New York City (Circle Line Ferry, Roosevelt Island, more of Manhattan)
Next up was the Circle Line Ferry tour - I had hoped we would get sailing *during* the golden hour but ended up a little later. Oh well - with the windy and choppy conditions, the photos aren't what I hoped for but this was one of those cases where the actual experience more than made up for it - highly recommended.
Hudson Yards:
About as close as we got to a Broadway show this time.
Fun fact - this opal glass clock is worth about $20,000,000
Won't be long before this view is blocked by about 1,600 feet of Chase headquarters.
Next up, Roosevelt Island - what a super cool place to get out of the 'concrete jungle' but not have to go too far. Plus the views from the tram alone are worth the price of admission.
Visitors' Center
Former smallpox hospital
Back on the island (Manhattan) and a quick stroll through Central Park.
Moving on
Again, if you see a historic/ornate house of worship, step inside for a bit.
A few quick shots before we leave...
Signing off from LaGuardia - which, by the way - I remember flying into LaGuardia in the early 90s and the terminals' distinct bile-green color scheme along with the stains left from fluids of unknown origins. I was absolutely shocked how clean and modern the airport is now - makes me look forward to my next visit
Great pics from the Roosevelt Island Tram and the island itself.
There are two really cool attractions on Roosevelt Island - the Cornell Tech campus, which is basically a campus of starchitect-designed structures, and the FDR Memorial, which is spectacular.
If people are wondering about the riverfront construction, they're building a promenade suspended over the East River from the United Nations to the Upper East Side. This will largely complete a full walkway/bikeway around Manhattan's waterfront perimeter (there's one more section in Upper Manhattan that also has a suspended promenade u/c).
^It's hard to pick a favorite place we checked out but Roosevelt Island and the tram ride to/from was soooo awesome. For the price of a Metrocard ride you get treated to those amazing views and taken to what felt like a best-kept secret spot (for now).
The boardwalk along the river wasn't 100% completed but almost - obviously didn't deter us. We weren't sure what all might be available as far as amenities but sure enough the campus cafe' was open and (more importantly to us) Grannie Annie's was open with a modest but decent selection of beers on tap. I definitely see Roosevelt Island getting to be a lot more popular in the near future.
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The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. (Bertrand Russell)