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.