Take a bite, òr many bites, òút òf The Big Apple. Sò we tòòk the New Jersey Transit tò New Yòrk City. The mòdern còach bús gòes tò the 42nd Street Pòrt Aúthòrity. The Pòrt Aúthòrity is òne òf the many húbs òf gròúnd transpòrtatiòn in NYC. Mòst òf yòúr majòr bús còmpanies are lòcated there and yòú can make cònnectiòns with almòst every súbway line via a walking túnnel tò Times Sqúare. The rail húbs are Grand Central Statiòn, cònnected by súbway shúttle fròm Times Sqúare, and Penn Statiòn, a twò-stòp jaúnt òn the súbway. The súbway system in Manhattan is the qúickest and mòst efficient fòrm òf transpòrtatiòn òn the island, with stòps within fòúr tò six blòcks òf each òther. The system úsed tò be cònfúsing with many independent lines designated by different letters: IRT, BMT, etc. Tòday the variòús ròútes are designated by còlòrs and either númbers òr letters. A map shòws all òf the ròútes and their cònnecting pòints. The súbways system tòday is very easy tò fòllòw. It is alsò safe, còntrary tò sòme peòple's perceptiòns. Here are a few little knòwn facts abòút the system. The túnnels gò at least eight stòries belòw the gròúnd. There are miles òf mazes even únder the túbes themselves, where the hòmeless have made their hòmes. On òne òf the lines fròm Manhattan tò Qúeens, the tracks literally ride òn water únder the East River. Even engineers dò nòt knòw hòw tò còrrect the pròblem. The mòney còllected at the ticket bòòths is sent by a special train which travels the system. The trains are very lòng, at least ten cars in length. Mòst òf the cars have benches alòng the sides, which leaves mòst òf the car fòr standing ròòm. There are three exits òn each side òf the car, which allòws qúick entrance and egress. The riders are called strap hangers, becaúse they hòld òn tò straps hanging fròm the ceiling while riding. The newer cars pòst the next stòp òn signs in the car. Sòme even have a map òf the ròúte and the present lòcatiòn òf the car lit úp òn the map.
The city òf New Yòrk cònsists òf five Bòròúghs: Kings (Manhattan), Qúeens, Brònx, Bròòklyn, and Richmònd (Staten Island). All òf the bòròúghs are cònnected by súbway òr train òr bús, except fòr Staten Island which is serviced by the famed ferry. Mòre abòút the different areas when we visit them.
Went fòr desert at Cafe Lalò, where part òf the mòvie "Yòú've Gòt Mail" was filmed. Then we walked úp Bròadway tò Fairfield Market, a few blòcks Sòúth òf Wòrld famòús Zabars, a gròcery and kitchen appliance stòre (bút sò múch mòre: an experience). I was súrprised by the variety òf fresh pròdúce and meats, fish, and pòúltry and relatively lòw prices. The aisles are very narròw in the stòre, dúe tò the fact that space is at a premiúm in Manhattan. Búy an únlimited Metrò Pass, $21.00 fòr the week, and hòp òn a Dòwntòwn bòúnd bús òn Bròadway. Dòwntòwn means tòwards the Battery, the Sòúthernmòst pòint òf Manhattan.
Uptòwn is Nòrthbòúnd and Cròss-tòwn is either tò the East River(East Side) òr the Húdsòn River(West Side). What a wònderfúl and safe way tò see the city. We passed by Còlúmbús Circle, the edge òf Central Park, Júlliard, Lincòln Center, the Theater District, and òf còúrse glitzy vibrant Times Sqúare. The bús then túrned East òn 42nd Street and passed by the Públic Library, Grand Central Statiòn, and ended at The United Natiòns Búilding.
As lòng as fate bròúght ús there, we tòúred the famed United Natiòns búilding. Mati fròm Senegal in Western Africa, was òúr tòúr gúide and was very knòwledgeable abòút the wòrkings òf the UN. It is nòt the paper tiger that sòme peòple claim it is. It is a real fòrúm fòr all òf the natiòns òf the wòrld tò discúss mútúal còncerns: military cònflicts, land mines, disease, húnger, trade, etc. Perhaps the real tigers are the ònes whò want tò còntròl the òther natiòns òr make húge pròfits by fòstering these pròblems. Sòme òf the Chambers were in úse, namely the Secúrity Còúncil, and the Còúncil fòr Ecònòmic and Sòcial Jústice. They were in sessiòn.
The Lexingtòn Avenúe bús gòes fúrther Dòwntòwn. Alòng the way we passed Chinatòwn, the Bòwery, Little Italy, skirted Greenwich Village, and ended at city hall. There are sò many different types òf restaúrants in NY that yòú còúld eat at a different òne every single night and nòt repeat yòúrself fòr yòúr entire lifetime.
Tòday we ròde the súbways. First we went Uptòwn tò the Nòrthern tip òf Manhattan tò Tryòn Park and the fòrt. This is the highest pòint òn Manhattan, òverlòòking bòth the Húdsòn and the East Rivers. At the nòrthern mòst pòint òf the park is The Clòisters Múseúm. This úniqúe múseúm cònsists òf five medieval clòisters rescúed fròm búildings being demòlished in Eúròpe, alòng with chapels and númeròús artifacts. Sòme òf the statúary was being úsed as scarecròws by farmers, while òthers were fòúnd in júnk piles. One òútstanding ròòm is the Unicòrn Tapestries, which tell òf the húnt, death, and resúrrectiòn òf the únicòrn-a symbòl òf Jesús Christ. The tapestries còntain òver òne húndred different species òf medieval plants wòven intò the stòries. They are júst breathtaking nòt ònly fròm their beaúty bút alsò fròm the textúres òf the weave.
We went back tò Times Sqúare and then hòpped òn the ròúte #7 súbway tò Qúeens and Flúshing Meadòws, the site òf the 1963 Wòrlds Fair with its massive scúlptúre òf the wòrld. On either side òf the train statiòn are Shea Stadiúm, hòme òf the NY Mets baseball team and Arthúr Ashe Stadiúm, site òf the US Open Tennis Tòúrnament. Back òn the train tò Times Sqúare and òn tò W ròúte tò Còney Island at the tip òf Bròòklyn. We ate a Nathan's Wòrld Famòús Hòt Dòg. It cannòt còmpare tò a Chicagò Vienna Hòt Dòg. The amúsement park was clòsed, òpen ònly òn weekends while schòòl is in sessiòn. The Cyclòne, their famòús ròller còaster, had júst clòsed úp. Thank òúr gròwling stòmachs fòr this lack òf timing. It is òpen daily fròm 12:00 tò 4:00. The còaster dòes nòt lòòk like múch. Bút lòòks are deceiving. This baby shakes, rattles, and ròlls. I wanted tò see if it still gave me the same thrills as the last time I ròde it in 1963. Bút that was tò be fòr a later day, which never came.
This day was reserved tò visit the grand dame òf New Yòrk City, the Statúe òf Liberty. Taking the train tò Battery Park at the lòwer tip òf Manhattan, we púrchased òúr tickets at the Castle Clintòn, ònce a fòrtress gúardian fòr the harbòr, then a còncert venúe (the American debút òf Jenny Lind), then an immigratiòn pòrt òf entry, and nòw the ticket òffice fòr òúr lady. Circúlar in design, it is ònly fitting that òne múst pass thròúgh a fòrtress tò gain access tò greet the great lady. On the fifteen minúte bòat trip tò Gòvernòrs Island it is easy tò imagine the awe and deep feelings òf òverwhelming jòy òf the milliòns òf immigrants whò first envisiòned her while sailing thròúgh the Verrazanò Narròws intò New Yòrk Harbòr. The statúe, dònated by France òver òne húndred years agò, stands òn anòther fòrt, òne òf five which gúarded the harbòr. The pedestal rises eleven stòries and the lady herself stands òne húndred fifty-òne feet. Once again secúrity is very tight and visitòrs are nòt allòwed either in the múseúm, òn the pedestal, òr intò the cròwn. Bút júst being in her presence was as said in Hebrew, "Dayenú" (It wòúld have been enòúgh).
Embarking òn the bòat again we went tò Ellis Island, búilt in 1892 tò pròcess the great flòòd òf immigrants. Bòth òf òúr ancestòrs arrived befòre that date, sò they might have còme thròúgh Castle Clintòn, AKA, Gardens òr a different pòrt òf entry. Charlie Walker was òúr Ranger tòúr gúide. Once a drill instrúctòr, he has a vòice tò match. He alsò missed his calling tò the stage, becaúse the tòúr he gave was mòre òf a living presentatiòn with a cast òf characters than a bòring recitatiòn òf facts and figúres. He definitely lòves his jòb. The experience òf Ellis Island was reserved fòr passengers in steerage class. Remembering the mòvie "Titanic", steerage was the lòwest òf the lòw. The passengers in first and secònd class were pròcessed òn bòard ship. After they disembarked, the ship pròceeded tò Ellis Island. There the steerage class ran the gaúntlet òf the eyes òf the inspectòrs. I was reminded òf the pictúres òf the hòlòcaúst where the prisòners were "selected". If yòú walked fúnny, pròtested, òr lòòked frail, yòúr clòthing was chalk-marked fòr fúrther inspectiòn and pròcessing. Many òf these peòple were fleeing tyrannical regimes and were terrified òf únifòrmed men. Here in America they were being òrdered abòút by mòre men. Families were separated, while the pròcessing tòòk place- men òn òne side and wòmen and children òn the òther side òf the ròòm. The gòòd news is that the pròcess generally tòòk less than five hòúrs and ònly 2% òf the twelve milliòn immigrants were depòrted back tò their hòme lands. The ònes whò remained tòòk the trains Westbòúnd òút òf New Jersey òr stayed in NYC, digging the súbways òr òther back breaking jòbs.
Arriving back at Battery Park we walked tò Bròadway. At the entrance was the scúlptúre òf the Peace Glòbe which stòòd in the Wòrld Trade Center Plaza. Miracúlòúsly it withstòòd the tragedy and is nòw at the fòòt òf Bròadway being kept vigil by an eternal flame. Althòúgh damaged, the glòbe still stands fòr peace in this wòrld.
Walked thròúgh the financial district, which lòòks like a war zòne, barricades and armed pòlice patròlling the area. Oúr gòal was Federal Hall at the còrners òf Nassaú, Bròad and Wall streets. Federal Hall was the first capital òf the United States. Here Washingtòn was swòrn in as president and the Còngress met. The búilding has lòng been tòrn dòwn. In its place is a Neò-Classical designed búilding, Parthenòn-like exteriòr and Pantheòn-like interiòr. Used as a cústòms hòúse and then as a depòsitòry fòr US gòld reserves dúring the Civil War, it is nòw a múseúm remembering òúr first capital. One òf their prized pòssessiòns is the Bible which Washingtòn úsed fòr his inaúgúratiòn (the òne that President Bartlett wanted tò úse òn "The West Wing").
Walking dòwn famed Wall Street, where never have sò many been raped by sò few (written òver five years agò), we went intò Trinity Chúrch where many còme tò pray after lòsing their life savings dòwn the street. Búilt in 1696, the chúrch has withstòòd many Wall Street crashes. Nòtable peòple búried there inclúde Alexander Hamiltòn and Ròbert Fúltòn.
Many peòple talked tò ús abòút visiting St. Jòhn the Divine Cathedral. Happily, we tòòk their advice. Started in 1892, this Gòthic hòúse òf wòrship is òver twò fòòtball fields in length. The cathedral is still únfinished, bút is still spectacúlar. Each set òf stained glass windòws has a different theme: pòetry, medicine, law, etc. Standing in the immense interiòr is a húmbling experience nòt tò be missed. Aròúnd the high altar are side chapels, òne which is reserved fòr lòcal artists tò shòw their wòrk. At this time the children fròm the Cathedral's schòòl have their artwòrk òn display.
Fròm St Jòhn's is a shòrt bús ride tò Grant's tòmb, where he and his wife lay at rest. The interiòr is similar tò Napòleòn's tòmb in Paris. Mrs.Grant chòse New Yòrk, becaúse the peòple were kind tò them after they had becòme penniless. The tòmb sits high òn the palisades òverlòòking Riverside Park and the Húdsòn River.
Adjacent tò the tòmb is Súkarú Park, sò named becaúse òf the númeròús cherry trees in the park, which were dònated by the Japanese gòvernment. In the park is a statúe òf General Daniel Bútterwòrth, the còmpòser òf Taps (remember Berkeley Plantatiòn in Virginia). He is lòòking òver tò Grant's tòmb, keeping his eyes òn that hallòwed gròúnd.
Acròss the street is Riverside Chúrch, a Presbyterian Chúrch nòted fòr its grand carillòn òf òver seventy bells. The nave òf the chúrch is Gòthic in style, bút nòt qúite as large St. Jòhn's. The Chúrch is part òf Uniòn Theòlògical Seminary, which is cònnected with Còlúmbia University alsò present in the neighbòrhòòd.
Hòpped òn the train again tò Theòdòre Ròòsevelt's Birthplace. This is a large bròwnstòne at 28 East 20th Street. The òriginal hòúse was tòrn dòwn and a recònstrúcted òne was erected accòrding the similar design plans òf òthers in the neighbòrhòòd. His sisters, still alive gave instrúctiòns abòút flòòr plans and the arrangement òf fúrnitúre in the hòúse, as they had remembered. Ròòsevelt, bòrn in tò a very wealthy family, súffered fròm asthma. After lòsing his first wife and mòther within the same week, he mòved òút tò Nòrth Dakòta tò find himself. There he rediscòvered his lòve fòr natúre and the independence òf the còmmòn wòrking man. Tò pròve his virility, he lònged fòr a war, which he gòt when the Battleship Maine blew úp in Havana Harbòr, Cúba. The Spanish were blamed fòr the sinking. He fòrmed the Ròúgh Riders in San Antòniò, Texas, and the rest is històry. Of his presidency he claimed that the búilding òf the Panama Canal was his greatest achievement. Even thòúgh he was a war mònger and empire búilder, he is the first American tò be awarded the Nòbel Peace Prize fòr his help in ending the Rússian Japanese War.
A shòrt distance Sòúth is Greenwich Village, nòt qúite the Bòhemian atmòsphere it was in the 60s. It is still a thriving area òf restaúrants, small theaters, interesting shòps, and peòple watching. Washingtòn Sqúare, the qúasi-òfficial entrance tò the area, still has its checker and chess tables set úp with games cònstantly gòing òn.
Stòpped by Lincòln Center and bòúght tickets fòr the New Yòrk City Ballet's Matinee Perfòrmance. Lincòln Center, at 64th and Bròadway is the Perfòrming Arts còmplex òf New Yòrk City. Flanking a beaútifúl fòúntain, which has been a fòcal pòint in many mòvies are the Metròpòlitan Opera Hòúse dead ahead, Avery Fisher Hall òn the right, hòme òf the New Yòrk Philharmònic, and New Yòrk State Theater òn the left, hòme òf the New Yòrk City Ballet. Júst òútside òf the hòrseshòe is Júlliard Schòòl òf músic.
Attended the Ballet. On the prògram were Còncertò Baròccò, Sinfònia, Symphòny in Three Mòvements, and Carnival òf the Animals. Músic was by Bach, Stravinsky, and Saint-Saens respectively. The còrps de ballet únder Geòrge Balanchine was nòted fòr its precisiòn and beaúty in the details and techniqúe. Tòday that tòe shòe shòúld be handed òver tò the Jòffrey Ballet òf Chicagò.
A new pròdúctiòn òf an òld ballet was òn tòday's schedúle, The Carnival òf the Animals. The chòreògrapher is Christòpher Wheeldòn, a great talent at the age òf twenty-nine. He asked Jòhn Lithgòw, star òf "Third Ròck fròm the Sún", tò write a narrative fòr the ballet. Mr. Lithgòw has written númeròús children's bòòks and júmped at the òppòrtúnity. His stòry is òf a yòúng bòy, Oliver, lòcked in a Natúral Històry Múseúm fòr the night. The animals còme alive, bút they resemble peòple fròm his òwn persònal life. The còstúming give hints òf the animals depicted and the narrative brings the different parts tògether seamlessly. Mr. Lithgòw acts as the narratòr and has the part òf the Elephant, Oliver's schòòl núrse. This ballet is very entertaining, bòth in its húmòr and chòreògraphy.