When I started this blog, I said there would be rare occasions when I wrote about topics unrelated to Kentucky, Bluegrass, Rosine, etc. Well, here’s one for you—my wife Steph and I returned home late last night from a three-day, first-time trip to New York City. Kenlee and Tanner, two of our three adult children, accompanied us.
For certain, NYC is as far from my usual topics as any, but there’s no way I wouldn’t share some thoughts and pics from this trip.
As soon as we arrived, we jumped on an open-air tour bus near Time’s-Square. I snapped a photo, but the sun’s glare made me think black and white might be better.
You can’t tell, but that “2025” near the center, and the big ball above it, show up better this way. Of course that ball will drop on New Year’s Eve, and many of you will be watching it live on TV.
While still on the bus tour, we passed by the famous Empire State Building. Almost everyone is familiar with the typical view of that iconic structure. But again, I decided to give you a different look at it…nearly straight up!
Did you notice the small rainbow? I promise I didn’t photoshop that! Admittedly, I did add some blue tint to the pic so the rainbow would show up more, but I can assure you the rainbow is all-natural.
The next morning we rose early to go see the Rockefeller Christmas Tree. A fellow tourist was kind enough to take a picture for us.
Let me say right here that I was surprised by the amount of kindness we encountered on this trip.
I expected rudeness galore, but didn’t find it. Has New York City been given a bad rap? IDK!
Later the same day we toured the legendary Central Park. I’ll share a few pics from the park that you might recognize from the movies since hundreds have been filmed there.
The Bow Bridge was in Spider-Man 3.
The Bethesda Fountain was in John Wick 2.
The Mall was in Kramer vs Kramer, When Harry Met Sally, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and more.
The Wollman Rink was in Home Alone 2.
After we left Central Park, we walked to Trump Tower.
Of course we had to go inside and see the escalator he came down with Melania in 2015. We rode up, and I snapped a pic riding back down.
I said we walked to Trump Tower. Let me say here—if you can’t handle walking, don’t go to NY, unless you can afford lots and lots of Ubers or taxis. OR…the dreaded SUBWAY!!!
Actually they weren’t that bad. Certainly not the evil they’re made out to be; however, we were mostly in Midtown Manhattan. Would it have been worse if we ventured out into the other burroughs? Maybe. Maybe not.
Later that day, night actually, we walked to the Gershwin Theatre to see Wicked, a wonderful, Broadway musical based on a book that serves as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz.
No photographs of the show are allowed, so I only have this shot of the stage pre-show.
And this one of the cast at curtain call.
The next morning, our last, we went to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. This was obviously a solemn and somber place.
This is where the World Trade Center South Tower once stood.
Everyone has seen films and movies and photographs of 9/11, but seeing the site up close makes it more personal and makes a person better understand the massive amount of death and destruction that took place that terrible day.
Most of the museum is underground; in fact, it goes down 70 feet, all the way to the bedrock upon which the towers were built. And down there, kept behind a wall, are the remains of 40% of those killed yet unidentified when the towers fell. I wasn’t aware of that.
A guide told us that in the last year only three people were able to be identified by the scientists still trying to use DNA for identification. That means hundreds of people still haven’t been named and probably never will.
Inside the museum, there are some exhibits where photographs are forbidden, so I’m not going to share but two pics.
This American flag was found in the rubble after the towers fell.
There are other flags in the museum, like the one raised by firemen at ground zero. Remember this photograph?
That flag was eventually donated to the museum and is on display.
Another reason I choose not to include more photos of exhibits is because I think every American should see it in person, if possible. It was the most meaningful part of our NY trip.
We left there and took the subway to the Staten Island Ferry for a ride across New York Harbor.
There’s that classic look of the NY skyline. I took the pic of the Statue of Liberty, shown at the start of this blog, from the ferry, too.
On the subway back to the hotel, we hopped off at the historical Grand Central Station for a quick look.
You really can’t understand the grandeur without being there, but trust me it was worth the quick stop.
There were other NY landmarks we only saw from a distance, like Radio City Music Hall.
And St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
And further, some places we didn’t even get close enough to take a photo, like the Brooklyn Bridge, Madison Square Garden, the MET, etc.
But for a three day trip we were able to take in a good bit of the Big Apple. And it was great! Great times! Great memories with my family!
I recommend it! A lot of our national identity and history can be witnessed first hand in New York City. So go—and see for yourself.
