New York, New York.
Though it wasn’t too far from our hotel to Times Square, we decided to take an Uber. After all, we would walk Broadway, Times Square, Fifth Avenue, and then over to Central Park before calling it a day.
When we were dropped off on Broadway, it was already 10:30, and the Times Square Plaza was crowded. I usually try to take photos of scenes without people, but for New York City, that just seems wrong. What is New York without people?
We walked from 42nd Street to 47th Street, taking in the sights. We thought we might see a Broadway show matinee, but one must jump at that chance well before Sunday morning to find acceptable seating or openings.
We had plenty of activities ahead of us without attending a Broadway play, though I must say I was a bit disappointed. That was soon forgotten, though, as we continued our exploration.
I must say, I wouldn’t have thought I might see a group of bicyclists. Of course, I wouldn’t know why that might have been an unusual thought.
The George M. Cohan statue is a prominent landmark in Duffy Square, a pedestrian plaza in Times Square. It honors the legendary American composer, playwright, actor, and producer. The statue is located between 45th and 47th Streets opposite Times Square.
Duffy Square is a pedestrian plaza located in the heart of Times Square, New York City. It’s bounded by Broadway, 7th Avenue, 45th and 47th Streets. The plaza is named after Father Francis P. Duffy, a Catholic priest who served as a chaplain in the United States Army during World War I.
Times Square is nothing without its lighted electronic billboards. This billboard, wrapped around the corner of a building, is probably the largest electronic billboard I’ve ever seen.
We detoured from Times Square to take a Sunday walk on Fifth Avenue. On our way, we passed the iconic Atlas statue at 30 Rock.
The Art Deco door at 30 Rock is a beautiful example of the architectural style that characterized the building’s construction in the 1930s. It’s a large, double-door entrance made of bronze and features intricate geometric patterns and decorative motifs.
As we turned onto Fifth Avenue, we saw the spires of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in the distance. Coming closer to the cathedral, we thought we might stop to look at the interior, but that did not happen. The service had concluded, and a special event was held outside the cathedral.
I previously told the story of Little Amal, the 12-foot (3.6 m) puppet representing a 10-year-old Syrian refugee. You can read about her story here. We didn’t get into the church but stayed safely across the Street from the crowd.
From across the Street, I tried a unique perspective shot that included the entire front facade of the church. Even with my cell phone at 2.2 mm, I couldn’t get the entire edifice in the frame without tilting the composition. My D500 with a 13 mm lens was even less helpful.
As we left Fifth Avenue, we turned toward Central Park. I’ll share more about that adventure in a future post. For those who like to pixel-peep, I’ve uploaded the entire gallery to my Flickr site in 2k HD here.
John Steiner
That church, dwarfed by the skyscrapers, is such an odd sight, but I expect there are plenty of oddities in NYC.
There are oddities, indeed! We need to explore the city some more on our next trip.
Doesn’t look much different than I remember.
It matches all of the photos and TV shots I’ve ever seen. Not a fan of the traffic here, though. 🙂
When moving out into traffic, just step on the gas and go.
… and if you need to park and there are no parking spaces, just double-park.
Hey – you got the hang of it!!
You’re right, it wouldn’t look like NYC without all the people! I love that door at 30 Rock – I remember being wowed by it when we visited and it’s great to see it again 🙂 And St Patrick’s is another favourite sight although as you say, hard to photograph in its entirety!
Though 30 Rock is impressive, I have to admit, it was less than I imagined. >grin<
It’s definitely possible to get discounted tickets (with half way decent seats) for some Broadway shows at TKTS locations for same day of purchase as long as you are flexible (meaning there is more than one option you are willing to see).
Next trip, we’ll not miss the opportunity!
The last time we were visiting relatives on Long Island, my husband wanted to see Times Square. We drove in, paid $30 to park the car, walked around and had lunch. I think that will do him! Your photos are great, especially that tilt on St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Thanks, Anne! As we were going on the cruise, we parked the car at a park-and-ride to the Newark Liberty Airport and used Uber to get us to our hotel and around Manhattan. We’ll do that again the next time we drive to New York City, even if we aren’t taking a cruise. Let a New Yorker do the driving, I say. >grin<
I agree. I’d never drive in NYC again. I’m too old. Driving a pickup and 31 ft. 5th wheel through parts of the city was enough to age me further! I have another cousin who lives further on Long Island. They take the train into Manhattan to see shows.
Spectacular photos and views! I felt like I was right there walking along.
Thanks, Egidio!
This was a highly interesting post John! Your photos were fascinating, and the church is beautiful.
Thanks. It is always fun to share photos of places I hadn’t seen before.
Egidio took the words right off my keyboard. I, too, enjoyed the vicarious visit. Good shots, John! ~Ed.
Thank you!
Thank you John fabulous pictures!
I want to go back!
Thanks for the great photos and I hope you had a fun time in the Big Apple
We did, but it wasn’t long enough. We need to go back for a longer stay.
It looks lovely now. Whenever I see it these days I remember walking through Times Square at night in the 80s, on my way to Penn Station. Those were true adventures. But I’m glad it is different and more colourful now.
Those colorful signs have always been a draw, but they are especially powerful now that they can be so large.
Great pictures John. I’m envious. Enjoy the rest of your trip 🙂
Thanks, Steve. We’re back home in North Dakota now, but will head south to Arizona after Christmas.