More Adventures in Manhattan

I am so proud of myself for achieving so much while in Manhattan. I made a goal, a rather long check list rather and I was able to mark off more than most of it. My initial intent was to simply walk around and sightsee rather than spend the money to go inside of buildings I wanted to get a feel for the atmosphere of the city. Atmosphere is sure what I felt, the temperature was freezing most of the time I was here. I was easily the happiest person walking around Manhattan, smile on my face every frozen step of the way. On Thursday Maya and I took the Staten Island Ferry tour, which everyone should do when they visit New York City. It’s easy, fast, and free. The ferry only takes about 30 minutes each way, you get on and it takes you right next to the Statue of Liberty. Once on Staten Island you just get off and back in line for the ferry going back. There were great views of Manhattans Financial district as well as Brooklyn.  After we got off the ferry Maya and I went separate ways, she had to finish some work back home and I was still feeling ok to walk more. This time I hit up Wall Street. I was able to see the New York Stock Exchange, The Trump Building, City Hall, Trinity Church, and Town Hall all before walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. I was getting pretty chilly and my sightseeing was going pretty quickly. Walking around the Brooklyn Bridge was peaceful to me, like I was walking through American History in a way that I have only felt abroad. While in Europe and Turkey I have had the opportunity to see things centuries old rather than just a couple hundred years. But there was something about the Bridge that hit me and made me realize that American history can seem sacred and priceless as well I guess I just didn’t see it before now. Regardless, I continued my chilly walk through Little Korean, Chinatown, and Little Italy, all very interesting and somewhat misleading areas before I decided to take a the subway back to Maya’s house.