New York City!!!!!! Part One

New York City- The city that never sleeps!  An American Icon, this city symbolizes all that is America- immigrants, growth, the strength of the individual, culture everywhere, ideas made real.  But also sprawl and never ending city.  New York City is something to every person, but mostly crowds- lots of people everywhere!  And high prices....   There is so much to see in NYC, that no trip will let you see it all.  And it is better that way- just so you know you will be back!  In order to accomodate how much there is to see, NYC will have two blog entries:-)

New York City!!!  There are interesting, historic, and iconic things everywhere!

Strwberry Fields and "imagine" in Central Park- so very iconic!!!

Trump Tower!  These are the escalators the Donald came down to announce his candidacy for
the President of the United States!

A Pieta in St. John the Devine church

Rockefeller Center!!!!

M & M''s were EVERYWHERE!!!

See what I mean- everywhere!  Even the world of Star Wars!

Got to take a break!

Deli's are a main-stay of the NYC foodie!

See what I mean?!  Pastrami on rye with cole slaw and swiss!

Walking the Brooklyn Bridge is too cool!

Time Square- until you are there, you won't believe it!!! 

New York City at night is really something to behold!!!  Just walking around town, or walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and look over to Manhatten- views are spectacular!

Manhatten Bridge with George Washington Bridge in background

Brooklyn Bridge, looling at Manhatten

Brooklyn Bridge looking at Manhatten- the Empire State Building is very prominent.

View of Manhatten from Brooklyn

Flatiron building!

top of the Empire State Building!

Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island- probably the most well-known attraction in the world- up there with the Eiffle tower and Colluseum!  But as an American, seeing the Statue of Liberty brings tears to my eyes and pride to my heart.  For all our faults, we as American's are truly a kind and giving people!  The statue, this gift from France, is a symbol we can all be proud of and strive to embrace!

Statue of Liberty as you approach Liberty island!

If you book several months ahead (at least 3 to 4 months) you can scor a ticket to climb to the crown of the statue!  The is inside the head of Lady Liberty- the molded copper- her hair!

From the crown, looking down you see the book with July 4, 1776 in roman numerals!

From her crown, you can see one of the pieces of her crown (the triangle of copper), and her hand holding the torch of liberty!

Lady Liberty looking up from her pedestal

Me on the pedestal, looking up

the NYC skyline from Liberty Island

In the museum- a replica of Lady Liberty's foot....

and her face!!!

Ellis Island- a museum celebrating the arrival of immigrants!

One of those immigrants was my mother, Thea Nielsen Smith!  We had her name engraved in the Immigrants Wall of Honor!

And mymother's certificate, her arrival from Eckernforde Germany

Rich's mother, Rosa, also an immigrant to the US, from Manague Nicaragua!

The poem written by Emma:  Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles.  From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command 
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame,
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips.  "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

The Huddled Masses- not necessarioy what Emma lazarus was talking about, but huddled masses just the same!!

Intrepid aircraft carrier- a museum of America's might!  Along with the submarine Growler, space Shuttle Enterprise, and the Concorde, this museum is awesome!  If you have kids, they will really love it as they can climb all over everything!  

The Intrepid is enormous!  The flight deck 

The Intrepid is enormous!  

Even from streets away, you can see the museum.

The Growler- submarine from the 50's.  first time I have ever been in a submarice- cramped, but so interesting!!!

Ivan in the submarine hall

me in the engine room control station

me coming through a hatch

The beds- these were shared with between 2 and 3 others- the crew slept in shifts.
 Each bed has a small locker foir personal possessions.

Torpedo room!  Probably the best room:-)

Flight deck of the intrepid- a couple dozen helicopters and planes

Planes

Ivan and I on the flight deck- to give perspective on how enormous it is!

Planes

More planes

Space Shuttle Enterprise.  I did not realise how incredibly huge these shuttles are!

Landing gear of the shuttle

some of the weaponry on the air craft carrier

a propeller from the aircraft carrier

Concorde!!!