Living in the shadows of such a large city with infamous landmarks and events in its history including the horrific events of 9/11 that are burned into our memories, gives me a unique opportunity to visit and see the sights.
On one recent trip in October it was 85 degrees and 80% humidity. The heat and humidity mark many of my trips on the East Coast but when walking through the city they become a limiting factor, limiting the time and distance that you are willing to undertake depending on the conditions.
When traveling from New Jersey a convenient and cheap way into the city is to drive to the Staten Island ferry and take a free ride in. Here is the view from inside the ferry, although the bar, restaurant, and shop is not visible here:
On the way to lower Manhattan you will pass the Bayonne Golf Club:
The ride will take you past the infamous Statute of Liberty:
In this picture you can just see Ellis Island behind the statute in the distance:
The view that conjures up many vivid memories for New Yorkers and those who are familiar with the Manhattan skyline, is this one. It is not about what you can see but what you cannot see. In the center you can see the construction cranes, they are working on or near the World Trade Centers site:
Walking through the financial district, right up Broadway Avenue we discovered this interesting piece of nature. Reportedly these roots belonged to a tree that was hit by falling debree on 9/11. The tree had been growing amidst and old cemetary in the heart of the city but when it overturned amazingly did not disturb any of the gravesites. A local artist turned it into an exhibit and my son enjoyed running through the odd root structure:
No second, third, or fourth visit to NYC would be complete without a trek through Central Park. For someone who grew up around parks, mountains, and wilderness this is an interesting concept. This picture really illustrates why and the feeling of being in a scene from some kind of science fiction movie from the future comes through. I am not absolutely certain where we were at, but the view is looking south into Manhattan:
There are several things for kids to do, like the carousel:
And the kiddie park. This too was interesting. It is a park complete with faux grass (fake), a fairly elaborate sprinkler system just for the kids, and wall to wall people. My son had a great time once he got used to the thought of running around in his diaper:
We will take other trips to NYC and will have more photo's, maybe even more of a story to go with it. It will cool off soon making long city walks more comfortable but will also limit the outdoor experiences to be had.
There are several things for kids to do, like the carousel:
And the kiddie park. This too was interesting. It is a park complete with faux grass (fake), a fairly elaborate sprinkler system just for the kids, and wall to wall people. My son had a great time once he got used to the thought of running around in his diaper:
We will take other trips to NYC and will have more photo's, maybe even more of a story to go with it. It will cool off soon making long city walks more comfortable but will also limit the outdoor experiences to be had.
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