June 2011: Walking to the Empire State Building

We started off to go to the Empire State Building from Broadway.

This is Rector Street Station

I dont think the train is coming, its showing red.

But we finally managed to clamber up.

Popping out of 34th Street Station, noticed this very interesting sculpture, but couldnt find any details online. Interesting bird on the top, eh?

Beautiful building.

Looking up, one see’s the famous building.

6th Avenue, nice bombshells

Colourful walls

Crossing into the street

There’s the building! massive, absolutely massive.

Shane trying to capture the building.

Nice.

The top of the building is infested with antennae and aerials.

The signs to the Empire State Building were all over the place.

Turned into the lobby

And we queued up to purchase tickets and then got into the elevator.




You go up to the 80th floor, then move around and then get into another one to take you up to the sight seeing flight.

Yeah, do that with the red knob.

lol, forgot to show this, these people were on the plane. Cruella on the plane? I am so disappointed that her bag isnt made up of dalmatian dog fur.

June 11. Dancing up Broadway

After checking out the Wall Street Charging Bull, we walked up Broadway.

Hello? Cunard Line?

So this is the building for the famous Cunard Line

Pretty impressive brass doors, eh?

Looking up Broadway

One final look back at the charging bull.

While walking down the pavement, I noticed these strips on the ground. These had names on them, along with a date and a brief description of their action.

Researching this, looks like these are names of people who were honoured for their actions by giving them a ticker tape parade. Here’s the list.

Petain? Why was he given a parade? Interestingly enough, this name is missing on the wiki list. I am not surprised, the man was a traitor!.

Amelia Earhart. Gosh, famous lady.



And somebody called as Balbo

Howard Hughes.

Now that makes sense, to celebrate Charles de Gaulle.

And Nimitz, my hero!

And Halsey! another great admiral

Erm, i got distracted.

The road leads down to office suites.

Getting into the car.

Lovely buildings, I just love this place.

International Hair? As opposed to Domestic Hair?

 
Hey, my alma mater’s name sake!

next we decided to pop across town to go see the Empire State Building

June 2011: Indian Museum and Charging Bull

After finishing the Battery Park, we stepped into the beginning of Broadway.

This is the National Museum of American Indians. I think this was some other building before because the statues here dont really fit into the theme. Green Columns and Roman Pediments behind classical European statues? Dont think so. So off I went to check on the net. So it proved, its the old US Customs House. Not surprising, the founding fathers were all educated chaps steeped and infested with Greek and Roman and European stuff.

The open place in front of the building is called as Bowling Green. Way back in 1732, it was leased for ONE PEPPERCORN per year, lol. nice one. It was meant for bowling. Anyway. Seems like the predecessor of this building was meant originally to be the residence for the US President. I didnt know that.

Once the capital moved to Philly, the building became the residence of the NY Governor.

And then became the Customs House in 1799.

Imposing facade, eh?

And then the original building was torn down and the current building constructed in its place in early 1900’s. Did you know this was empty in the 1970’s and was going to be demolished?

The statues are very nice indeed.

Man, unbelievable. They wanted to demolish this? Palestinians!!!!

One day I have to come back and check the contents out.

Good heavens, these New Yorkers have big worms.

Canyon of Hero’s

And the Canyon itself.

Shane giggling at Spongebob Squarepants.

And here’s the bull. We walk in observing the hind sight. Where presumably the output lies.

The balls are favoured.

Even kids get into the act.

Moving around to the front.

Laughing tourists.

Looking pretty ferocious, no?

 
With an arched flaring tail. Here’s the wiki entry for this amazing sculpture.