether, we were all reduced to silence by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. There, engraved on the monument, are the names and ages of all the 1,741 individuals who went into the military from New York and were lost to the Vietnam War. Also engraved there, are a selection of letters home, which made chilling and moving reading.
If you never get to see this memorial in person, please read some of the letters on the NY Vietnam Veterans Memorial web site.
With a similar feeling of compassion, we went to see how the rebuilding at Ground Zero was progressing. Quite by accident, we tagged on to a group of visitors and heard part of a presentation by one of the Fire Fighters who had been involved with the 9/11 rescue and recovery work. His story was added to by a member of the public who had been closely involved with developments on that day. When the other visitors had left, we talked to these two men for some time and, when it was time to leave, they thanked us for making our presence there one of respect for them and their experiences rather than one of ghoulish curiosity.
Our final day, Wednesday 29 April, we went to see the famous Flatiron building and then moved on to Greenwich Village, wandering round the University quarter, Washington Square and Bleecker Street where, would you believe, you can find Abingdon Square Park. Sadly, late that afternoon, we flew out of JFK airport back to England.
To see a more extensive photo gallery, click any picture.