Another truck covered in graffiti, passing through Astor Place.
On my way to the tram, passing by Bloomingdale's (1st and 3rd photos). It's sad to see discarded Christmas trees waiting for garbage pick-up (4th photo).
Finally at the tram, next to the Queensboro Bridge. There were so many pigeons here!
About to board the tram to Roosevelt Island. The awesome thing was that the 7 day unlimited subway pass could also be used with the tram so it was basically "free" for me to ride!
Some views along the tram ride, offering plenty of views of the Queensboro Bridge up close, as well as Manhattan and Roosevelt Island (last photo). I've done some heavy editing to the photos because it was really cloudy and the photos looked really dreary.
There isn't much of anything to see on Roosevelt Island really, it's mainly a residential area, so after snapping a few more photos of the Queensboro Bridge and watching the tram depart, I hopped on the next tram out.
About to board the next tram out. I was one of the first on so I got a much better seat this time for taking photos.
Some views on the return trip, including a look out over the East River (1st photo). I really like the 6th photo looking down 2nd Ave.; if you look carefully, you can spot cars parked on the roof of an apartment building on the right side of the photo!
Pigeons really liked hanging around the tram station for some reason.
One last look at the tram station.
On the way back to the subway, I passed by a Mexican food cart (the first I'd seen in NYC), so I picked up a tamale as a little snack, my very first time trying one! I quickly figured out you don't eat the corn husk on the outside hahaha.
A performer jamming in front of a colourful wall mural inside the NYC subway - can it get more New York than this?
Next stop: a visit to Harlem! As soon I stepped out onto the streets, I knew right away I was in a completely different neighbourhood of Manhattan - the buildings alone gave off a completely different atmosphere. With a big DSLR camera hanging around my neck, I could sense a lot of people looking at me as I walked down the streets hahaha. My main goal was to see the Apollo Theater, but then I accidentally stumbled upon a White Castle along the way, so it turned out to be the perfect time to stop for lunch!
My first time trying the famous White Castle sliders (of course, made famous by the first "Harold & Kumar" movie)! I got 4 sliders with cheese and 4 "White Castles" (the regular slider). It looks like I ordered a lot, but it's actually not much since they are sliders (think miniature burgers). It was actually pretty good fast food, I could see why so many people in the region like it (they won't franchise outside northeast US).
More views of Harlem after I finished my lunch. I think the 2nd photo really emphasizes what I meant about the area having a different feeling than the rest of Manhattan.
I hopped back onto the subway to head downtown, in search of the New York Times building. I had forgotten I had already seen it earlier during my first few days (while exploring the Times Square area), and was now incorrectly picturing it as the Daily News Building (which I had also already seen when I went to see the UN), which served as the model for the "Daily Planet" building in the Superman series (hahaha, yes, I'm a Superman fan). I was naively expecting to see a building with some big globe on the roof like in Superman haha (the globe is actually inside the lobby of the Daily News Building). Combine all this along with misinterpreting the NY Times building location on Google Maps (and I think Google Maps displayed the position wrong when I had searched for it), and somehow I ended up spending the rest of the afternoon on a lacklustre walk through the mainly residential area along 10th Ave. I think it's safe to assume I was only tourist here the entire time hahaha.
A close-up of the top of the Empire State Building.
Passing by Madison Square Garden again...another huge ad!
Some views as I walked west to 10th Ave., including passing by the James Farley Post Office (2nd photo; the main USPS office in NYC), another giant GTA ad (3rd photo), and St. Michael's Catholic Church (4th and 5th photos).
Now on 10th Ave., outside West Side Storage Yard Complex, where they stored the subway trains, an interesting and unexpected find! I was actually now beside the building which I had thought was the NY Times/Daily News building according to NY - turns out looking at Google Maps now, it was the building for the Associated Press and New York & Co. hahaha.
An interestingly designed road barrier I passed, now making my way down south on 10th Ave.
Cool, I didn't know I was so close to the Lincoln Tunnel!
Getting into the residential area now. I guess when you're tight on space, you come up with ways to make use of what's available, like building the playground on top of the school!
Some locals working out.
Some views along 10th Ave. as I inadvertently entered Chelsea! Like I said, it was a pretty lacklustre walk - there were so few people on the streets (maybe it was the dreary weather?)! There were some very interestingly designed buildings alone the way, so at least every so often I had something to look at. And believe it or not, the Lukoil gas station was the only gas station I saw the entire time while in NYC (4th photo); of course there's probably a bunch of them outside of the touristy areas.
I passed by Empire Diner while walking along 10th Ave. - it's the type of diner I picture when I think urban city diner! And there's also a diner in GTA IV that is based heavily on this diner hahaha (which is what it reminded me of)! I didn't go in since I'd already eaten not too long ago, and I'll probably never get a chance to - I just found out its closing forever this May 15th.
Some more views as I continued through Chelsea - another crazy parking garage (reminds me of a matchbox for cars haha)!
Cool, Chelsea Market!
Morimoto - (Iron Chef) Masaharu Morimoto's restaurant in NYC! If only I had the money to step foot inside hahaha.
Outside Chelsea Market, finally off 10th Ave. I really regret not having at least taken a glimpse inside, considering how much I love food and the Food Network (where the network is based and does a lot of their filming).
Some views along W 15th St. as I headed towards the nearest subway station...it was time to give my feet a much needed brief break hahaha.
Inside the 14th St. subway station, I noticed these very interesting bronze sculptures - they're quite humourous, and I never expected to see anything like this!
About to exit a subway station.
Back at Rockefeller Plaza, now able to take some photos I didn't have a chance to previously take due to the huge crowds (now all gone). My real intention was to try skating in the plaza's famous ice rink, but I guess it wasn't meant to be: it was surprisingly quite expensive to rent skates and be allowed to get onto the ice (well to be honest, I really shouldn't have been surprised), and I got there just a few minutes before they were about go on a 30 minute break (I assume to flood the ice).
So instead of skating, I actually went inside the NBC Experience Store this time, taking a look at all the products they had to offer. I was debating whether to buy a "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" coffee mug, and ultimately decided against it; I should have got one...hindsight is always 20/20 ain't it?! They had some pretty funny stuff there, especially "The Office" products.
I passed by the Magnolia Bakery while heading back to the subway. I know nothing about this bakery, and I didn't bother popping in to take a look (since there was a huge line of people inside), but whatever they make must be really good because it was always packed whenever I passed by (including the times I passed it during previous days). Judging from what I could see through the windows though, I'm guessing probably cupcakes?
I decided to go for soup again at the Soupman back in Astor Place; what can I say, his soup is good! I went for the chicken noodle soup this time since it was on special sale, and once again, I came away very satisfied. The only flaw I could find was that the noodles were a bit overcooked - but that's probably because the soup was kept heated for so long (and thus not enough turnover).
Then back to the hostel to get ready for a Friday night out...
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