5 Days in Manhattan

During early May, 2003, I toured a small part of New York City . I spent five days in Manhattan visiting world-renowned landmarks, museums, and monuments. It was truly an enjoyable experience.

I took a regional Amtrak train from Union Station in Washington, D.C., to Pennsylvania Station in midtown Manhattan. The Pennsylvania Station was just a few blocks from the Park South Hotel. Its Midtown location is half a block from a subway station.

United Nation
United Nation

When I arrived at the Empire State Building, the line to buy admission tickets was long. I bought my ticket at a ticket booth in the basement and took two elevators to the 86th floor observation deck. The view was spectacular in the late afternoon sun.

Times Square
Times Square

On a Sunday morning at the Rockefeller Center, art dealers erected tents to sell unique sculptures, paintings, clothings, and jeweleries. The tranquil Channel Garden is adjacent to the lively commerce. For the ultimate visual stimulation, I visited Time Square ; surrounded by huge electronic billboards and crowd of tourists. I felt that every shop and restaurant in Times Square was geared toward the tourists. I wondered if New Yorkers ever visit Times Square.

Temple of Dendur
Temple of Dendur

The magnificent classical facade of the Metropolitan Museum of Art welcomes visitors. I lined up in the Great Hall to buy an admission ticket. Since the museum is so large, I participated in only two guided tours. The highlights tour gave me an overview of the museum, but the Chinese arts tour was cut short because a section of the Chinese arts gallery was closed for a special fund-raising luncheon. The photo slideshow shows two of the most impressive rooms in the museum: the Garden Court in the American Wing and a dedicated gallery housing the Temple of Dendur from Egypt.

Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty

The ferry ride to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island was very windy and sunny. It was just warm enough to stand on the open-air deck of the ferry and enjoy the view of the lower Manhattan skyline. While Liberty Island was open, the Statue itself was closed. The towering Statue was a magnificent sight when I stood at its base. On Ellis Island, the beautiful main building houses the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

Ruins of World Trade Center
Ruins of World Trade Center

Peering through a sturdy, high, metal fence, I saw the ruins of the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan. Numerous construction activities were going on down in the crater. Visibility into the crater was poor. On the other hand, visibility from the top of the Brooklyn Bridge was excellent. The pedestrians walk on the upper level of the bridge, while automobiles pass below.