Statue of Liberty

We had a good rest after the flight and early in the morning on Saturday, September 6, we went to conquer New York.
Our route on this day should look like this.
From the bus terminal to Madison Square Park, then to Union Square Park and Washington Square.
Then stroll through the streets of the "Small Italy" and "China Town".
Go to Brooklyn via the Manhattan Bridge and back into Manhattan across the Brooklyn Bridge.
View the center of the financial system - Wall Street and go to the South Ferri Terminal and choose a ferry to Staten Island.
The Statue of Liberty is perfectly visible from the ferry.
Return by the same ferry back to Manhattan.
The route is long and everything on foot.

In the old movies shown, that New York - it's the bottom of the capitalist world, with huge skyscrapers.
The streets are narrow, dark and dirty, the sun and the sky is not visible.

I was very happy that all of this was not so.
We were amazed by the harmony of buildings of various styles.
Skyscrapers built of red brick in the beginning of the last century, do not look gloomy as compared with high-rise buildings
The new skyscrapers from glass and steel complement the picture and to symbolize the greatness of the people.

The streets are wide, bright and sunny.
The city center is very green, lots of parks and gardens.
There are many pedestrian streets, here a paradise for tourists.

We came to Madison Square Park, where there is a monument of William Henry Seward - US Secretary of State, who in 1867 bought Alaska from Russia.
In New York, a lot of different monuments, sculptures, churches and temples that blend harmoniously into the architecture of the city.

There are also architectural solutions in a modern style.

After a rest, we went to Union Square along Broadway.

Union Square is located at the intersection of Broadway and 4th Avenue.
Since the XIX century, the square is known as a place of political demonstrations and protests

There is also a bronze statue of George Washington here.

The an amazing cathedral we saw on our way.
It was Grace Church.
*Grace Church*

The church was built in the years 1846-1847 and it is a national historical landmark now.
GPS-coordinates: 40°43'55.2"N, 73°59'28.6"W

Washington Square Park was founded in 1827.
There are a triumphal arch dedicated to George Washington, monument of Garibaldi and a beautiful old fountain in the park
There are a lot of tourists, because the 5th Avenue begins here.

The weather was not like the autumn, it was very hot.
Someone was resting by the fountain but someone else was working.

We wanted to stay longer next to the fountain, but the sun was already high, our plans are ambitious, we had a meeting with Italy.
My head is OK, really with Italy.
"Little Italy".

This is a district of New York, where immigrants from Italy compactly lived in the early 20th century.
And the Italian mafia had been keeping the city at bay.
Only a small piece of remained from the famous district now (between the Canal St. and the Broome St.).
There are many restaurants and cafes for tourists here.

District "China Town" begins ahead.

We came to the Manhattan Bridge, which connects Manhattan and Brooklyn.
WOW!.. Nobody's here.
We were the only ones on the bridge.
And I understand why.
A narrow path for pedestrians, subway trains moving behind bars.
I'll tell you - not very pleasant. But the beautiful view is around...

The Brooklyn Bridge and the East River.

Manhattan.

Brooklyn.

The sky was dark, we were afraid of rain and did not stay in Brooklyn, quickly ran to the Brooklyn Bridge.
That's where the tourists.

We were already there (Manhattan Bridge).

Manhattan, again. Views from the bridge.

Oh my God...
How many floors in the skyscraper?

Time was running very fast, we were very interested, but we had to hurry.
We went to Wall Street.

Skyscrapers were both right and left ...

More people appeared in the streets, and also the architecture of buildings changed.
There were gardens and even fountains.

We are back to tourists, to Broadway.
What the beautiful buildings here!

What is it? Fantastic!
Red Cube.
I wonder, why the cube is not falling and that symbolize?

Cube, almost 9 meters high, very impressive look at the background mirror-black facade of the 52-floor skyscraper.
The sculpture was installed in 1968 and its creator Isamu Noguchi said:
"If you have complete harmony, nothing happens.
However, any element of disharmony will punt from the rest and balance”.
Sculptor was compared Cube, which temporarily stands on one of the peaks, with the dice.
What will happen when the dice (cube) will be on the side?

And here is the famous Wall Street - the center of the global financial system.
*Wall Street*

The street is very narrow and short.
I thought it is great street with a lot of bankers.
But was also a lot of interesting here.

At the corner of Wall Street and Broadway is the Trinity Church...
*Trinity Church*

The sculpture "Trinity Root" was set in the yard of Church in 2005.
In memory of those who had died on 11 September 2001.
The sculptor - Steve Tobin.
*Trinity Root*
The story tells that during the September 11 terrorist attacks, the old plane tree (maple) was torn out with roots in the garden of the church.
The church was not destroyed by the tree and the building was protected from the wreckage.
The sculpture of a huge tree root represents the strength and unity of the nation, the hope for the future.

In the same area, at the intersection of Broadway and State Street, was installed a huge figure of a bull.
As Wikipedia says, sculpture appeared here in 1989 and symbolizes the aggressive financial optimism and prosperity.
It is very popular among tourists and residents.
It is believed that the bull brings good luck in business, just need to hold it by the horns.
Well, not only...
I can not say about success in business anything, but the bull is very popular
Many people want to touch the horns and tail of a bull.
*Charging Bull*

GPS-coordinates: 40°42'20.3"N, 74°00'48.6"W

The sculpture of bull is located near the South Ferri Terminal where we were going to use the free ferry to Staten Island.
The Statue of Liberty is perfectly visible from the ferry.
On the way we saw a very beautiful building of the National Museum of the American Indian

Well, we are not alone were "so clever".
A lot of tourists had been waiting for the ferry to the South Ferri Terminal.
When the gates opened, we were on aboard the ferry.

The ferry sails to Staten Island twenty minutes.
All the tourists are on the deck and take pictures of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.

On Staten Island you need change ferry and come back to Manhattan.

From the deck of the ferry, we saw a huge skyscraper
This is one of the buildings of the new World Trade Center, which was built on the site of the destroyed "Twins".
So getting off the ferry, we went there.

The Memorial was opened next to the new World Trade Center in memory of those who died on September 11, 2001.
I have no words. What happened - it's horrible.
The idea of the memorial was embodied in stone perfectly.
But we see and feel differently.
Maybe it's not the water, and the tears flow down into the abyss of eternity.
Names of the victims are written on the granite slab.

My wife and I were very impressed from memorial and silently walked to the bus terminal.
I did only a few photos.
Here are a couple resting, studying something interesting.

The building similar to the buildings in our country.

The sky darkened very quickly.
Streets and buildings were brightly lit, the city does not slept.

Someone had rested...

But someone had worked...

We had returned to the motel very tired and happy.
Our first day in New York ended.