Jaws Of Love

After a rather stressfull afternoon's shopping in Nintendo World (for Mrs H at least!), we sat by this interesting water feature to get our bearings amidst the bustle of Rockefeller Plaza. Running my hand under the cool water jet stream was most welcoming in the 90 degree heat!

The Wings Of Battery Park

Facing the Statue of Liberty across New York harbour, the East Coast Memorial is located at the southern end of Battery Park. This honours the 4,601 missing US servicemen who lost their lives in the Atlantic Ocean whilst engaged in combat during World War II.


On the eastern side of the plaza, a huge bronze eagle set on a pedestal of polished black granite, grips a laurel wreath over a wave. A fitting tribute...

Another shot of the dominant office block at 17 State Street. This building's glasswork glimmers like diamonds in the New York sunshine, creating a huge incandescent mirror, reflecting the rich blue skies.

World Yacht Cruise

The hopeless romantic in me decided that a love-induced meal aboard the luxury World Yacht Cruise along the Hudson River would satisfy Mrs H’s craving for all things luvvy duvvy.

During the shopping trip in the afternoon, I needed to buy a white shirt and black tie to even allow me entry on board. Our initial search found us wandering around Macy’s, but at $95 for a decent set-up I was not convinced. Eventually we found a great store along 5th Avenue which decked me out for only $40. Thankfully dinner jackets were optional, as I had absolutely no intention of ever acquiring one of those… ;)

We got back to the hotel at around 6:30pm, which allowed us a couple of hours to get ready – or so we thought… I just happened to pull out the ticket and it stated that the boarding time was 7:00pm! We had half an hour to get ready!!! What followed was something akin to a Benny Hill sketch, with both of us running around the room in various states of undress, desperately clambering for exclusive rights to the ironing board.

We rushed outside and hurriedly hailed a yellow cab. $3 later; with five minutes to spare, we were at Pier 81. Imagine our relief / annoyance when we were told that boarding commenced at 7:00pm but the boat wouldn’t set sail until 8:00pm!! We were ushered to our table and the drinks were ordered…


The menu was primarily seafood dishes and not exactly the kind of thing we were used to back in the UK. However, we did manage to find a chicken dish that sounded quite edible. Whilst servings were nouvelle cuisine in style they were all undeniably delicious.

Light background music played whilst we looked out of the window at the beautiful glow of a million illuminated windows emanating from a mass of skyscrapers. The whole atmosphere was enduring and the staff had me totally convinced that, for just this one singular evening, we weren’t tourists but rich New Yorkers.

We were extremely fortunate to be part of this cruise on September 11th as it bestowed upon us the ultimate view of New York’s annual remembrance to the victims of 9/11. For one night only at Ground Zero, two beams of electric blue light project into the night sky creating a ghostly image of the twin towers. This really is something that you need to see for yourself to truly appreciate its stunning majesty. Being on the water, we had a totally unobstructed view which evoked a rather sombre feeling within us but we were both extremely honoured to have been part of these memorable and emotional scenes. Please forgive the poor image below - sadly my camera is nowhere near up to the job of capturing night shots with any degree of success :(


On a lighter note, to round the trip off, the boat was briefly docked beside a floodlit Statue of Liberty for plentiful photo opportunities.

With excellent food, service and views, this trip comes highly recommended for anyone visiting New York. We just felt extra lucky that we timed this night to coincide with the 9/11 lights. Wonderful…

Waterworks

During a hot afternoon we decided to buy a toasted panini and a rich pineapple smoothie to beat the heat. We sat around the City Hall fountain and watched the world go by...

A plaque inset in the ground informed anyone who looked down, about the Croton Aqueduct - a large, complicated water system that was engineered between 1837 and 1842 to provide New York City with a steady supply of clean water.

Ingenious Parking

I think the picture speaks for itself... The lengths that companies will go to in order to advertise a service! Made us chuckle anyway! :)

Somebody Call An Ambulance...

We discovered this oddity whilst out shopping. A fascinating piece of artwork whose visceral imagery did nothing to repel the local office workers who appeared to use its surroundings as a lunch area!

Travel Option Overload!

Spotted in the vicinity of Pier 81, never let it be said that there are travel limitations whilst staying in New York. I took this picture risking life and limb from psycho rollerskaters!

Clear As Chrysler

On 405 Lexington Avenue at 42nd Street you'll undoubtedly discover the Art Deco radiance of the Chrysler Building. World famous for it's encounters with Godzilla, and Q: The Winged Serpent, this structure stands proud amongst the other scrapers vying for your attention.


Upon entering i was surprised to see how dark it was inside. Decorated with some beautiful ceiling decor akin to a tapestry, and graced with strip-lit pillars, it possesses a seductive alure. Sadly cameras and video footage are frowned upon inside the building and the shots I did manage to sneak out were not really that great.


Built with a rust proof steel, this 1930's structure, whilst not the tallest in New York, will continue to shine for many years to come.

New York Daily Photo

Now here's a blog with amazing potential. I may share a passion for the big city but these guys are lucky enough to actually live amongst all the organised chaos that the Big Apple produces!

In what is sure to be a must visit for me on a daily basis, I shall be watching this one with immense interest...

NewYorkDailyPhoto

Many thanks to MrC for discovering this gem!

One Penn Plaza

Situated at 250 W 34th Street, this was the first ludicrously high building we saw up close and personal upon our arrival in New York. Conveniently, it also served as a rather splendid navigational point for getting to the local burger joints which are situated opposite!

It was also the building we were facing when... Ah, well, Mrs H would tell you. Probably... ;)