On Monday, August 11, my brother David and I took the train up to Manhattan. I really enjoyed his company, and conversing with him on the ride. We got into Penn Station, and got a cab to the Wellington Hotel, where I had a reservation. It was about 11:30 am when we got there, ahead of the check-in time, so my room wasn’t ready yet. But I left my bags in the check room, and then the two of us went off to a dock on the Hudson off 42nd Street, where the Circle Line tours begin.
The following picture is of the Wellington. My room ended up being on the 22nd floor, a corner room right above 7th Avenue and 55th Street. In the picture, I think it’s the third one down from the top. I really liked it.
Wellington Hotel in Manhattan
Anyway, off we went to the Circle Line. When we arrived at the dock it was sunny in Manhattan, but over on the Jersey side of the river there were dark clouds. But I figured that if it did rain, it would be sporatic and blow over.
As out boat pulled away from the dock, an earlier cruise was returning.
Circle Line boat
Sure enough, as we headed downriver, the rain came down. Those of us who had been outside on the back upper deck scurried inside. But as I suspected, the rain didn’t last long. By the time we passed Ellis Island, it was gone, and the rest of the cruise was precipitation free.
When you’re on the water, and you see the Statue of Liberty, she really is compelling. You end up taking pictures you know merely duplicate ones taken by professional photographer, photos that adorn thousands of postcards. But I think there’s always that powerful reaction of I took this shot! So, I’ll inflict my picture of Lady Liberty on you.
Lady Liberty
The boat turned back from the Statue and headed back toward Manhattan, this time going up the East River.
It’s on the East River where there are (at present) four art installations of waterfalls. I’d seen a story on the installations on Good Morning America the day they were turned on, so I was pleased that I was going to see them. They were part of the reason I wanted to take the Circle Line tour. I did get pictures of all four, but I’m only going to post two of them (You don’t need my whole travel album, after all – I took over a hundred pictures on the cruise! Ah, the wonders of a 2 gig chip in the camera!).
The first of the four installations. Over all, I liked them, but felt that the scaffolding sort of detracted from the visual of the falling water. Not sure how I’d have addressed that problem if it had be my work, though.
Waterfall installation in Brooklyn
The second picture is of the installation under the Brooklyn Bridge.
Waterfall installation under the Brooklyn Bridge
Going up the East River was a nice easy trip. You get reminded of just how much is packed onto the island of Manhattan. Past the United Nations buildings, one of Trumps buildings, on the other side of the river, the old Yankees Stadium (the House that Ruth Built) which is going to come down soon, Gracie Manor (didn’t get a very good picture of that, due to foliage from trees on the grounds).
The boat then turns up the Harlem River and heads toward the Hudson. There’s a swing bridge over the Harlem at one point that trains use, and we had to wait while a train headed north. Once the train was past, the bridge swung open for us, and we moved forward into the Hudson.
View up the Hudson River
At the north end of Manhattan, you get a great view up the Hudson valley. The Jersey Palisades stand in their virgin condition, due to the forethought of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. He wanted the view across the river from the Fort Tyron park in the Washington Heights to keep the pristine view that Henry Hudson would have had when he explored up the river. So he and other patrons bought up the riverside properties in Jersey and the landscape has been protected since.
George Washington Bridge
I’ve always liked the look of the George Washington Bridge, so I took this picture as we passed under it. As with the Liberty pictures, I realized that professionals have taken many pictures of the bridge. But this one is mine.
Anyway, back we returned to the dock. My brother and I parted company at last, since he needed to catch a train back home. I returned to the hotel and finally checked in. And was delighted with the view down Seventh Avenue from one of my windows.
View of 7th Avenue from my hotel room
Since this post is now getting kind of long, I’ll finish it here, and pick up in Part Two
