I certainly can't remember the time on that early morning the
first day in New York State that we stumbled out of our hotel
room. But our parking receipt states that we made the purchase at
05.21 AM. The rate is $3.75 for 16 hours. So the expiration
Time/Date is 09.21 PM on 6/12/2015. We should and are planing to
return about two hours before times up.
Chris and I waiting for our ride to Manhattan
Looking north into rail yard with Metro North trains waiting for
their run to Grand Central Terminal.
Our train to Manhattan arriving at station.
Today we will be ridding MTA Metro-North Railroad, Harlem Line,
Wassaic to New York -Grand Central Terminal (GCT).
Our train is # 916 and leaves at 5:49 AM with
arrival in Manhattan at GCT at 7:53 AM
We board with six others and leave on time. Our
first stop was at Ten mile River at 5.53 AM.
MP Station
Stops
time
82
Wassaic
5:49 AM
80 Ten
mile River
5:53
77 Dover
Plains
5:58
Yes this is where our motel is located and is only about 0.7 mile
from station or a 15 minute walk or a 2 minute drive. There is
parking available here. If you want to visit Manhattan and save
some money, get a room in the outskirts and then take the commuter
train in the the city. The reason we left from Wassaic is that we
wanted to ride from start to finish on the entire line. We bought
our tickets on line, the cheapest price, and in a few days the
ticket was in my mail box. No discounts on peak hours.
At Southeast the train starts on third rail for the rest of trip
to Manhattan.
Around mp 46 in the Purdy's countryside it made me think of
friend Chris P. It was just "Beautiful," Chris and you would
certainly agree. The train was now skipping several station.
MP
Stops
Time
41
Katonah
6:46
39 Bedford
Hills
6:50
37 Mount
Kisco
6:55
22 White
Plains
7:15
This was the last stop till Harlem.
4 Harlem
125th Street, then we were underground till our arrival at GCT at
7:53 AM
0 GCT
After leaving our arriving train we walk on the platform towards
that grand room and the information stand and take pictures of
this venue. After we have taken our pictures we split up
with Chris going to ride trains in New Jersey but not me. This
being my first time in Manhattan I want to explore the Big Apple
and not ride around Jersey.
My first look at the cavernous main concourse with the
120-foot-high ceiling,with a painted skyscape ablaze with
constellations.
The 1913 Beaux Arts terminal through which a half a million
commuters pass every day.
Public tours are given daily at 12:30 PM (tickets are available at
the GCT Tour window on the main concourse.)
After a quick look. around GCT, I decided to get
breakfast before starting out on sightseeing. One level under
the main concourse is a food court with several stores open for
breakfast. After checking the business open for breakfast I
chose one with a good breakfast menu.
Cafe where I had a good breakfast before starting out on a
long day of sightseeing.
After eating I ask around to get info on bus
tours. The salespersons were station outside on the
sidewalk. They were wearing red jackets or coats and I found
they were all over the city at the Gray Line bus tours
stops. So you can buy your tickets almost everywhere for the
hop-on, hop-off tours. I was talking to agent Barbara
letting her know my time restraint as I had to be back here
to catch a 5PM train. She recommended a Downtown Day Tour
with hop-on, hop-off.
Grand Central Terminal, 42nd St. between Lexington and
Vanderbilt aves.
Met Life building that was Pan Am.
When we boarded the bus we were given
personalize ear buds to plug into jack on the bus so we can
listen to the guide with out bothering people on the
sidewalk not taken the tour. It was a lot easier to
understand and hear the guide. This was a great idea. The
traffic was grid lock and the bus made slow progress. It
always seem to stop at all the unphotogenic spots and speed
by the spots I wanted to shoot. As this was my first time in
the Big Apple, my plan was to take the bus tour to see as
much as possible on the bus and then go back and take a
second look of places of my interest. Views from the top
deck versus walking on the sidewalk can be puzzling and
confounding when I went back for a second time. Therefor I
have photos of the subject from different angles and points
of view.
Today's plan is to take the bus tour then explore the second
look stops, I wanted to see The Chrysler Building, the
Guggenheim Museum and the Church of St. John the Divine
Cathedral, if time permits, and for sure to try to see and
walk the High Line, an abandoned 1.5 mile elevated railway
track that transported freight into Lower Manhattan, the
High Line has been transformed into a linear public park.
So let's take a tour and explore Manhattan.
The Chrysler Building, 405 Lexington Ave.,
is an exemplar of Art Deco architecture. Built in 1930, the
building was the headquarters for the Chrysler Corporation
from 1930 to the mid-1950's and was the worlds tallest
building for several months until it was surpassed by the
Empire State Building. Made of brick and stainless steel,
the monolith is 1,046 feet tall with 77 stories and features
details that are modeled after Chrysler automobiles,
including gargoyles that resemble the company's eagle hood
ornament. Seven radiating terraced arches, each with a
sunburst pattern, comprise its distinctive crown.
The Art Deco lobby interior, highlighted by
Moroccan rouge flame marble walls, travertine floors and an Edward
Trumbull mural painted in 1930.
Clock.
The bus stop for the Gray Line City Sightseeing
Hop On Hop Off Tours was across GCT on 42nd Street. After a 15
minute wait the bus arrives and several of us board. It must
have been the first stop because it is empty. The traffic was
congested and seemed every block took twice as long to get thru.
The view from the top deck.
Our first photo run by was the Waldorf
Astoria New York, 301 Park Ave, between E. 49th and 50th St.
This iconic hotel, built 1931, centers around a stunning
grand lobby and offers elegant, traditional
accommodations.
Next we cross 5th Ave.
Looking north up 5th Ave. Rockefeller Center on left, the
store on the right with the salute to Old Glory is Saks
Fifth Ave and behind is St Patrick's Cathedral.
Our next stop was Rockefeller Center.
The ice skating rink is turned into a summer out door
dinning area.
Rockefeller Center.
NBC Studio Tours depart from the NBC Experience Store.
Also Rockefeller Center tour and Top of the Rock which has
observation deck on the 67th, 69 and 70th floors. I heard
they have great views from here, maybe best in the city.
Radio City Music Hall Stage Door Tour is on Avenue of the
Americas (Sixth Ave.) This 1932 Art Deco theater presents
musical stage spectaculars with the Rockettes as well as
live concerts. On the lower right is entrance to the
Tonight Show.
Our next drive by is Times Square. Times Square is at
the crossroads of Broadway and Seventh Ave. On December
31, 1904 The New York Times celebrated the
opening of its new building on the traffic triangle
between 42nd and 43rd streets with a public fireworks
display; four months later, the three-sided Longacre
Square was officially renamed Times Square. With the
commencement of the annual New Year's Eve ball drop in
1907 and the installation of the "zipper" news bulletin
board in 1928, Times Square became America's gathering
place during significant events of the 20th century.
Warm seats for rent while watching New Years Eve.
Broadway Walking Tours is a 90-minute tour through the theater
district led by aspiring NYC actors and directors; tours depart
from The Actor's Chapel, 239 W. 49th St. 212-768-1560.
Glass building is station for MTA Long Island Rail Road.
Next was Madison Square Garden.
Madison Square Garden that sits over Amtrak tracks and is the
location of former Penn Station.
U. S. Post Office across street from Madison Square Garden and
also sits over Amtrak tracks. Maybe in the future this may be
used as an annex to Penn Station.
New York's bicycle-sharing system, Citi Bike, offers
three-speed two-wheelers that may be rented and return at any
of the more that 300 docking stations. All riders must
first purchase a pass for access. The fee for a 24-hour pass
is $9.95 and includes the first 30minutes. Extra fees kick in
for longer rides. 855-245-3311.
Excuse me, step aside while I grow.
Flat Iron Building. Open June 1902.
At the time of completion, it became one of the tallest
skyscrapers in the city, standing at 22 stories.
Around the steel skeleton is a limestone base, which changes
to terra-cotta as the floors go up, featuring French and
Italian Renaissance influences.
Due to an oversight in the original design, there were no
bathrooms for ladies when the building first opened, so the
men’s and women’s bathrooms are now on alternating floors. The
pointed end of the building is only 6.5 feet wide and opens up
to an acute angle of roughly 25 degrees.
As we travel south thru lower Manhattan, we
pass thru Greenwich Village.
Our next drive by is City Hall. Near
this spot, in the presence of Gen. George Washington,
the Declaration of Independence was read to the Army on
July 9, 1776.
Woolworth Building. 1910.
Designed to reach the then incredible height of
fifty-five stories, it rises just short of 761 feet at
the top of the pyramidal spire. An early skyscraper
and corporate headquarters done in neo-gothic style
with terra cotta cladding.
St. Paul's Chapel. (Episcopal),
Trinity Parish, is at Broadway and Fulton St.
Dedicated in 1766, the church is purported to be the
oldest public building in continuous use now
standing in Manhattan. George Washington and Gov.
George Clinton had designated pews. An interactive
exhibit honors volunteerism and the church's
participation in relief efforts after the
destruction of the World Trade Center.
McDonald's in the finical district were the
servers wear tuxedos.
The bull on Wall St.
Wall Street is between Broadway and South St. The
financial keystone of the country, it takes its
name from the wooden wall erected by the Dutch
burghers in 1653 to protect the colony from
attack. The New York Stock Exchange is at 11 Wall
St.
The last stop for our bus was
Battery Park. We had to get off and board a new
bus as ours was going back to the barn. Battery
Park, at the s. tip of Manhattan Island, was the
site of a fort established by the first Dutch
settlers in 1624. The park affords views of New
York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty. "The
Sphere," a sculpture
representing world peace, was salvaged from the
World Trade Center.
Battery Park.
Ellis Island.
Ellis Island is in New York
Harbor north of the Statue of Liberty.
Ellis Island is accessible only by ferry service
from Battery Park and Liberty State Park.
This was the nation's main point of entry for
millions of immigrants 1892 - 1954. Although
none of my ancestors came through here because
they were here earlier. One great grandfather
was captured in the battle of Fort Washington in
November 1776. He was held as a prisoner of war
on a British ship in New York Harbor. In
the spring of 1777, he was paroled and returned
home in New Jersey.
A selfie with Liberty and Ellis
This concludes part A.
Coming next: Part B, Going Uptown on the East
Side.
