Attractions
AttractionsEmpire State Building
Our first full day, a Sunday, we take a trip up New York's most endearing landmark. Being reasonably early in the morning (with the streets not too busy at all) we expect the queue to be manageable, but are horribly disappointed when presented with endless lines of people waiting for the trip up to the top. Initially, you have to walk down to the basement to queue to get a ticket, taking a good half an hour. After this, it's then further waiting before eventually being allowed on the elevators up. By the time we finally get to reach the summit of the building, we've been waiting well over an hour and are now just impatient.
As anyone would expect though, the views are stunning from the top, and thankfully not too crowded. It's peaceful, which adds a surreal contrast to the bustle we can see going on below. Being New York, haze is everywhere, and although it's a beautifully sunny day, visibility does not extend far. However, Manhattan spreads itself completely below us, from the out-of-place looking rectangular expanse of Central Park to the twin towers of the World Trade Centre at the other end. We are surrounded completely by architecture gone mad as buildings fight for space and rise high above ground level - the only way is up. The Chrysler Building stands extremely close to the Empire State in is, I feel, one of the finest pieces of architecture this century, with it's steel top glinting brightly in the sunshine.
Throughout our stay in New York the sunsets prove to be absolutely stunning. Although this is no doubt due in part to rife pollution, they prove to be a delight to witness - completely blood red skies filling the entire skyscraper-clad horizon. It's because of this that I wish in hindsight that we had taken the trip up to the Empire State Building on a late afternoon. I understand for one that it's considerably quieter as the day drags on, and as the view will be more magnificent as darkness descends upon Manhattan then that's without a shadow of a doubt the best bet.
Leaving the Empire State Building, I'm upset to find that we can't walk down the stairwell, being blocked off from about the 80th floor. Not that I have a complete death wish for running all the way down, it's just that part of the way would have been nice. Obviously in an attempt to stop some lemming from making news (though more likely to prevent muppets from chucking food and coins down to the bottom), the stairwell is chicken-wired, which unfortunately means you can't even peer over the edge to achieve that great giddiness of peering down into the black hole. Another great shame but overall a trip to the top of the Empire State is unmissable - like you would anyway!
Brooklyn Bridge
One thing you must do if in New York is walk across the Brooklyn Bridge - a
giant wooden suspension bridge joining Manhattan to Brooklyn with a large pedestrianised
section. Admittedly we had a real problem actually getting on to the bridge,
deciding to walk there from a nearby tube stop. It's all very well seeing the
bridge from a distance, but finding the pedestrianised walkway was a different
matter. Don't try to be clever, get a Subway directly there. Try to synchronise
the walk across with sunset, walk halfway along the bridge, and DO NOT turn
around at any point and face back in to Manhattan until this half way point
has been reached. Take a deep breath, turn around, and the view is absolutely
stunning as the entirety of Manhattan comes to life - the Financial District
tower blocks bathed in office lights, and is a dramatic sight not to be easily
forgotten. A walk across the bridge, then to other side for a walk down to view
the bridge and Manhattan (easier said than done however - you'll have to use
your direction nose to get there - the pedestrianised section of the bridge
does not end until long after the cars are detoured off and you're well into
Brooklyn). Spectacular and not to be missed.
World Trade Centre
The World Trade Centre towers above the entire financial district and standing
between the two towers on the ground instils a scary feeling of disproportion
- although frequently you're apparently not actually allowed on the plaza during
winter for fear of lethal icicles detaching themselves from the top and impaling
you...
Right up on the 110th floor of World Trade Centre 1 is the Windows To The World, a sophisticated (nee bloody expensive) restaurant where the view is allegedly outstanding, and adjoining to that is the modestly title bar, The Greatest Bar In The World. On Lisa's birthday, and after our protracted sojourn along the Brooklyn Bridge, we decide to try and blag our way into the bar. Although it's not exactly a black tie affair, we're certainly not dressed for the occasion, and I doubt our ability to get in. Indeed, when we arrive at the express elevator there's a couple of bouncers scrutinising all who try to enter. However, a stroke of luck springs itself upon us as one of the burley minders is distracted for a moment (refusing entry to some people funnily enough) and the lift doors open. We take our chance and make it in without being spotted. As other people quickly crowd into the lift we're soon hidden away from view - we rule!
The bar turns out to be really quite enjoyable - Frank Sinatra croons over the speaker system and we enjoy a couple of vodka martinis (well what else are you going to have? Though at $20 for two we're not about to get drunk on them here...), and in the relatively uncrowded atmosphere are easily able to sit by the window and nearly swoon at the sheer vertical drop down to the hard ground below. On the other side of the tower is an adjoining restaurant, facing back into the centre of Manhattan, and the whole experience is without doubt to be recommended.
UPDATE: 12th September 2001
As everyone in the world bar none will now be aware, both World Trade Centres
were destroyed in a terrorist attack. As I wasn't working on the day, I watched
with rising horror and confusion as the events of the day steadily unfolded.
That both these monumental symbols of capitalism and democracy were gone so
quickly defies logic. Don't get me wrong, I'm far from a nationalist or a jingoist,
but this is a horrifying loss of life (as yet, of course, the numbers are unknown),
and as I'm getting an awful lot of hits from people looking for information
on the World Trade Centre I'd just like to dedicate this section of the site
to the memory of these gargantuan buildings and to all the very poor people
that will have died there, simply going on with their everyday, frequently dull
and lowly paid, jobs. They didn't deserve it - no civilian ever does.
Standing in between the two towers in the plaza, staring up high into the skies and craning my neck to view the summit is something that no one will ever again be able to do. And for what?
Central Park
Although our hotel is right on the edge of Central Park, requiring just a quick
hop across the road, unfortunately we don't have enough time to fully investigate
New York's popular park. Late one afternoon we take a wander around the north
side by our hotel and the whole thing is very pleasant - we sit down and watch
the magnificent sunset and run around in the autumn leaves before, on a spur
of the moment, decide to have a go on the famous open-air skating rink. I hadn't
been ice skating for over fifteen years and so cut an amusing sight as I wobbled
around the outskirts of the rink, desparately trying to maintain some sort of
balance. Great fun, and not as hideously expensive as I'd expected, and you're
free to skate around until totally bored with the whole thing. It is quite something
to skate in the early darkened evening, surrounded by skyscrapers and hence
gets another Rikkie thumbs up.
Beyond that, we take a pleasant stroll around the outskirts of the park on our last morning, kicking up the leaves and buying chilli dogs from some dodgy vendor. It is a lovely area that the New Yorkers are rightly proud of, and it's just a reral shame we never had the time to hire bikes to see it in its gargantuan entirety.