Day Forty-nine - New York

 

Our time in New York City began at One Vanderbilt on the 93rd floor known as The Summit.  From there we could view the city in all directions.  The day was sunny, clear and warm with unlimited visibility. 

The Summit was more than just a viewing platform, it was an "interactive, multilevel experience of art, sky and exploration."  The three levels of viewing featured glass floors and mirrored walls which created an out of body sensation.  (Could this feel like heaven? or hell?)

In front of Grand Central Station we looked up to view the Chrysler Building.  It is an art deco skyscraper completed in 1930 and is the tallest brick building in the world with a steel frame.  The building's exterior features artistic shapes that resemble hood ornaments, wheels and fenders.

The pedestrian plaza at Rockefeller Center was still decorated with Easter lilies in full bloom.  The iconic Rockefeller Christmas Tree is placed annually at the end of this plaza.

Across the street from Rockefeller Center is St. Patrick's Cathedral.  Completed in 1868, it is constructed of white marble and has numerous stained glass windows.  The spires rise 329 feet above 5th Avenue.

Leaving Middle Manhattan we continued south and visited One World Trade Center.  This magnificent structure replaces the Twin Towers destroyed on 9/11. At 1,776' in height, it is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.  Nearby is the 9/11 memorial and museum.

The Occulus is NYC's transportation hub where 12 subway lines converge. The structure’s white metal-clad steel ribs reach up and out in a monumental move symbolic of a hand releasing a dove.  The Occulus is an important part of the World Trade Center's rebirth.

At 7 PM our ship departs New York and passes the Statue of Liberty just as the sun is about to set.