Journey to the Niagara Falls

One Fine weekend of July, Monsoon season, Best trek or picnic to some Hill station in Sahyadri ranges. Just Enjoy in cloudy weather, have roasted corns when every surrounding is wet, have some Onion Pakoras, hot tea. Last year I went to Amboli, hill station in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra but this time I am far away from my home. But hey I am in the country of world famous Niagara Falls, let’s get wet in Niagara Falls water then.

I planned first for 2^nd week of July but the tour was already full so it got postponed by one week. I selected tour of 2 days which was having Niagara Falls and some glass museum. It was starting early morning on Saturday and ending on Sunday evening. Thanks to tour that the pickup location was nearby my house so I don’t have to rush early morning of weekend.

I reached to pick up location on time. The other tour members were already started gathering. My tour operator was Chinese girl. She welcomed me and gave the required details. She told me my group no, bus no & seat no. Tour bus arrived after ten minutes and all people stepped into the bus. We left the pickup location and then the real fun started. Tour Operator started giving introduction about her and then tour itinerary. She was just talking, talking and talking. The small girl of age around 2 years from bus should have got irritated from that I think and she started demanding microphone to her. Initially she ignored and continued with introduction but the small girl then started crying and she has to handover her mic to girl. That small girl then said something in her own baby language which later everyone appreciated by applauding. After taking hold of microphone again she finally finished explaining the itinerary but it’s not over yet. One tour member was Chinese and he was having trouble to understand English, Actually all the tourist were having trouble to understand her English but fine, She then started in Chinese and thank god she finished that very quickly.

In all these things our one and half hour got passed (yes one and half hour believe me) and our first relax point came. After getting into the bus again, Tour operator again started to explain cost of the attraction but this time that small girl again demanded back the microphone to which tour operator has to handover mic. Small girl told us again something to us in her own language and then returned the mic back. After getting mic back she explained the cost of all attractions to us and then started collecting the money.

They were offering us four attractions first the Maid of the Mist the main attraction of the tour where we will be taken by boat to the most possible closest point of Niagara Falls. The second one was Native Indian cultural show. The next day Watkins Glen’s State Park and last one was museum of glass. I decided to skip native Indian show because my friend was suggesting to take another attraction Cave of the wind at Niagara Falls instead of going to that show. I asked her about the Cave of wind attraction but she was not able to tell anything about it.

At our second halt we took lunch, she gave us forty minutes for that. During her introduction, she also told us that if someone comes back late then that guy have to sing song as punishment. As a human tendency that at least one will be late out of 50 people, one lady got late and everyone demanded that she must sing song now. After some no no no she started singing the song. She sang one Indian song from Great Gambler movie, ‘Do Lafjo ki hai’. First I thought she will just sing mukhra of song but no she started first antara, I said ok fine but then she continued to second antara. That made everyone thinks that she came intentionally late.

After lunch break, our next break point was after two hours or so. All were in relax mood and I also wanted to complete my weekend sleep. Our tour co-coordinator played Spider Man 3 movie in bus but I can tell you that hardly any one watched it. Everyone was taking nap, yes some of us requested for Iron Man 3 instead of Spider Man 3, was just in mood of pulling her leg but she did not understood.

After couple of hours our bus stopped at one relax service area. It was having some picnic tables, barbeque stand and restroom. It was very scenic area. After getting fresh I started capturing it in my camera.  This is the first time I took out my camera from my sack in tour. One of the family of our tour felt in love with that area as they were taking pictures till last moment, all bus members boarded the bus but they were still taking the pictures, first they took natures pic then solo pics then group pic, our driver started calling them and they also started changing their poses very fast, finally they finished and come back to bus.

After that again everyone went back to sleep and our next stop was Niagara Falls.

Thanks,

Mayuresh

Empire State Building

Empire State Building - the New York’s Tallest building till 1972. Its 102-story skyscraper located in Midtown Manhattan, at the intersection of 5th Avenue and 34^th street. This building has observation deck on 86^th and 102th floor from where you can see the entire Manhattan. You can visit during day time as well as during night. You have to purchase ticket to go on observation deck; you can also purchase combo ticket which will have day view as well as night view. If you purchase the ticket online they you can skip the line and can go directly to elevator, you can also buy express ticket, I don’t know what it does but its express means less line I guess.

I will also suggest either you buy the ticket online or buy from official window of Empire state, avoid the ticket agents which are standing outside the empire state building, they will confuse you a lot and they will always give you false information. They told me, if you buy ticket from me you will be on 86^th floor in half an hour from now and if you go through official window it will take you one and half hour. I still avoided him and purchased the ticket from official window and I was on deck in 45 minutes. Just for 15 minutes more he was charging me double amount.

Anyways, when I get in ticket queue, I first have to pass through security check, this security check is stricter that your airport, I have to remove shoes, belts and then pass through scanner. After purchasing ticket you will be taken to elevator queue which was kind of big but it’s always moving and it goes from one room to another so you will not see actually how big queue is. When I was following queue to elevator, at one spot Empire State officials took free photograph of mine, they were taking everyone who is in queue and handover ticket which had photo number.

After lots of zigzag finally we entered in elevator, it was not very big, small one which can hardly accommodate 12 people. They were having 8 elevators like that. This was taking people up and also bringing down the people who are on deck. Elevators are auto operated, we don’t have to press any button from inside, and the security will operate the elevator remotely. That elevator took us on 80^th floor within half minute. From 80^th to 86^th, we have to take another elevator and again queue for the same. While standing in queue, the walls of building will show you history of Empire State that how it’s built, who all top celebrities visited Empire State.

We came on deck from second elevator, Deck is divided into two parts, outer deck and inner, inner deck is closed with glass and outer deck is open.  We came on outer deck from South. South view will show you Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, WTC, Lower Manhattan, and Brooklyn Bridge. It’s very clear but windy weather, I could not stand more than minute there, I took snaps as quick as I could and came to East view. East view will show you stretch of Long Island, Queens, and famous Chrysler building. Chrysler building was the tallest building in Manhattan before Empire State and also it is picturised in Spider man movie. From North view, I located my office building, Times Square, very far Central park and from West view Jersey City. I took as many photographs as I can but it was very windy and chilled so I thought of going down.

We then come back to elevator this time not big queue; it took us on 80^th floor. From 80^th floor back to ground floor.

Empire State was our last attraction for the day. We ended up our tour and back to home.

Thanks,

Mayuresh Manjre

Times Square

Times Square – heart of the world, is the most tourist visited place in the world. My office is in Times Square and I have described a bit about it earlier but in my official tour of Manhattan how I can skip Times Square. So after I finish exploring Lower Manhattan, I took Metro from Wall Street to Times Square. It’s hardly 10 minutes journey from Wall Street to Times Square by Metro.

Times Square Metro station is very big and also confusing for the first time traveler like me. Most of the Manhattan metro lines pass through Times Square and it’s also linked to Port Authority Bus terminal. Somehow I found the exit for the 42^nd street and I came on our regular street from which every day I travel for office.

Times Square is basically an intersection of 7^th Avenue and Broadway and this intersection stretch is from 42^nd street to 48^th street. At the end of each stretch, Times Square has big digital screens which are the main attraction here. This Big screens mainly used to telecasts the advertisements. The screen standing near 42^nd street has New Year ball at top. The countdown of New Year happens on this screen, on every New Year’s Eve. Screen at 47^th street is kind of little entertaining, which captures people’s faces and use it in small animated video, they morph these faces on animated bodies. In front of that screen, kind of amphitheater structure is made from which people stands on upper level to get their faces captured in that video. Also that amphitheater holds lots of events. The recent one I saw is promotion of Brad pitt’s film world War – Z.

For shopping also Times Square is nice place. Aeropostal, Levi’s, Disney’s, ToysRus, Polo lots of outlet has shop here.  Lots of movies, cartoon character also roam in Times Square like Mickey, Mario, Spiderman etc with whom kids take photographs.

You will never get bore in Times Square as every second you will see something is happening. Form some corner you will hear voice of protests, somewhere guys are playing music which keeps your mind refreshed, some guys doing gymnastics, Some are showing sketch art. Something is always on.

This is also the first time I came here with my camera. I took many pics here. I also had lunch here. After spending enough time I headed to Empire State Building.

Wall Street - Lower Manhattan

After our cruise ride, next destination on our list was ‘Wall Street’. Wall Street – The Financial District of New York, Not just the New York, we can say the entire world. The world’s biggest stock exchange, ‘New York Stock Exchange’ is on Wall Street. The other major stock exchanges have or had headquarters in the Wall Street including NASADAQ (now move to Times Square), the former American Stock Exchange.

When we were leaving Battery Park we saw newly married couple having their photo shoot in the park. It was just two of them and photographer. I thought its very nice, hire one photographer and go to location whichever your want and have good photo shoot, away from crowd, no rush. In my later stay I saw lots of newly married couple doing this; best locations were Times Square, Central Park, and Brooklyn Bridge. Sometimes only two of them with photographer, sometimes few family members accompanying groom and bride or sometime just friends but obviously not like typical Indian marriage where 20-30 family members stand with groom and bride and take photo.

We left the Battery Park and after few steps, entered in Bowling Green Park. Its small public park but crowded by tourist because the ‘Charging Bull- the Wall Street Icon’ is standing in this park. This bull is 3200 Kilograms Bronze sculpture made by Arturo Di Modica, an Italian-American artist. This work cost him $360,000. In 2004, he announced that the bull is on sale on one condition that the buyer does not move it from its current location. The bull is symbol of aggressive financial optimism and prosperity, leaning back on its haunches and with its head lowered as if ready to charge.

The tourists are crazy about this sculpture that it has now become most visited and photographed and loved and recognized statue in New York. Now a day’s tourist has to stand in queue to take photograph with bull. It has also become famous among Indians after few Bollywood movies featured the bull in the movie. We also waited for 10-15 minutes in queue to take photo with bull. Later on we entered in Wall Street through Broadway where first you will see New York Stock Exchange to your right.  Going little forward at Left you will see Federal Hall and next to NYSE, JP Morgan’s building. George Washington’s statue is installed in front of Federal Hall and also Main view of NYSE can be taken from here.

We spent some time there taking photographs and then headed to Midtown.

World Trade Center & Statue Of Liberty

World Trade Center and Statue of Liberty

It’s now 2 weeks I am in Manhattan, US and also settled a bit. I am visiting Times Square everyday as it’s my workplace but now thought of exploring Manhattan a bit more.

One fine Saturday I decided to start with Downtown with one of my friend, early morning on Saturday I took Path train from Journal Square to reach directly in Downtown. The last stop of Path train in Downtown is World Trade Center. As soon as you come out of Path train station, at left hand side you can see new world trade center tower. The work is still in progress but the outside construction is almost done. It is one of the 6 towers which are getting built after the old twin towers got destroyed in attack of September 11, 2001. The actual place were the Twin towers standing is called as Ground Zero and it is preserved as 9/11 memorial. We were so early that Memorial of 9/11 was not yet opened and my friend was also not much interested in visiting that.

After that we headed to Battery Park from where I thought that I will get good view of Statue of Liberty. When we were on our way, we stopped by in Subway and had quick breakfast. We were already aware that we cannot go on Liberty Island were Statue of Liberty is standing because it was kept closed due to damage of Hurricane Sandy. It’s scheduled to reopen on July 4 2013.

Battery Park has been an invaluable part of New York City’s history. In 1855, Castle Garden, situated inside the Park was the world’s first immigrant depot. Although its role has changed, people from around the world still visit Battery Park for a view of the city's past. Ferries dock at its shore to pick up visitors to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and all summer long concerts play on its grounds.

Its beautiful waterfront and flower gardens make Battery Park a lovely place to wander. For those who'd like a longer stroll, the park’s location at the southern tip of Manhattan makes it a classic starting point for walking tours through the city

When we reach to Battery Park, the tip of downtown, I got a bit disappointed. In the map they show the Statue of Liberty is very near to it but it is dip inside and I could hardly see it. My friend wanted to have picture with Statue of Liberty and she could not wait till July 4 as her return date was also nearby. We then decided to take Statue Cruises available from Battery Park itself which will at least give view from near. It was 1 hour cruise which covers Ellis Island, Statue of liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge.

Weather was so chilly and windy that we could hardly stay on deck of cruise, whenever any attraction use to come, we use to come out on deck take snaps and then go back inside. We also had voice commentary who was telling in details about each attraction which I hardly heard.

First our cruise took us to Ellis Island which was the Port of entry to New York after Battery Park. I heard they still display the number of immigrants coming in to the US but as Island was closed I am not sure, Then our cruise headed to main attractions and i.e. Statue of Liberty. This was again one of my dreams to see it, I saw it earlier in many movies, songs but this is the time when I am looking at it with my naked eyes. When we get closer, I can feel that how big it is. I captured as many snaps of her I can. 

I learnt something about her from the audio commentary that initially she was used as light house then Liberty Island where she stands is converted to National Monument.  The statue represents the Roman goddess of freedom who bears a torch high in the sky in her right hand and a tablet in left hand which inscribes the date in roman numbers July 4, 1776 and evokes the American Declaration of Independence.

Then our cruise passed through Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge. Then our cruise returned back to Battery Park from where we started the tour.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks,

Mayuresh Manjre