The Trip part IV - New York City

Big Apple was the last destination on our common travel list. We were staying for 3 days (9.-11.5.), living in the cheapest hostel in Brooklyn (Lafayette hostel). It wasn't that bad, the only problem there were only two showers which was very insufficient. Sunday afternoon we spent lost in Manhattan, walking down Broadway st, taking pictures in Wall st, and admiring night Times sq. I learned in LP guide there were almost no public toilets in NYC and that's absolutely truth! They recommend to use Starbucks, or any other coffee shop :P Although Manhattan creates only a part of NYC, it's so huge that walking around made us soon tired and we got back to our hostel.

Time sq.

Brooklyn bridge

The second day we began with crossing Brooklyn Bridge, one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States, completed in 1883. Trying to visit City Hall we learned it was impossible to get any closer than 50m. Then we took a free ferry to Staten Island, a huge island south from Manhattan. Staten Island is the least populated of the five boroughs (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island) but is the third largest in area with 153 km2. Free ferry connects the island to Manhattan and it's a popular tourist attraction, providing views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and lower Manhattan. It's a great way how to see Statue of Liberty from quite near and not having to pay :). The later afternoon we spent with a stroll in Central Park and in the evening we climbed to the Top of the Rock, Rockefeller Centre. The night view was astonishing and when I fought out a place to set up my Gorillapod tripod I got some amazing pictures ;). 

Manhattan

Third day was quite ugly weather and we were already tired from long travelling. From visited place it was Grand Central Terminal, the biggest train station in the world by nr. of platforms - 44 platforms and 67 tracks. Then we passed by Empire State Building, Madison Square Garden, Dakota building (it was there where John Lennon was killed by Mark David Chapman on 8 December 1980) to finish the day again at Time square.


12. of May was the last day of our common time in Canada/USA. After lunch Franta and Pivko were leaving from LaGuardia airport to take their flight through Toronto back to Munich. I went with them to say goodbye, sold remaining metro pass and then in a bus from the airport realized I was going to miss my Megabus to DC!  
   ... t.b.c.

CA14 New York 9.-11.5.2010