American Adventure 2018

Day 2 in New York....they are long days even though we only go into town about 7 or so hours as Gracie is back at the RV.  There is just so much going on that it is mentally and visually tiring.

Today is a sunny day, the temperatures are to get to about 30 degrees.

This may be the only fireflies I see on this trip....We see these rentals lots down here...

We got off the ferry yesterday in the same place....and yesterday we wondered where all the people were...well today we didn't have to worry.  They were all outside eating lunch....the place was jammed with business people mixed with tourists.... it was super busy.

They have beautiful parks all alongside the water for people to enjoy their lunch. And then you will see little green spots here and there for relaxing in.

And if you are looking for something fun and unusual to do on a Friday night...

Now this looks like a fun job...dog walkers!!!

We walked through this Church yard....and it just hit me how loud it was today....There is so much construction going on always and combine that with the narrow streets and tall buildings and horns blaring and machines going....it's deafening...I see why so many New Yorkers are always plugged in listening to music etc.....I totally get it now.  

Here's how to tell if someone is a tourist or a local...

The local is looking straight ahead or down at the ground....never making eye contact....plugged in and seeming to not notice anybody around them...

Us tourists....well we are looking all around and smiling and talking and taking pictures....

Checked out Wall Street and the Stock Exchange Building...there is so much construction happening every direction you look...the buildings are cloaked in scaffolding and netting that they are almost hidden...and you are always looking down because the streets are uneven.

Everything is so big you sometimes loose sight of the details...

Its really hard to show just how tall these buildings are and how close together they are.

One story reported this...

New York’s buildings, stacked on top of one another, stand about 1,155,230 feet (we’re not including spires). That’s roughly 218 miles high. That’s about 10 miles shy of reaching the International Space Station.

Average Rent in Manhattan....

Here’s a breakdown of the average rent by apartment size in Manhattan.

• 3-bedroom: $4,950
• 2-bedroom: $3,662
• 1-bedroom: $3,100
• Studio: $2,550

- The average parking rate in downtown Manhattan is $533 per month...
- Groceries in New York cost between 28% and 39% more than the national average...
- The average insurance rate for drivers in Manhattan tops $4,000 per year....so transit is a must

So you better be making some money if you want to live here...but it makes sense....it's just a big city in a really small footprint...everything is up...including the costs...

We have noticed way more "fit" Americans here...maybe because you just can't help but walk here...even if you are using the subway you are still walking...you can't avoid it.

If there is water and ships...the guys are drawn to them...

 We are back on the Hop-on-Hop-off bus....trying to save some time and steps but the traffic is getting busier so not sure which mode of transportation is faster anymore...

And in this typical area in Manhattan close to the United Nations...

you can guy a One Bedroom starting at 1.1 Million...

and the United Nations...

Sometimes on these buses you really have to watch your heads....the street signs would be deadly and the branches will give you a good smack if you aren't watching...

Look at this Bad Boy!!!....NYPD Traffic means business!

And if they can't put in an actual "green space"....they put in a "quiet space"....in between the giant buildings....with seating and tables and water features....

On to St. Patrick's Cathedral....another beautiful church in the City...

Atlas sculpture on 5th.

Trump Tower on 5th...one of the most luxurious hotels overlooking Central Park

And across the street from the Trump Tower Hotel....side by side...

And you always know when you are nearing Central Park....

This is one large park...843 acres....and so much to see and do..

There is a lake you can rent boats....a pond that you can rent remote control boats...bike paths...walking paths....ball diamond...Merry-go-Round...and an elusive "Tavern on the Green"....we should have taken a picture of the park map....but after many steps...we found it..."that was one good cold one!"

We went up towards Strawberry Fields to see where John Lennon was killed.  Last time we were here George got shooed off the platform by where it happened...But not this time!

This is Strawberry Fields in the entrance to Central Park outside where he lived.

This is my favourite place in Central Park...the Sailboat pond....the saddest part is we missed the boats for the day...Oh...I hope I can see them tomorrow!

Today is the last sunny clear day while we are here so we rushed off to the Empire State Building.  You take a really fast elevator to the 86th floor...where you are 1,050 feet above New York City....

that's just plain way way up there!

It is located on Fifth Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets in Manhattan. The Empire State Building took only one year and 45 days to build, or more than seven million man-hours. There are observatories on both the 86th and 102nd floors

They say the reason it takes so much longer today....is all the safety regulations...some question what these old skyscrapers can withstand?? yikes

The view literally "takes my breath away!!!"

I was more than happy to have my feet on solid ground....but you are not really on solid ground when you hear the sound of subway trains right underfoot!

The estimated population in Manhattan is 1.63 million and it doubles every work day from commuters from other areas coming into town to work! Wow, no wonder there are so many subways and commuter boats in this area.

One more day in the city....