I can’t believe its over - during the journey I have taken in some wondrous sites, beautiful views, iconic buildings, amazing wildlife and thought provoking religious sites all supported by warm and welcoming people of many nations, ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs.
Although the journey has been challenging at times, I believe that the adventure has allowed me to grow as a person, learning lessons about life, belief, family, friendship and the natural environment. Mankind now has the power to shape our world to achieve great things or cause tremendous harm, and this for me is the dilemma… What challenges does the future hold? Well, I for one am optimistic… As E. Boserup once wrote “Necessity is the mother of invention” and I have seen first hand what people can do when faced with extreme adversity and it fills me with hope regarding a brighter future.
Carpe Diem
Wednesday 8 June 2011
My last day in NYC
My last night of the trip is in the New York YHI (hostelling International) hostel found in the lower West side on Amsterdam Av and 104th street [Harlem]. At $45 a night it is very cheap for New York - after all you have a dorm bed, shower, TV lounge and kitchen area while the supermarket is within walking distance… However, bare in mind that it is a little way off from the major attractions [3 blocks from central park and a bus ride from other sites] while the local area is, for me, a little off-putting with litter in the streets and loitering groups of youths [suffice to say I did not venture out after dark!!]... However, it seemed perfectly safe during the day ;)
Well, my final day is LAUNDRY day ;) and of course also means packing for my final flight with British Airways… My 30th Flight of the trip!!
The final leg of the journey is as the guest of British airways on a 747 Jumbo Jet. :) Heathrow Bound…
Well, my final day is LAUNDRY day ;) and of course also means packing for my final flight with British Airways… My 30th Flight of the trip!!
The final leg of the journey is as the guest of British airways on a 747 Jumbo Jet. :) Heathrow Bound…
Day two NYC
After sleeping fitfully last night… Due I think to overexcitement - after all - today I am going to visit the lady herself… The Statue of Liberty :) I awake early and head out…
Taking the bus again to Battery Park by 9am I am due to enter the pedestal at 11am… Bare in mind that you need to pass through tight security before getting on to the ferry (Take as little with you as possible!! As you will need to empty pockets, take off watches etc) I am only carrying a camera so pass through relatively rapidly ;)
The ferry ride over to Liberty Island provides you with some grand views of the downtown area of the city as well as some magnificent views of the Lady herself :) I am just enraptured by the nearing monument and take several pictures on route… Beautiful, captivating and magnificent all at once - I just can’t imagine what it must have been like for those first immigrants to see this truly stunning work of art as they pulled into the harbour. I am becoming lost of words :)
This truly is one of the highlights of my entire trip - the Statue for me is symbolic of freedom [as well as for the USA]. Standing in her shadow I can make out the amazing detail of her green copper skin. She is mounted on a grand pedestal... It is only now that you get a sense of scale for her… She is immense… People walk around the foot of the pedestal and as I look further up I see the tiny dots of peoples faces looking down at us from the top of the pedestal… With half an hour to spend before my entrance I find myself circling the monument eyes firmly fixed on the wondrous detail of the figure above me… It is like being in a dream… Truly magical.
After half an hour of circling I find the entrance and once again go through an airport style security check… before entering the pedestal itself - a large set of double doors embellished with mouldings depicting the tools of the building trade. Entering the main lobby area I am faced with the original ‘torch’ [replaced during a large restoration project in the 1980’s]. It is beautifully designed and stands as a wonder in itself, a fitting exhibit for the grand entrance [my advise is to wait for one of the highly knowledgeable park rangers to give a talk on it, well worth the wait]. Then, breathless, I ascend the stairs to the very core of the statue J It is wondrous, just as I had imagined that it would be… Looking up you are rewarded with the site of the hollow interior with its steel bands holding the moulded copper body panels in place - The restoration work replaced all of the iron support braces with new stainless steel versions - not an easy task given no blue prints to work from!! 0_0 Each strut needed to be replaced individually by eye!! [The original struts remain in the self contained museum]. I am blown away and spend some time in discussion with the ranger on the upper level watching as the lucky few with crown tickets ascend in groups of 10 up the final spiral staircase… This is when I realise that I will be back again… It is one of my life ambitions to climb to the crown…
Spending the better part of two hours walking around the exterior of the pedestal and its internal museum I come to discover the shear wonder of this monument. The stunning design work, the creativity, the skill and bravery of the craftsmen and engineers who worked on site and the determination of the labourers to achieve, what for me, has to be the greatest monument/building/human endeavour in the world… Truly a modern wonder of the world… beautifully magnificent. :)
If you are in New York… Come and see the Statue of Liberty…
SHE is THE ‘MUST SEE’ site.
Taking the bus again to Battery Park by 9am I am due to enter the pedestal at 11am… Bare in mind that you need to pass through tight security before getting on to the ferry (Take as little with you as possible!! As you will need to empty pockets, take off watches etc) I am only carrying a camera so pass through relatively rapidly ;)
The ferry ride over to Liberty Island provides you with some grand views of the downtown area of the city as well as some magnificent views of the Lady herself :) I am just enraptured by the nearing monument and take several pictures on route… Beautiful, captivating and magnificent all at once - I just can’t imagine what it must have been like for those first immigrants to see this truly stunning work of art as they pulled into the harbour. I am becoming lost of words :)
This truly is one of the highlights of my entire trip - the Statue for me is symbolic of freedom [as well as for the USA]. Standing in her shadow I can make out the amazing detail of her green copper skin. She is mounted on a grand pedestal... It is only now that you get a sense of scale for her… She is immense… People walk around the foot of the pedestal and as I look further up I see the tiny dots of peoples faces looking down at us from the top of the pedestal… With half an hour to spend before my entrance I find myself circling the monument eyes firmly fixed on the wondrous detail of the figure above me… It is like being in a dream… Truly magical.
After half an hour of circling I find the entrance and once again go through an airport style security check… before entering the pedestal itself - a large set of double doors embellished with mouldings depicting the tools of the building trade. Entering the main lobby area I am faced with the original ‘torch’ [replaced during a large restoration project in the 1980’s]. It is beautifully designed and stands as a wonder in itself, a fitting exhibit for the grand entrance [my advise is to wait for one of the highly knowledgeable park rangers to give a talk on it, well worth the wait]. Then, breathless, I ascend the stairs to the very core of the statue J It is wondrous, just as I had imagined that it would be… Looking up you are rewarded with the site of the hollow interior with its steel bands holding the moulded copper body panels in place - The restoration work replaced all of the iron support braces with new stainless steel versions - not an easy task given no blue prints to work from!! 0_0 Each strut needed to be replaced individually by eye!! [The original struts remain in the self contained museum]. I am blown away and spend some time in discussion with the ranger on the upper level watching as the lucky few with crown tickets ascend in groups of 10 up the final spiral staircase… This is when I realise that I will be back again… It is one of my life ambitions to climb to the crown…
Spending the better part of two hours walking around the exterior of the pedestal and its internal museum I come to discover the shear wonder of this monument. The stunning design work, the creativity, the skill and bravery of the craftsmen and engineers who worked on site and the determination of the labourers to achieve, what for me, has to be the greatest monument/building/human endeavour in the world… Truly a modern wonder of the world… beautifully magnificent. :)
If you are in New York… Come and see the Statue of Liberty…
SHE is THE ‘MUST SEE’ site.
5: Central Park - (Part of the uptown tour) is a MUST visit sight with its wonderful lakes and greens filled with people of all walks of life enjoying picnics, exercising on all kinds of kinetic equipment or just basking in the sun. A beautiful, quiet place filled with romantic walks… As well as, of course the Central Park Zoo… and a boating lake for model yachts. At the time I was there it was the 63rd Anniversary of the foundation of the state of Israel, so there was a HUGE parade going down 5th Avenue closing the street to all traffic (including our tour bus)!! Israeli flags flew all along the roadsides while marching bands played and people celebrated the foundation of their nation… Quite an event which on its completion led to a perfectly choreographed clean-up operation including lots of police to clear away barriers, street sweepers [some equipped with garden blowers] to clear litter from the sidewalks and finally massive, I mean to say… MASSIVE street cleaning trucks with brushes and hoovers to suck up all the rubbish from the street… Then the traffic was released to flow once more…
The end of day one saw me heading back to the hotel in the early evening to get some much needed sleep…
4: Times Square - A kaleidoscope of colours focused on the tourist/voyeur - it is a mesmerising place with advertisements of all formats coating at least 40% of the buildings flanks… There are posters over ten stories high, Video screens constantly bombarding you with adverts for cosmetics, clothing and cars on all sides. There are suited characters from Disney to M&M who families seem enchanted by… My advise is to take a seat here just for five minutes or so on the stalls set up for you and take it all in… 0_0... Then you have the opportunity to buy tickets for Broadway shows at 50% of the retail price J or buy some M&M’s or some Hershey’s (At great expense!!) or just have a beer and steak at TGI’s. To be honest Times Square is a tourist honey pot and it is heaving with people - however, it is still worth a visit, after all it is set up with you in mind ;)
3: The Rockefeller Centre - The ‘Rock’ is rapidly becoming an iconic institution in itself and is well worth a visit - in my humble opinion it has some of the greatest views in New York City… For $22 [$32 in the evening] you get whisked to the 69th floor where you are rewarded with outstanding, I mean to say BREATHTAKING views over central park and moving to the other side of the roof an Amazing, Iconic view of the Empire State Building, currently dominating the Downtown area with the ‘World Trade Centre Tower No.1.’ razing like a phoenix from the flames behind it… and… in the far, far… f a r distance the Statue of Liberty. A MUST DO if your in New York…
Highlights of the Downtown tour:
1: The Statue of Liberty… More later…
2: The Empire State Building - The iconic grandeur of the building cannot be overstated, you can still imagine King Kong climbing the outside, Fay Dunnaway in hand… But alas… As I have already been to the summit of this marvellous wonder of human endeavour I am reluctant to repeat the journey at the expense of other sites - If you have not done it, then it is a MUST DO…
Day one NYC
Waking early and taking on a ‘Starbucks style’ take out breakfast I walk the 6 blocks to get to the tour bus pick up site. [Advise: get there early in the day to avoid monstrous queues]. The buses are open topped and each have their own ‘host’ or ‘Experienced guide’ who have their own personality and stories to embellish the sights on route J This does make the transit interesting while you spend the entire time looking from one tall skyscraper to the next, occasionally distracted by the nestled churches and tenement buildings.
There are a number of stops on route around the city [both uptown and downtown] allowing passengers to really explore the city sites (ok, if you have the time). The city has developed clearly distinguished areas such as ‘Little Italy’, ‘China Town’, ‘Greenwich Village’, ‘Harlem’ and ‘Soho’ all with their own characteristic charms. I particularly love Greenwich Village with its quiet, tree lined streets including unique shopping opportunities and family run Cafés [on top of this it has magnificent views of the Empire State Building and is the only place where our tour guide is unable to use his microphone due to noise control] GV is also the home area for the Sex in the City Crew ;).
Ahem… Moving on… Taking the bus all the way to the last stop at Battery Park you are rewarded with a distant sight of the elegantly majestic ‘Statue of Liberty’. To be honest with you - this is the real highlight of the USA for me - I am a HUGE fan of sculpture and this landmark represents so much history… Just blows me away, even from a distance!! To get a great view of the statue there are several options (Helicopter, Blimp!! Of Ferry)… I choose the ferry (Cheapest optiom ;))… $13 with a ticket purchased from inside the Clinton fort [Including entrance to the pedestal - if you book a day in advance out of season this should be fine… but… During the summer you need to book at least a week in advance!! No extra cost… yet limited to 3000 people per day… If you want to climb to the crown - and yes this is now open - you need to book months ahead as there are only 240 tickets released for each day 0_0 So once again I don’t get to climb into the crown [Next time… And yes there will be a next time]!! The ranger in the statue does state however that the experience now is far better than the three hour ‘but view’ followed by a 10 second glimpse of from the crowns windows that it used to be when there was free access with queuing… Now you get to spend 10 minutes in the crown with a ranger on hand to give you a guided viewing AND answer any questions that you may have… Fabulous idea.
Back on the tour bus I am whisked through Wall Street with its narrow passages between colossal sharply designed sky scrapers and their communal parks [tiny rest areas] for business lunches on the go - some even have bubbling fountains, open greens, lots of granite style benches and in some cases public works of art including ‘The Bull’ of Wall Street - I think he has clearly been rubbed for good fortune a little as many areas on the Bronze statue have been brought to a high shine ;) [you will be fighting for a space next to him if at ground level, but from the top of the tour bus you get a wonderful view].
Heading back up towards mid-down via the Eastside I find a more ‘run down’ area with graffiti clearly evident on many of the buildings and some of them are boarded up or under repair - I am particularly interested to see a whole community area named as the immigrants neighbourhood!! Hmm… Here, in the centre of the partitioned streets are public walkways with several wheels attached to beams… I can only imagine what they are for…
There are a number of stops on route around the city [both uptown and downtown] allowing passengers to really explore the city sites (ok, if you have the time). The city has developed clearly distinguished areas such as ‘Little Italy’, ‘China Town’, ‘Greenwich Village’, ‘Harlem’ and ‘Soho’ all with their own characteristic charms. I particularly love Greenwich Village with its quiet, tree lined streets including unique shopping opportunities and family run Cafés [on top of this it has magnificent views of the Empire State Building and is the only place where our tour guide is unable to use his microphone due to noise control] GV is also the home area for the Sex in the City Crew ;).
Ahem… Moving on… Taking the bus all the way to the last stop at Battery Park you are rewarded with a distant sight of the elegantly majestic ‘Statue of Liberty’. To be honest with you - this is the real highlight of the USA for me - I am a HUGE fan of sculpture and this landmark represents so much history… Just blows me away, even from a distance!! To get a great view of the statue there are several options (Helicopter, Blimp!! Of Ferry)… I choose the ferry (Cheapest optiom ;))… $13 with a ticket purchased from inside the Clinton fort [Including entrance to the pedestal - if you book a day in advance out of season this should be fine… but… During the summer you need to book at least a week in advance!! No extra cost… yet limited to 3000 people per day… If you want to climb to the crown - and yes this is now open - you need to book months ahead as there are only 240 tickets released for each day 0_0 So once again I don’t get to climb into the crown [Next time… And yes there will be a next time]!! The ranger in the statue does state however that the experience now is far better than the three hour ‘but view’ followed by a 10 second glimpse of from the crowns windows that it used to be when there was free access with queuing… Now you get to spend 10 minutes in the crown with a ranger on hand to give you a guided viewing AND answer any questions that you may have… Fabulous idea.
Back on the tour bus I am whisked through Wall Street with its narrow passages between colossal sharply designed sky scrapers and their communal parks [tiny rest areas] for business lunches on the go - some even have bubbling fountains, open greens, lots of granite style benches and in some cases public works of art including ‘The Bull’ of Wall Street - I think he has clearly been rubbed for good fortune a little as many areas on the Bronze statue have been brought to a high shine ;) [you will be fighting for a space next to him if at ground level, but from the top of the tour bus you get a wonderful view].
Heading back up towards mid-down via the Eastside I find a more ‘run down’ area with graffiti clearly evident on many of the buildings and some of them are boarded up or under repair - I am particularly interested to see a whole community area named as the immigrants neighbourhood!! Hmm… Here, in the centre of the partitioned streets are public walkways with several wheels attached to beams… I can only imagine what they are for…
The BIG APPLE and my final destination
New York - New York (so good they named it twice)…
Wow…
New York certainly lives up to its hype as the city if skyscrapers… I arrive at JFK airport in the late evening and find a transfer shuttle bus to my hotel ‘The Lexington - Radisson’ in the city centre (Manhattan Island) for a mere $18 (taxi would have been $40+). On arrival at 10pm I am greeted warmly by the staff and quickly settled into my room on the 16th floor with its superb? view of the office building next door ;) Still, can’t complain.
I have only two days to make the most of this extraordinary city and therefore opt for a tour company to take the strain (there are a number to chose from but ‘City Sights’ seemed to be well organised ($54 for two days). The tour company operates several bus routes (hop on, hop off), a night tour bus and a ferry cruise… All included in the price so well worth it :)
Wow…
New York certainly lives up to its hype as the city if skyscrapers… I arrive at JFK airport in the late evening and find a transfer shuttle bus to my hotel ‘The Lexington - Radisson’ in the city centre (Manhattan Island) for a mere $18 (taxi would have been $40+). On arrival at 10pm I am greeted warmly by the staff and quickly settled into my room on the 16th floor with its superb? view of the office building next door ;) Still, can’t complain.
I have only two days to make the most of this extraordinary city and therefore opt for a tour company to take the strain (there are a number to chose from but ‘City Sights’ seemed to be well organised ($54 for two days). The tour company operates several bus routes (hop on, hop off), a night tour bus and a ferry cruise… All included in the price so well worth it :)
Transit from San Francisco
Last night in the hostel was a full house… This meant that I shared a room with a man and his ‘pit-bull’ dog 0_0 Although a licensed animal it still takes a little getting used to in order to sleep with it just feet away!! A unique experience for me…
My final farewell to San Francisco was an early morning walk along the harbour wall to see Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the cityscape. A perfect morning with bright sunshine and just the hint of a cool breeze.
Departing via a shuttle bus ($14) I make my way to the airport to then pick up the FREE shuttle to my airport hotel (Hilton, Burlingame) for a little lap of luxury before heading to New York. The Hilton is situated on the edge of a lake with jogging track… walking trail ;) the view is fantastic with the cityscape of San Francisco visible in the distance across placid waters. Taking a seat on one of the many benches along the bay front I watch the planes landing and taking off from the SFO airport just 2 miles away. Wonderful, as every minute or so a plane lands or takes off with a huge range from Bombardiers to Jumbos. Occasionally two planes land at once!! (due to the double runways) while two other planes take off… A good way to pass the time and spot the airlines.
The Hilton has its own restaurant and the room lives up to its **** rating. However, the pool has no changing rooms or lockers… a little bit of an oversight in my view as guests should not really be expected to change in a restroom or traipse through the hotel in their trunks!! Anyhow - time to sit back, relax and wait for the flight tomorrow :)
The buffet breakfast challenge ;)
My final morning in San Francisco saw me preparing for the 5½hr flight to JFK New York with a buffet style breakfast ($16) at the Hilton where they have looked after me superbly well. To the great surprise of my server I managed a five course breakfast [cereal, fried full English, toast, cheese and pastries] washed down with orange juice and coffee. Thus fully fuelled and barely able to move I waddle off to collect my luggage, check and out depart for the airport on the FREE shuttle.
A recommended, reasonably priced hotel if you are looking for somewhere to stay near the airport :)
My final farewell to San Francisco was an early morning walk along the harbour wall to see Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the cityscape. A perfect morning with bright sunshine and just the hint of a cool breeze.
Departing via a shuttle bus ($14) I make my way to the airport to then pick up the FREE shuttle to my airport hotel (Hilton, Burlingame) for a little lap of luxury before heading to New York. The Hilton is situated on the edge of a lake with jogging track… walking trail ;) the view is fantastic with the cityscape of San Francisco visible in the distance across placid waters. Taking a seat on one of the many benches along the bay front I watch the planes landing and taking off from the SFO airport just 2 miles away. Wonderful, as every minute or so a plane lands or takes off with a huge range from Bombardiers to Jumbos. Occasionally two planes land at once!! (due to the double runways) while two other planes take off… A good way to pass the time and spot the airlines.
The Hilton has its own restaurant and the room lives up to its **** rating. However, the pool has no changing rooms or lockers… a little bit of an oversight in my view as guests should not really be expected to change in a restroom or traipse through the hotel in their trunks!! Anyhow - time to sit back, relax and wait for the flight tomorrow :)
The buffet breakfast challenge ;)
My final morning in San Francisco saw me preparing for the 5½hr flight to JFK New York with a buffet style breakfast ($16) at the Hilton where they have looked after me superbly well. To the great surprise of my server I managed a five course breakfast [cereal, fried full English, toast, cheese and pastries] washed down with orange juice and coffee. Thus fully fuelled and barely able to move I waddle off to collect my luggage, check and out depart for the airport on the FREE shuttle.
A recommended, reasonably priced hotel if you are looking for somewhere to stay near the airport :)
Thursday 2 June 2011
Iconic images of Alcatraz
taking a seat on the top step o try and empathise... A memorable visit and highly recommended :)
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