NYC: Manhattan Skyline from the Top of the Rock

On our last night in New York City, we went to top of the Rockefeller Center ("Top of the Rock") to observe Manhattan from a height. Toward the center of the frame is the Empire State Building, while the Freedom Tower lies over its shoulder, and Lady Liberty is indistinguishable in the distance.

This and other photographs of New York City can be found at the gallery: NYC.

NYC: Picture Time at Bethesda Terrace in Central Park

On the final day of the trip in New York City, we made the trek over to my favorite structure at Central Park, the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain.

Picture time at the Bethesda Fountain and Terrace in New York's Central Park

Cacophony of Commotion in Grand Central Terminal

Some are rushed and others more deliberate in New York City's Grand Central Terminal.

This and other photographs of New York can be found at the gallery: NYC.

NYC: Central Park Stroll and a Dog on a Park Bench

Although walking had become largely painful at this point due to the excessive mileage we had put on our feet in such a limited window of time, we couldn't help but meander through Central Park on our last day in the city. And what would happenstance bring us but a dog on a park bench.

A stroll through New York's Central Park and a Dog on a Park Bench

NYC: Surveying the Midtown Skyline from atop the Schist

Surveying the Midtown Skyline from atop the Manhattan Schist in Central Park

NYC: Workers Repainting the Brooklyn Bridge

Workers seen taking a break from the renovations and repainting

of support cables to the Brooklyn Bridge. 

This and other photographs from New York City can be seen at the gallery: NYC.

NYC: Construction atop the Brooklyn Bridge

Construction and Renovations atop the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan

NYC: Downtime in the Hotel between Excursions

Perusing our Midtown Manhattan hotel's literary offerings in some downtime between outings

NYC: Hazy Orthodoxy in Distant New Jersey

An orthodox church in New Jersey seen in the hazy distance from Midtown Manhattan

NYC: Paddling the Reservoir at Central Park

Paddling the Reservoir at Central Park beneath the Skyline of Midtown Manhattan.

See this and more photos of New York City at the gallery: NYC.

NYC: Grant's Tomb on the Upper West Side

The thing about visiting the tomb of President Ulysses S. Grant is that you need a good reason to be up that way. For example, we ate breakfast at Tom's Restaurant (the diner in Seinfeld), then walked up to Columbia University, and up and over to Grant's  Tomb. If you're wanting to go to a place where the tourists start to spread a little thin, you're getting close.

The other thing about visiting this monument is that if you want to catch a particular train that will take you down to the east side of Central Park, you might have to walk through the heart of Harlem to get there, and that might be uncomfortable. And if you're really looking for a place without tourists, you've found your mark. [Note: You might also hear on the news the next morning, as we did, that two men were stabbed to death in close proximity to where you had been walking to the subway.]

NYC: Central Park and Midtown on an Early Morning Run

On our recent trip to New York City, one of my desires was to run through Central Park, and I knew that if I didn't go on that first morning, I wasn't likely to go at all. So I got up with the sun, lit out from our hotel, and encountered a park entrance a few blocks north. While it was as enjoyable a run as I had hoped, the thing that stood out most was that there were some really foul stenches emanating from that place, in addition to the nice natural smells.

View of Midtown Manhattan from New York City's Central Park in Early Morning