I had pre-booked a ticket - there is little point in doing this, but I’d done it anyway - and went to the office of the coach company that was just off Times Square. There are a number of routes and companies, but I’d chosen one company, and paid for a ticket that would let me on and off on the Uptown and Downtown loops, and also on a “night” tour - actually, just about dusk time - but more of that later.
I actually collected my ticket the day I’d already been to Liberty Island, so it was getting late in the day, and I chose to go on the uptown loop, which would go nearer to my Hotel for when I was finished. The tour started off really slowly - New York traffic and road works meant that in the first 20 minutes of the trip we travelled only about six blocks. After a while, however, we got going at a better rate, and the tour guide was doing his job well - a native New Yorker, he told us that like many of his fellows he didn’t have a car, as there was no point in the crowded City - too expensive and easier to get around on the busses and subway.
(Central Park)
Our route took us up the West side of Central Park, and from the top of a bus, the park seems much smaller than when you’re in it - maybe that is just because you’re more aware of the surrounding buildings. Carrying on up Manhattan we come to the Riverside Park, and views of the George Washington Bridge and across the Hudson River to New Jersey - and the expected comments from our guide:)
(Washington Bridge in the distance)
Coming round in a kind of loop at that point, we find ourselves under the approach to the George Washington Bridge, down to the waters edge, and then up on the backbone of the island and suddenly looking down onto the subway tracks - this is disconcerting and difficult for me to work out what direction was are actually going in! The guide tells us about Harlem - his home is nearby where we are driving, and he has good stories to tell of the neighbourhood.
(Under the Washington Bridge)
Suddenly - and it as sudden as crossing an intersection - we are out of the area where normal people live, and into the exclusive and stunningly expensive East Side of Central Park. As we crawl along 5th Avenue we see the building of the Rich and Famous, and lots of Museums, which our Guide tells us are all closed or closing for the evening. Rounding the Park we start to travel back to Times Square, and I forget that I was going to get off nearer my Hotel, so in the end decide to carry on the the end of the route, and visit Times Square itself.
(Times Square)
Times Square is noisy, crowded, and full of advertisements and people. It’s fun just to be there and walk up and down, but it’s also the place I had the worse food item ever - a hot dog from a street vender which was totally tasteless and nothing - but at least I tried it!
I take the Downtown loop earlier the next day - this again means going to Times Square first on the subway and then waiting in the cool but sunny weather for the tour to begin. Our route takes us through the Square and the Theatre district, and along 34th Street past the Empire State building. From ground level it’s difficult to pick out that it is a particularly tall building, and it’s not (in my opinion at any rate) the most attractive building - the Chrysler building - with its sleek art deco look has to be one of my favourite buildings.
(Midtown view)
Carrying on through Greenwich Village and China Town we pass near to Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center. As we turn one corner, we see one of the many tributes around here - a fence full of tiles of many nations in memory of those who died.
The route takes us out to Battery Park, and a few glimpses of the Statue of Liberty out in the bay, before turning back up the island and near the start of the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges. We go past the United Nations building, and I was hoping to be more impressed than I was - well, it IS just a building, after all! Then back to the south of Central park, and so to Times Square once again
(Times Square)
The third bus trip I took was the “night tour”, although as I got it at 6pm, it was more an “evening” tour. This bus had the front of the area covered with a clear roof - which made it less windy, but more difficult to take photos. We set off again through the financial district, the Village and China town, but this time went over the Manhattan Bridge into Brooklyn. It is again very busy with traffic, but as the sun goes down, we get some pretty views of the Manhattan skyline.
(Manhattan from Brooklyn)
As we come back over the Manhattan Bridge the sun is really setting the western sky alight, and the colours are we cross the bridge makes me thankful that I can be here in this amazing city to see it.
(Crossing back into Manhattan at sunset)
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