12:00 Tue.

8 Aug, 2017

Top of The Rock

Intrepid Museum

Tags: Empire State Building, intrepid museum, Lady Liberty, Manhattan, New York, Statue of Liberty, Top of the Rock

New York , United States

21 °C

Partly Cloudy

12:00 am

7:52 pm

Third day started with a shopping in a giant electronic shop B&M where I bought 128GB SD card for my camera for less than half the price of the card in Slovenia. The store has an interesting concept. There are counters everywhere and you tell a guy what you want, he hen fetches the product and puts it on a conveyor belt that runs all over the store (multiple floors). You then proceed to play what you ordered and the items are already waiting for you.

After the store we went to visit a museum on the aircraft carrier from Second World War – Intrepid museum. It’s hard to imagine how huge the thing is, when you see it on TV or in a picture. Even the planes that seem so small are gigantic once you step beside them.

American WW2 aircraft that was capable of landing and taking of from aircraft cariers

We visited the captain’s bridge, overlooking land stripe, and despite the huge ship the interior is small and crowded. It’s hard to imagine how it was being in here during the war.

The museum not only has an aircraft carrier but a submarine also and it was possible to go visit it. If the ship felt tight and cramped the submarine was nothing but claustrophobic. More often than not you had to be crouched and had to watch for your head, legs basically everything.

This was the first submarine capable of carrying ballistic missiles.

Multiple sailors shared same bed (they worked in shifts so when one was sleeping the other one was working)

After the museum we took a boat around the Manhattan. We stopped at the Statue of Liberty again, this time really close and then continued under the Brooklyn Bridge up the river. Again it was interesting to see the city from the river and the guide had an interesting and funny way of convening information about the city. It felt like a movie.

Golf course in New York. I guess they don't have space for full course with holes and grass. — Golf course in New York. I guess they don’t have space for full course with holes and grass.

Toward the evening we visited Top of the Rock – one of the landmarks in Manhattan, quite tall skyscraper with famous Christmas tree (during December) in front of it. New York is such an iconic site, almost every part of it was in at least one movie, Top of the Rock was in Home Alone 2.

After not so quick ride with an elevator we were at the top, it was crowded with tourists but with some help of the elbows we managed to fight our way to the edge of the terrace. The views were breath-taking. You could see whole Manhattan, Brooklyn and New Jersey. Since we came in the evening the sky took nice shade of red.

My favourite photo from last year: Central Park, New York

New York

United States of America

Tags: Brooklyn bridge, JFK, Manhattan, New York, taxi, United States of America, USA, WTC

New York , United States

18 °C

Rain

5:58 am

12:00 am

Last year just after new’s years I was working hard on an article that was submitted to the IJCAI conference. The hard work paid off and the article was accepted, this meant only one thing: I was going to New York, USA. Moreover I was able to bring Veronika with me.

Early morning on July 1st we departed Ljubljana to catch a plane in Vienna. From Vienna we flew to Zürich, Switzerland where we had a short 2h layover. From Zürich we had a direct flight to New York, USA. The flight took about 8 hours and I have never felt sicker during the flight, luckily we landed just in time for me to get together. The customs were a breeze, nothing like what you would expect from TV, and we were in USA for the first time.

If you are as lucky as me, who cannot sleep on public transport, this is a godsend. With some luck they have quite new movies you haven't seen and the flight gets a little shorter. — If you are as lucky as me, who cannot sleep on public transport, this is a godsend. With some luck they have quite new movies you haven’t seen and the flight gets a little shorter.

Veronika and I landing on the plane to New York, USA.

We landed at JFK airport and took train to the financial district in the heart of Manhattan. It was surreal watching endless american suburbs with the city rising from behind.

Because of the time difference we arrived to our hotel in the afternoon. We were super lucky and got very large room with kitchen in 16th floor just 1 block from WTC.

Our hotel room just one block from WTC and Wall street. We were really lucky and got a larger than usual room in 16th floor.

We had a mini kitchen and large bathroom with shower in the room.

Despite being in 16th floor there was no much view. Well I guess this is great view for New York if you aren't millionaire. :) — Despite being in 16th floor there was no much view. Well I guess this is great view for New York if you aren’t millionaire. 🙂

We took a quick nap and then went to a tour around WTC and Brooklyn bridge. The tour was organised by free tours. Its a great concept, a local guide, usually a student, tours you around part of the city at the end you pay him a tip, there is no extra charge. They operate all over the world, we also went on some in Valencia and Stockholm.

As soon as we got out it started to rain. Luckily it didn’t last for long and we were able to start our tour. We first visited the WTC memorial. The site is really large. It’s hard to believe there were two enormous buildings there just few years ago, but all that is left now are two giant holes.

After we continued past Trinity church toward City Hall. It’s funny how these old buildings look small and out of place compared to the modern skyscrapers around them.

The Brooklin bridge is just beside the City Hall and connects Brooklin with Manhattan. It was build in late 19th century and is almost 2km long. It is one of the most famous New York’s landmarks, despite being late and raining it was full of tourists.

Brooklin bridge with Empire state building in the background. — Brooklyn bridge with Empire state building in the background.

After the tour it was already dark and late so Veronika and I walked toward our hotel. It was surreal walking through the streets, it felt like being in some of the old criminal movies.