New York day 2: Empire State Building

I decided to hop onto a bus and head on down to the Empire State Building.

"Just got on bus and tried to use Metro card.  I thought I had three rides left but turns out you pay $5 for AirTrain at JFK airport so  only had $1 left on card.  Tried to pay a dollar but it only takes coins (like the phones!).  Driver told me to pay the coins I had which was only 66c!!  How nice!”

[Click on any of the photos for enlargements]


In the lobby of the ESB

It was a cloudy day and I was really worried that I would have limited visibility at the top of the ESB.  Note to self: I should have been more worried about being blown off the roof or hypothermia!  It was slightly cold and windy at the top.  I think the cold and grey kept most people away though as there weren’t many queues when I went to visit.  My CityPass enabled me to skip what few queues there were though.

I was absolutely shaking with cold so please excuse some of the blurry photos!

Looking West

Looking West you can see New Jersey in the distance beyond the Hudson River.  One Penn Plaza is the tall black building in the middle of the photo and Madison Square Garden is there peeking out on the bottom, left hand side of the building.


Close up of Macys and my very first glimpse of Times Square

Looking South

Looking South you can see the East River to the left, the Hudson River to the right and the Atlantic Ocean is in the far distance.  The land on the left is Brooklyn, Staten Island is straight ahead and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are the two little islands in the Hudson River.  Once upon a time, you would have been able to see the World Trade Centre to the right hand side of the downtown skyscrapers.

To the left, the building with the big, gold pyramid on top is the New York Life Building.  Moving back and to the right, the building with the smaller golden top is the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower.  The Flatiron Building is visible towards the right centre of the photo. 

Looking East

Gazing over the East River, you can see Queens to the left and Brooklyn to the right.  The tip of Three Park Avenue is just visible at the bottom of the photo.

I love this photo because it gives an idea of the giants, density and different styles in all of the New York’s buildings.  This is the view looking towards the North East.  The United Nations is the rectangle building on the right that seems to stand alone against the East River.  The Chrysler Building is there in the centre of the photo.

Looking North

Looking North you can see Central Park and the Bronx in the far distance.  I was staying near to the North Western corner of Central Park.  Almost back where we began, looking to the North West, you can see the Hudson River stretching off into the distance. 

It was a lot to take in on that first day going in to the centre of Manhattan but it is amazing now to look back and to see so many things that I recognise!!  It is silly but I am really longing to return to New York and soon!  Am I going to be one of those people that lands up visiting every year?

50 comments on "New York day 2: Empire State Building"
  1. Excellent work on the photography Emm!!! Two big thumbs up!!! Great shots!!!

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  2. Thanks for your comment on my site. I'll take it as a big compliment from you. Nice blog you have here :)

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  3. I love them pictures they give you an indication of the massiveness of NY and when I eventually make it there, I know I’m gonna get so lost.

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  4. Great photos! I loved the ESB when we visited in the summer of 2001. We made the kids go there instead of to the top of the World Trade Center, like they wanted to do. We told them they could do that someday with their kids....a mistake we've been reminded of often by them. But the ESB is a much more beautiful building, ihmo.

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  5. Excellent blog..congrats on blog of note! Check mine out:

    blake-sitstill.blogspot.com

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  6. Such beautiful pictures! New York reminds me of Seattle, except you have parking in Seattle.

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  7. Wow emm....you took some fantastic photos.

    I love the ones of NYC from the air!

    The buildings there are amazing if you have not been in a big city like that before!

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  8. COngrat on being named BLogger's Blog of Note Today. When you scroll down it looks like the ferris wheel is moving. So cool!

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  9. Hi emm,

    Please to read your blog..!! Good picture..
    you're really well traveller yah..
    keep it up...(n_n)

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  10. I love the pictures! I've never been to New York but I definitely want to go one day.

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  11. Wonderful photos! Congrats on being blog of note.

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  12. Nice pictures!
    (Got here through blog of note .. good work!)

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  13. CONGRATULATIONS, you are the "Blog of Note" at Google. Yesterday mi blog was the Blog of Note and today is yours. Enjoy your five minutes of glory.

    Google loves you!

    www.PICAYSABE.com

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  14. Nice pics and a great read. Congrats on the "blog of note."

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  15. I love NYC. Thanks for sharing these amazing pictures with us!

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  16. hmm...even now i am in the office, i still could imagine that i were at the top of the ESB. thank you for sharing so wonderful pictures, and congrats on the "blog of note."

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  17. Awesome blog, and congrats on being blog of note!
    I loved London when I was there, but there's nothing quite like NYC :P


    Check out my blog about a mixed kid!
    www.vidajuanpablo.blogspot.com

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  18. Oooh, how exciting! My first visit to New York (on my way to Africa) is this summer. Thanks for the preview!!!

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  19. I am luvving your site - wish that I had discovered the joys of blogging while I was still in my travel phase (read: when I still had the money to travel). If you're looking for your next destination (in queue behind your busy schedule of trips) you should come visit vast Canada - if ever there was a country that could use its profile raised, we're it (not to mention the fact that we're another child of the former British Empire -- the sun never sets upon it, etc, etc). If you're interested, and/or want any help with an itinerary or some must-see sights, just drop me a line: http://weeklywes.blogspot.com/

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  20. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  21. Hi, Emm -- Congrats on your Blog of Note mention! Welcome to the States, and I hope you have a great time in NY. I guess the Empire State Bldg. is just a bit taller than the London Eye, eh? Cheers!

    Jg.

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  22. Hey, congrats on the blog of note! Awesome post.

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  23. Nice pictures !

    I went up the Empire State and World Trade Center in 1986.

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  24. Wow.......we don't have any tall buildings like that round here.....not many buildings actually.

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  25. Great photos. I have just reviewed this blog on my website, hope it's ok.

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  26. Nice photos!! I've never been to New York. I really want to go there...

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  27. Found you on blog of not. Love the photos. I went to NYC for the first time this year and saw a lot of that from the ground. It was cool to see the same buildings and Central Park from up high. They look so much bigger!

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  28. Lovely pictures --New York has such a great skyline.

    And congrats on being a blog of note!

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  29. wow..really nice pictures.

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  30. Nice post, reminded me of my time there though it was long time ago.

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  31. I'm doing a bit of traveling myself, and I just started reading your blog. I'm from NYC and all your photos just made me a bit home sick...aww
    keep up the great work, and email me if you want some really good restaurants or any other good local suggestions...

    -Ross
    www.rossgoround.blogspot.com

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  32. I love the Empire State Building, seeing everything at obnce is so overwhelming.....yet someone calming. Like you can control where you see what you see, life

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  33. A very nice blog. You have a new subscriber! Congratulations on becoming BON.

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  34. Wow, awesome pictures! Taken from the top. Thanks for sharing this. Hope someday I'd be able to come and visit NY. :)

    http://laiza-piecesofme.blogspot.com/

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  35. What a beautiful blog! I love New York City and have wanted to live there ever since I was a little girl!

    I'm definitely following your blog, and I'd like it if you could please check out mine when you get the chance! Thanks!

    http://lacherieandme.blogspot.com

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  36. Congrats!
    Check out my blog!

    http://pjerspective.blogspot.com

    YOU WILL LOVE IT

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  37. Wonderful pictures! Amazing view of the city...

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  38. Having been to both New York City and London, I can say that they're both world-class cities with tons to offer. I hope you enjoy your visit to the States! Found you through Blog of Note - congratulations.

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  39. Amazing pics and an amazing city. I hope I can see it one day :)

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  40. Great photos of New York! http://tearinguphouses.blogspot.com/

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  41. Hey, amazing shots on here. New York new yooork.
    Check out my blog.

    www.keeblerisok.blogspot.com

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  42. Lovely pictures from the ESB. Stayed round the block from there last year with a view of it from the roof terrace. Going back this autumn to take some more pictures with a new camera, I hope! Nice blog.

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  43. Thanks for the Blog of Note congratulations! I'm slowly going around visiting people's blogs.

    @ Phoenix: thank you as always for the encouragement.

    @ Is: It's a pleasure - your site is really useful!

    @ Garry: You'd be surprised actually - the streets are so simply laid out and all of the blocks are the same size so it is really easy to get around. I didn't get lost once!

    @ Kathy: Oh wow, I can imagine your kids won't let you forget it!!

    @ Blake: Thank you! You were the first to tell me I was on Blogs of Note.

    @ Micci: Ha! Parking? NY? What's that? I am dying to go to Seattle. I want to see the Space Needle. Do you have a blog?

    @ DorothyL: Thanks - how was your trip to New York?

    @ JenX, Danai, Jennifer, Eva, Wanda, Banco, Maynard: Thank you very much for visiting and for the congratulations! I am off to visit all of your blogs now too.

    @ Chen Yin Tzu: Aah, good. That means my work here is done!

    @ Juan Pablo: I agree - it is taking me some time to remember that I still love London too as my whole heart seems to have been stolen by New York.

    @ Novella: I'm glad you liked it! Where are you going to in Africa?

    @ WK: I would love to visit Canada one day! It was on the list of places to move to one day until I realised that I simply cannot stand the cold.

    @ JGregg: You know what? I don't think I've ever been in a building that tall before!! We certainly don't have buildings that tall in the UK or South Africa. Woooo. I never realised! Oh, and I loved every single minute of my trip to the US and was very sad to get back home.

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  44. @ Pizza: Thank you. If you keep up the good work, I have no idea you will be there one day.

    @ blessingsgoddess: Aaah, you are fortunate then as I would certainly never be able to do that.

    @ The Villager: But you have York!!! I love it up there and I love all of the history!

    @ Louis Jerome: Thank you so much. That is so kind of you! And of course it is okay - consider it an honour!

    @ Meiko: Go to New York. I advise it with all my heart and soul. One day I want to go to Japan!

    @ Missy: Next time you go you'll have t go up the ESB or Rockerfeller Building! New York is awesome from height.

    @ Megan Coyle, Aisha: Thank you very much!

    @ Probal: Thank you! I cannot get the comments to work on your blog - have you recently changed your template to inline commenting? You may need to tweak your template if so.

    @ RossGoRound: :o) I'm back in London now but next time I go (and there will be a next time) I will certainly want tips!

    @ Marie: Tee hee, I could barely control holding my camera up there, it was so windy!

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  45. @ Jono: Why thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.

    @ Laiza: Thank you!

    @ Lashawn: I want to live there too. Maybe.

    @ PJ & Crazy...: Thank you!

    @ Katie: Thank you! I absolutely loved my visit to the States and would love to visit again one day. One day soon!

    @ MKL: Thank you. And yes, it is an amazing city!

    @ Kelly & Keebler: Thank you!

    @ Finchley Land Girl: Oh cool! Enjoy!!

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  46. Isn't the Empire State Building fabulous? It gives such a glimpse of the grandeur of the city.

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  47. @ Cowgirl: Yes, indeed. It was lovely up there and I love the architecture!

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  48. Nice write up Emm. The photoes are amazing, I love them.

    Thanks for visiting my blog at givemeexcellence.blogspot.com

    New York is awe inspiring, one of the tops on my "wish-to-visit" list including London and Tokyo. The travel tips are great too.

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  49. The buildings are amazing, I never saw anything like it.

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  50. @ Jareal: Thank you - I am glad you liked the post and found it helpful too!

    @ Juka: Isn't it lovely??

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