Why on Earth is it always so early? Up. Breakfast. Bus.
By the time we got to Manhattan it really was not that early, but the process is just so... arduous. Getting there early we thought that we might try and avoid the crowds by getting a start on the day. The first thing on the menu was to go to Rockefeller Center. There we could pay $21 and go up to the "Top of the Rock." From there we could see all of New York. We had heard that it might be busy, so we went to the ticket booth first thing. Well, it wasn't busy yet. They said that we could go up in 15 minutes, so we wandered around Rockefeller Center and waited. The time came and we went inside. Like well herded cattle we were ushered in around and to the elevator. The doors opened and we were speedily raised to the "Top of the Rock."
Central Park
There are three floors at the top of Rockefeller Center, and we managed to cover them all. The view, was, well, spectacular. We could see all of Manhattan and beyond. Looking at the photos now it is interesting to see how much ground I actually covered on my trip, especially with my inability to use/aversion of subways.
Back to the point - spectacular.
Empire States Building and me!
Another express elevator ride later and we were back where we started. With different plans my travel companions and I split up. I followed my handy subway map that I acquired... somewhere... and hoped on the nearest line going downtown. I am proud to say that I, for once, did not get on the wrong train, or get lost.
I arrived in Soho. Soho is a quaint little shopping district with more boutiques then large department stores. This might have been a little more interesting to me if I had any intention of shopping, but, it was still a beautiful place for a walk. The day was warm and I had no where to be so I took my time. I was looking at the shops to see if anything caught my eye but I did not have my hopes up because I was in New York, and well, I am a little... thrifty.
Soho
Now on my feet and somewhere in/on Manhattan there was no stopping me. I walked from the subway to Soho, then through Soho, then I just kept on walking. "These boots were made for walkin'..." Anyways, I walked my way to Canal Street as suggested by my personal guide and approached Little Italy and Chinatown. On approach I remembered something about eating the street food in that area and subsequently remembered that I was hungry. It was like, hey, remember, lunchtime! So, walking down Canal Street I found some street meet. Chicken kabob on a bun... mmm... uh... have you ever thought about the logistics of eating a kabobonabun? It is actually quite difficult. You are like, hmm, I am gonna eat this just like a hot dog, and then you are like hrghm... stick! stick! stick! Whatevs. I managed to eat it somehow, and it was delicious.
On my left, Little Italy.
Little Italy
On my right, Chinatown.
Chinatown... so not as cool as China... but still cool
With a left, and a right, I made my way through Little Italy and then into the depths of Chinatown. This might have been a little more impressive, but when they say Little Italy, they mean Little, and Chinatown... well, once you have been to "China," "Chinatown" is a little less spectacular. It was still worth the trip, and it still let me see more of New York without taking a single train.
My feet kept going as I tried to find the Brooklyn Bridge. It is a rather large bridge so you might not be able to understand my "trying" to find it, but Manhattan is also a rather large island. I found myself standing near the water on the South side of the island. From there I could see the Manhattan Bridge, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Oh yeah, I could also see Brooklyn. I could also see a camera crew and a dark, brooding, and pouty male model posing in the springtime sun. Special. I walked around a bit and got my photos (see below) but somehow managed to actually be a long way from the bridge. And the walking started again...
Manhattan (left) and Brooklyn (right) Bridges
Bridges
Come to think of it. I walked a lot. Oh well, it was probably good for me... working off a big mac or two... Right...
The Brooklyn Bridge is very high. That might seem obvious, but I mention that the Brooklyn Bridge is very high because that means that the road leading up to it had to be very high. Which meant that it could not be near the water, because the water was very low. I, of course, was near the water, and thus, very low. Uphill. Walking. Uphill. Long walk short, I found where the Brooklyn Bridge started, and I fearlessly began to walk. And walk. And walk. It is a very large bridge. I took my time, as with everything, crossing the bridge and was sure to block bicycle traffic so that I could take some fantastic photos. The Brooklyn Bridge is a very famous landmark, actually one of the wonders of the world I believe...
Brooklyn Bridge up close and Personal
Brooklyn Bridge
Across I went and into Brooklyn. My plan was to get to the nearest subway station and then hop a ride back to Manhattan. That would be great, cross the famous bridge, and back on track without missing a beat. Well, I actually didn't have a map of Brooklyn and I missed a beat. I tried to follow a map I found on a tourist sign, but my lack of knowing where I was, and lack of ability ended up getting me lost... Shocking.
In how I travel there are many mixed blessings. I travel with my gut. This has two meanings. One, when I think that I should go somewhere or do something I have a tendency to do so. I feel as if its the PTB (Powers That Be) telling me that I need to see something to help my progress on my path through life. The other leading with my gut is that well... I have Clink guts... Anyways, the Clink guts were not a problem, and neither was the following my gut. What was the problem is my natural state of ataraxia with regards to becoming lost. It is actually part of how I travel. Some of the most amazing things I have ever seen were in a state of... lost. So, I was right on track. No map, and lost in Brooklyn.
I did see some amazing things. There were beautiful parks and some very significant war memorials. I continued on in hopes of finding something spectacular or a subway station that led back to Manhattan. I think it too about an hour and I was close enough to a landmark on my Manhattan subway map that I was able to find a train leading to the island. Great one might think, but the problem is that if you are lost you really cannot be picky about getting found. I took a subway, but I am not really sure which. I was taken to Manhattan... but I was not really sure where. Again... it is a big island.
Subway
Arch-thingy
I climbed the stairs to the surface, and I wandered. I have a generally acceptable sense of direction, and seeing big buildings where I thought I wanted to go I made off... on foot. I am not sure what I found, but I found a spot where the street was closed, and a police officer told me that I could not go that way. I found a big... arch... thing... and I found a gorgeous gorgeous park (City Hall Park?). We had arrived and could see the blossoms on the trees, but finally they were beginning to open. I took my time walking to blossom filled pathways taking photos, and leaving footprints.
Blossoms - Note: More of these Photos in the Album
Eventually, through the graces of my guts and the god of lostitude, I made it back to the site of the World Trade Center. I was hoping to see the museum thing today but when I arrived I was told that the last tour group had gone through... ten minutes prior. Crap. Oh well, there is always more to see.
I knew that I was near there courthouse where they film Law & Order all the time, and since I had the time, and evidently the will, I tried to find the courthouse. This was kind of a challenge since, I don't really know what it looks like, and I was still pretty much lost, and well, I didn't know where the courthouse was. Time to call a friend. I cracked out my blackberry and messaged my guide of a friend in Saint John. In no time I had results and was on my way to the courthouse.
Faux Courthouse
This was great, except there was a slight issue. My directions were a little generalized, and my knowledge of what the courthouse looked like was, well, limited. So when I found "a" courthouse I was ecstatic. It was where it was supposed to be and it was pretty impressive. Fantastic. I took my photos, and then was on my way.
Walking. Walking. Walking. Then... wow. Now that was a big courthouse. Aw crap... still lost, and evidently the courthouse I just saw, though beautiful, was not the one I was looking for. "This is not the courthouse you are looking for," I could hear Obi-Wan say. The good news is that I have a very large memory card for my digital camera so I was able to take photos of both courthouses. The other good news is that I still was not pressed for time.
Courthouse
I took my photos, was adequately awed in the courthouse's presence, and then was on my way. the day was running late and I had to meet my travelling companions in Times Square. I hoofed it over to Broadway and began walking. I stopped along the way for photos, and to write in my journal the events that had transpired and then I continued.
Times Square at Night
Almost as fun as China
We met in Times Square and then had a lovely Asian supper at a Vietnamese Restaurant. We walked around a little longer, where I got some night shots of Atlas, and then returned to the bus. On the way there things got a little interesting. We noticed a very very large police presence. There were cops everywhere, and I mean everywhere. They were stopped on just about every street corner and were waiting in numbers. They had the dogs out, and some of the police even had their whackemathingys out. We did not know what was going on but kept about our business.
I saw a few things, but I did not know what I saw. We heard mixed reports of gang related incidents, and this is what I have been able to piece together. It appears that it was some gang initiation thing. The gangs hit the streets and then who knows. There has been little information about it, but this article sheds some light on the situation: http://www.aolnews.com/crime/article/times-square-melee-evokes-memories-of-new-york-citys-darker-days/19430030
Back on the bus it was a quiet ride to Jersey...
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