New York by day

The World Trade Centre site (Ground Zero)
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As I had a 'Transfer' arranged to pick me up at Rio de Janerio today, I needed to get a message to the 'Transfer" in Rio de Janeiro to pick me up 24 hours later.  So, I got in touch with Kate Murphy who arranged my trip to get Ushi Grant who arranged my travel in South America (both in Australia) to organise it.  Murf reckoned that I lost the boarding pass on purpose as she knew that I wanted to stay in New York anyway.

I was going to make the most of my stay anyway.  My mobile phone battery went flat in London(charger was in Rio, I hoped) but luckily the battery in my camera was still OK.

A personal guided tour

Charging Bull or Wall Street Bull on lower Broadway
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The Ramada Plaza was offering individual tours from the Hotel which were a little on the expensive side ($200 for 3 to 4 hours) but hey, I didn't know whether I would be back again.  I wanted to see the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and the World Trade Centre site (Ground Zero) and I got to see a lot more, Times Square, Wall Street, especially the NYPD cars and those unique New York yellow school buses and of course the yellow cabs.

You know, New York has so much that is only New York and no where else.  It is buzz to see movies that are based in New York after you have been there.

Statue of Liberty in the distance
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With my personal guide in an air conditioned Toyoto Prado four wheel drive LandCruiser, we set off to see the World Trade Centre site.  On the way we crossed the Brooklyn Bridge and I got see one of those many New York yellow cabs.  When we got there, all you see is a World Trade Centre awning and a hole in the ground which of course is fenced off.

This was one of New Yorks icons.  It was hard to imagine that this was the site of the 110 floor Twin Towers.  They were the worlds tallest buildings between January 1972 to May 1973.  On 29 June 2005, a month before I got there, they had decided to build a new 108 floor tower on this site and call it the Freedom Tower.

Empire State Building
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Then we went to get a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty which is the American symbol of freedom.  On the way. I saw the Wall Street sign.

I also saw the 7000 pound bronze sculpture of the charging bull on lower Broadway which was originally secretly dropped off in December of 1989 in front off the New York Stock Exchange as a response to the rebound of the 1987 stock market crash.  Have seen this bull in a few movies since.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to catch a ferry to get a closer look at the Statue of Liberty, so had to be satisfied with seeing it from a distance.  We then went to see the Empire State Building.  It was built in 1931, a year before our Sydney Harbour Bridge which is one of Australias unique symbols.

Times Square
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On the way I saw the Manhattan Bridge.  There was a lot of skyscrapers in Manhattan to go past before we got to the Empire State Building which was the tallest skyscraper in the world for 41 years.

The North Tower of the World Trade Centre became taller in 1972, and soon after the Sears Tower in Chicago, Illinois.  However, after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Empire State Building has again became the tallest building in New York.

Unfortunately again, I didn't have time to stand in line to wait to see those breath taking views from the top of the Empire State Building.  We then went to check out Times Square, where the theatres there have a hugh number of billboards which are lighted and have animated advertisements.

New York School Buses
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It reminds you of Las Vegas on a small scale.  I then saw the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel (47 Stories) which was originally built at the present site of the Empire State Building and rebuilt at its present location in 301 Park Avenue, Manhattan.  This hotel is famous for creating the Waldorf salad which is salad that has apples, walnuts and celery with a mayonnaise dressing.

The Rockeleller Center which is an art deco marvel was the next attraction which was built during the Great Depression.  The centre covers 11 acres with 19 commerical buildings on it.

Central Park
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We then saw Central Park which was opened in 1859 and was the first artificially landscaped park in the United States.  It provides 843 acres of paths, lakes and open spaces and gives New Yorkers a chance to escape the concrete jungle.

I then saw the Roosevelt Island Tramway which spans the East River and connects Roosevelt Island to Manhattan.  Roosevelt Island is a narrow island in the East River of New York City and lies between Manhattan Island to its west and the borough of Queens on Long Island to its east.

Airport Exits
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It was then time to head back to the Hotel.  On the way I saw a couple of those New York yellow school buses and the Jamaica Hospital Medical Centre.

24 Hours was not enough time to see New York but I enjoyed what I was able to see time permitting.  In the short time I was in New York, it was well worth the money spent to have the personal guided tour.  I'll be back.

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