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Published: April 29th 2007
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On awaking I was to find the “Rainmaker” had cometh again it was coming down cats and dogs .I had geared up to go on the city tour south .I had to wait impatiently until the afternoon to make the adventure, at last it stopped raining but was still really cold .Picked up the bus outside the Empire State building and went down towards the Flat Iron building
The Fuller Building better known as The Flat Iron Building was one of the tallest buildings in New York City upon its completion in 1902. The building, at 175 Fifth Avenue, sits on a triangular island block at 23rd Street, Fifth Avenue, and Broadway, facing Square. Then continued down 5th Avenue
people watching. The tour bus guide really singing the praises of N.Y. with very heavy hints about leaving a tip .then the N.Y. fire brigade come on in full cry .then down to the Brooklyn Bridge when it started to rain yet again
The Brooklyn Bridge (originally the New York and Brooklyn Bridge), one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States, stretches 5,989 feet (1825 m) over the East River connecting the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and
Brooklyn. On completion, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world and the first steel-wire suspension bridge. Since its opening, it has become an iconic part of the New York Skyline. Onward the guide describing different parts of the city past some interesting shops and on to the United Nations building The 38-story Secretariat Building was controversial in its time but became a modernist landmark. Its characteristic east-west walls were fully covered with thermopane glass designed to absorb heat from sunlight, except for air intakes on the 6th, 16th, 28th and 38th floors. The north-south walls are covered with Vermont marble. To avoid controversy of how the flags would fly and it what order when the U.N is in session all the flags are raised in alphabetical order so there is no preference.
Spotted some big people on route then onto an another Icon of New York the Waldorf Astoria Hotel( one bed suite $326 per night)By now the temp had dropped to 9C but it’s amazing the N.Yorkers like San Franciscans are real hardy people or mad strolling around in shorts then on to view the Trump Tower
Rising above Manhattan and the East River, and
overlooking the U.N., The Trump World Tower at United Nations Plaza is one of the most luxurious residential towers in the world. This stunning new landmark offers elegantly over-sized condominium residences that range from superb one, two and three bedrooms to sumptuous penthouses with four bedrooms, formal dining rooms, maid's rooms and wood burning fireplaces. Every home also offers ten to sixteen foot ceiling heights, extraordinary room proportions and spectacular River or City views. Designed to rival the world's five-star hotels, amenities and services include a private spa and health club with a 60-foot swimming pool, a world-class restaurant, a private wine cellar, a landscaped garden, around-the-clock concierges, doormen, security and extensive service staff, even valet parking in the garage. Spectacular one, two, three, and four-bedroom condominium residences are priced from $1,300,000 to over $15,000,000.
Just a little out of my league, then onto Broadway
Broadway theatre is the most prestigious form of professional theatre in the U.S., as well as the most well known to the general public and most lucrative for the performers, technicians and others involved in putting on the shows. Along with London's West End, Broadway theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level
of commercial theatre in the English speaking world.
One thing that you see is huge venting of steam in the streets .apparently a lot of the buildings get their heating from these underground steam pipes and they have vent them occasionally.
Still raining we pushed on past Tiffany’s (Need a fat wallet here)
Charles Lewis Tiffany, founder of Tiffany & Co., was dubbed "the King of Diamonds" by New York City newspapers. Tiffany designs were worn by such famous US families as the Astors, the Vanderbilts, and the Morgans. Athletes, Hollywood stars, and even European royalty adored these diamonds. Museums valued the Tiffany designs, which ranged from the Art Nouveau period to Art Deco to today's modern styles
The 128.54-carat Fancy Yellow Tiffany Diamond is usually on display in the New York City flagship store. And on to Central Park
Central Park is a large public urban park , it is bigger than the country of Monaco
843 acres or 3.41 km²; a rectangle 2.5 statute miles by 0.5 statute mile, or 4 km à 800 m) in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. With about twenty-five million visitors annually, Central Park is the most visited
city park in the United States, and its appearance in many movies and television shows has made it among the most famous city parks in the world.
Then past the Plaza Hotel undergoing extensive renovations
It was sold in 2004 for $675 million to a Manhattan developer, El Ad Properties. El Ad closed The Plaza on April 30, 2005, to undergo extensive renovations. This created controversy the developers wanted to turn it totally into condominiums. There was such an uproar from the public that was revised It was projected to reopen in early 2007. When the renovations are complete, the Plaza is expected to offer 130 hotel rooms and 182 private condominium hotel units In May 2007, a new apartment in the Plaza was sold for a record $50 Million ! ! Again a little out of my league.
Like London you need mega bucks to own property in Manhattan, even to rent you need a fat wallet. The weather was pretty miserable and on an open top bus bloody cold, we all came off freezing and shivering .I thought by the end of April beginning may it would be warm not to be. It was quick into
the pub for a reviver and back to hotel and out to dinner.
Nighttime in N.Y. is amazing , right next to the Latham Hotel was a nightclub $40 entrance and $20 a drink carried on till 4-00am every night and there were people queuing at midnight to get in (Another reason to move, the noise )How these people did it with work the following day ,maybe they didn’t ,there are 13,000 restaurants in New York City of all different nationalities and tastes. There are plenty of fast food outlets with lots of junk food but alternatively there are many many delicatessen’s with fantastic healthy value for money meals that you help yourself.
However if you wished to dine at a restaurant like all restaurants it’s the drinks that cane you plus you have to remember that the waiters/waitress’s expect at least a 15% tip. One can expect to pay anything from $50 upwards if you drink wine plus the 15% tip on top.
Likewise if you are in a bar a tip with every order for drinks is expected which can be disconcerting but it’s the norm in N.Y. well in fact throughout the States
That is why
the N.Yorkers love the dollar note and will not convert to the coin it’s so convenient for tips (the note last 3months the coin will last 50years)
The hardest thing to get is good coffee, drove me crazy trying to get a decent cup of coffee not in disposable cups.
Everything is in enormous portions no wonder they hit high on the pie scales. To get a simple sandwich is like going on an expedition, however apart from this it is a fascinating city
Tomorrow I am off via the subway to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Phileas
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