This week is a very busy week with a business trip in Toronto and New York. The first one is in Toronto with a late arrival with almost makes us miss dinner as the hotel restaurant closes at 11 and we arrive at 10:45. The hotel is nice with good views over the Toronto area and we even catch a few great sunsets in the few days we stay in the city.
Toronto view from hotel room | Zoom of the downtown area |
Sunset over Toronto | Another view of the sunset |
There are also some good views from another skyscrapper that we visit with some beautiful views of the downtown area. Walking around during lunch breaks it is quite a residential area with no landmarks and only a few more interesting buildings.
View of downtown from another building | Another close up of downtown |
Older building | Newer building |
With a very busy schedule there is no time to visit and soon we leave towards New York. Or we want to but when we arrive at the airport and want to pick up our boarding pass we find out that the plane is cancelled. After that there is a scramble across multiple counters as other flights are also cancelled but finally a plane is found and we arrive again really late even though we were supposed to arrive around 7 pm. The hotel is really central however the rooms are a bit small as expected in a central New York location.
New York hotel | Relatively small room for the price |
After two days of work meeting we are exhausted so it is great that we leave only on Saturday and have a few hours to sightsee on Friday evening and Saturday morning. Starting from the hotel we plan on going down to Battery Park and see the sights. First we pass City Hall Park where to our surprise there are even squirrels besides the throng of people.
New York street | Typical building |
Manhattan borough President building | Near City Hall Park |
Inside City Hall Park | They even have squirrels |
There are lots of interesting skyscrappers to look at but the most interesting parts are where there is an interplay of the old buildings with the new ones as well as modern sculptures framing the buildings behind them. After some walking we arrive at the well known bull on Wall Street where it is impossible to take a picture without a lot of other tourists in it.
Interesting skyscrapper | Old church lost between modern buildings |
Red cube in Manhattan | Murphy's Tavern - older building |
The well known bull on Wall Street | National Museum of the American Indian |
After that we enter Battery Park with its seaside path and great views over the water. Ellis island is the first place we see we have been there before and there is no time on this trip but it is an impressive visit to see the place so many immigrants have come through.
Eagle in Battery Park | Close up of eagle |
Battery Park seaside walk | Ellis Island in the distance |
Of course you can also see the Statue of Liberty far in the distance. It is difficult to get a sense of its size but we have been there before when it was easier to get to and it is quite huge.
View from Battery Park | Statue of Liberty close up |
End of Battery Park walk | The Sphere |
In Battery Park is also Castle Clinton which is closed however as we walk around it we walk into a recreation of a period play that we watch for some time before starting our return to the hotel.
Castle Clinton NM | Recreation in front of the fort |
There are some great buildings on the way however our eyed are attracted by the new World Trade Center right ahead and we walk towards it to take a few pictures.
Nice building | Decoration on the building |
One World Trade Center in the distance | Closer look of the new WTC |
To our surprise the road is closed - you cannot cross from one side to the other, there is a big line of cars all honking and asking around we find the reason - President Obama is in town (to go on the Jon Stewart show). We stay for a while and see the motorcade pass before moving on again towards the waterside.
Streets blocked for President Obama visit | One of the cars from the convoy |
From the waterside we have great night views of the area especially of the Jersey shore and the Statue of Liberty.
New York at night | Boats in Manhattan - must be expensive |
View of New Jersey shore | Statue of Liberty at night |
AS everything starts to close we decide to enter a mall to get some food but the food court closed just a few minutes ago so we get lost in the mall trying to find an exit closer to the hotel and walking through the corridors and passages is surreal with almost no one else around. In the end we find a McDonald for the late dinner and then it is off to bed.
Inside a mall in New York | Interesting columns |
Underground passage | And then this scary looking one |
Saturday morning we have a few more hours and as such decide to the take the ferry to New Jersey and see the skyline of New York from that side of the channel. It is easy to get on the ferry and after a 5 min ride we are on the other side and are treated with some great views of the New York side. The major skyscraper is the new World Trade Center that dominates the Lower Manhattan skyline. We are surprised to find on our walk a memorial to 9/11 with a girder from the old trade center.
Ferry between New York and New Jersey | View of New York |
New World Trade Center | Girder from the Old World Trade Center |
The walk is quite nice on the side of the river with new views at almost any step but soon we must return back to the New York shore. We decide on a different transportation method - the Path subway which is unluckily closed on one of the tunnels so both directions go on one track only. Even so we arrive in time at the hotel to pack before the check out time and then we catch a taxi to the airport where the plane after a few false starts takes off and brings us back to Phoenix.
Boardwalk along the New Jersey shore | Walking along the shore |
Path station | Going down to the station |
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