Trams, subways & buses in New York

Taking the tram from Rooservelt Island to 2nd Avenue, 59th Street Manhattan... Tram ni di jalankan oleh seorang 'driver'. Kerja dia bawa tram tersebut pergi dan balik, tiap2 hari secara rutin. Macam senang kan? But not without risiko. Kalau kat Malaysia, kita panggil cable car - bergerak terapung-apung di udara. Tinggi!!! Dibawah? The East River.. Tahun lepas ada insiden di mana tram ni berhenti separuh jalan di udara dan penumpang terperangkap selama beberapa jam. Saiz nya agak besar seperti saiz mini bas. Yang bagus nya, sikit pun tak bergoyang walaupun terasa angin bertiup kencang. Harga tiket 2 dollar satu ride. Lepas naik tram, kami 'transfer' naik bas untuk ke 2nd Avenue, 42nd Street. Jalan kaki sikit ke 43rd Street di mana terdapat pejabat Malaysian Consulate dan pejabat Malaysian Permanent Mission ke United Nations. Jalan kaki sikit lagi, dan turun tangga melintasi jalan ke UN building. After visiting United Nations, we headed back to 42nd Street. Nak ikut jalan lain, kami tak 'arif dengan New York ni, lagi pun it was only me and the children. Thank goodness, they caught up fast in understanding the transportation system here. Kalau ikut kan this lady...memang la 'blur' memanjang.

We decided to walk along 42nd Street di mana terdapat nya Broadway & Times Square. From there we could also view Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building at a distance. Rasa nya, the Empire State Building used to be one of the tallest building, tapi sekarang ia nya menjadi 'dwarf' di kelilingi other 'giants'. Teringat pulak si gorilla yang memanjat bangunan tersebut dalam cerita King Kong! Grand Central Station, one of US National Landmarks is also located along 42nd Street. Ia nya adalah salah satu stesen keretapi penumpang jarak jauh yang terbesar di dunia pada satu ketika dahulu; dari segi jumlah platfom dan trek. Grand Central Station is also a rendezvous or meeting place for many as there are also a large number of shops and restaurants available. Senibina dan ukiran siling nya dikatakan satu heritage. Teringat pulak pada Stesen Keretapi Tanah Melayu yang terletak di tengah-tengah Bandaraya KL - juga sebuah warisan.

A map view of New York subway system...

United Nations Head Quarters, New York

The United Nations Head Quarters in New York is located from 1st Avenue to FDR Drive, 405 East 42nd to East 48th. Construction of the 39 floor 544 ft tall building took place between 1949 and 1951 and it was officially opened on January 9, 1951.The design for the United Nations complex was drawn by an international committee of architects, the United Nations Board of Design. The international style was chosen by the board members as it symbolized a new start after the second World War. The UN site is an international territory that has it's own fire dept, security force and postal service. Along 1st Avenue in front of the United Nations Headquarters is a display of flags from each member of the UN. It starts with Afghanistan at 48th street and ends with Zimbabwe at 42nd street. Flags are only flown whenever there are any council meetings for the day and unfortunately, that Saturday the flags were not flying...I guess it was a disappointment too for the other multinationals who patiently waited/queued with us at the front gate of the UN visitors' entrance. My son was wondering kenapa semua nya bercakap dalam bahasa sendiri bila nak masuk UN, termasuk lah kami anak beranak....terdengar French, Spanish, Japanese, Indian, Mandarin & bahasa lain yang tak faham...hmm, we were entering international territory, right? Lagi pun kita tak nak orang lain tahu apa yang kita cakap, biasa la kan kutuk mengutuk di negeri 'mat salleh' ni - oops...teringat pulak a passing remark made by someone upon seeing us hurriedly crossing the street down the stairs from E43rd ... " lari Malaysia lari..." I couldn't make out who he was - thought he might be from China or yang sewaktu dengan nya. While we were so conspicuous and easily recognised, others could just pass as another nationality. I have always said, out of frustration " Apa la UN ni buat? " or " Kofi Annan ni tak buat kerja kut...", oh yes, his tenure dah over people.. and the seat is taken by a Korean whose name slipped my mind. But still curiosity is there in us all. Tours inside the UN are all guided - kena bayar pula tu. 13 dollars for adult, 11.50(? not sure) for students and 7.50 for 14 and below. Buat duit juga UN ni! At last, the gates opened at 10am. As you enter the Plaza grounds you will see one of the UN's signature pieces of art, a gun with a knot in the barrel. The knotted gun, donated by Luxembourg ten years ago, this piece is called 'Non-Violence'.There are many more art pieces of international exhibits in the park beside UN Plaza which were worth looking at but we didn't want to miss the queue so we headed on to the security area. Security check was rigorous macam kat airport but I didn't mind as we don't have anything to hide. Our Tour Guide was a UN staff from Japan, we had to strain our ears hard because of her Japanese accent. She was a no nonsense lady but very informative in a wide range of information on both the history and day to day running of the UN. There were chuckles and laughter coming from other groups, but ours however, was more disciplined! She kept the 20-something of us together and quizzed us along the way. She even made me explain on the purpose of 'tepak sirih' and 'keris', the present from Malaysia to the UN. Very beautifully crafted gold pewter! United Nations is central to global efforts to solve problems that challenge humanity. Cooperating in this effort are more than 30 affiliated organizations, known together as the UN system. Day in and day out, the UN and its family of organizations work to promote respect for human rights, protect the environment, fight disease and reduce poverty. But all we hear are ONly UN's peace keeping efforts! Image of the infamous UN Security Council on the right. There is also the Trusteeship Council, the Economic & Social Council and the General Assembly where all the Heads of countries gathered. I hear there is going to be some UN activity soon in September.
One of the most popular tourist activities here in UN Plaza is sending mail and postcards with UN stamps, which can only be mailed from the United Nations.

If ever, or whenever one is in New York, don't miss out on United Nations. It's a must go see!

Consulate & Permanent mission to UN in New York

The Malaysian Embassy in US is located at Washington DC. Since US is so BIG, an extention of fungsi-fungsi kedutaan is run by Malaysian Consulates in New York and another in Los Angeles. The Consulate building in New York is at E43rd Street beside the Permanent Mission for Malaysia to the UN.

Since it was a Saturday, both the offices were closed.

Broadway & Times Square

I have often heard of Broadway & Times Square being mentioned among people who have visited New York or from people who are staying there; a cultural hub full of musical theatres, shows, cinemas, up-scale hotels and a display of animated digital neon lights television-like supersigns. It is also a haven for gifts & souveniers of Broadway and New York's. Broadway, as the name implies, is a wide avenue. One famous stretch is near Times Square, where Broadway crosses Seventh Avenue... It was a different scene then, almost 23 years back when I first set foot in New York. There were 12 of us, I think, and all curious to see the famous 42nd Street - New York's de facto Red Light District - inhabited by Call Girls & XXX shows! As can be seen in the films Taxi Driver and Midnight Cowboy, if I can still remember it well. Now Times Square has emerged as a family tourist center and in effect being 'Disneyfied'. I understand now there is no real "red-Light" district in New York City due to police crackdowns and the revitalization of these neighborhoods. Actually, most of the action is done on line now, with call girls advertising on line on forums such as craigslist.org... Times Square is the location of The New York Times, from which the Square gets its name. The Times Square area consists of the blocks between Sixth and Eighth Avenues from east to west, and West 40th and West 53rd Streets from south to north. Its size is smaller than Red Square in Moscow, the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, Champs-Elysées in Paris, Trafalgar Square in London, and Tiananmen Square in Beijing. But, Times Square has nonetheless achieved the status of an iconic world landmark and has become a symbol of its home city. Broadway, in this area, is second only to Tokyo for its lighted advertising, but first as the most recognized street filmed in the world. In case anyone wondering, the 'dummy' you see on the above left is Nicholas Cage. Whooppi Goldberg eagerly awaits visitors at the entrance of Madame Tussaud. Ticket to enter is 29 dollars. I think it's a bit too steep to see a bunch of wax faces! Don't you think so?

In front of Ripley's Believe It or Not!

Battery Park & Lady of Liberty

Kalau dah sampai New York, orang mesti tanya - tak pergi melawat Statue of Liberty? Bukan untuk mengagung2kan patung tu, hanya setakat memberi sedikit ilmu kepada anak2.. orang kata jauh pandangan, luas pengalaman ...tak gitu? And, we were just lucky to be there....now a bit on the Lady. Located on a 12 acre island, the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886, designated as a National Monument in 1924 and restored for her centennial on July 4, 1986. The first time I was there, we could only go up till her crown since she was under repairs. So, on Sunday we took the subway from Roosevelt Island to Bowling Green, - the nearest subway station to Battery Park. Of course not without a transfer. We had to walk a bit to a different transit station. Surprisingly, people are very friendly in New York and they speak with
good English too. The black guy who showed us the way must be from out of state or an international. Hubby has come back from KL. With him leading the way, I felt more assured of where we were going. Battery Park now is much smaller than it was 20-something years ago. Dulu lebih cantik, penuh dengan pokok-pokok dan bunga-bunga especially tulips. Sekarang ada beberapa bangunan di sekeliling menjadikan Battery Park lebih sempit. Several Lady of Liberty wannabes ( who are mostly men, from the looks of them ) were seen perched on their pedestals posing away for cameras, expecting at least a couple of dollars in exchange. They know when to start posing & they don't give away their still forms for free! The sculpture on the right above, was from World Trade Center which survived 9-11, put temporarily at Battery Park. The line to board the ferry to Liberty Island was already long when we reached there. A "Time Pass" reservation system has been implemented by the National Park Service for visitors who plan on entering the monument. The "Time Pass" enables you to visit the Museum Gallery and Pedestal Observation Levels only. There is no access beyond the top of the statue's pedestal now. The rest can only visit the island's grounds and take pictures from the bottom of the Lady's 'feet'. My advice is to get tickets early as they allow only a certain number of people to enter the statue on a first-come, first-served basis. "Time passes" are available at no cost from the ferry company with the purchase of a ferry ticket. An adult ferry ticket costs 11.50 and it includes a stop at Ellis Island. Best is to get tickets on-line at: http://www.statuereservations.com/ . I was fascinated by the old man playing the violin while we were in queue. Without asking where we were from, he started playing Negara Ku. Ok pulak tuu...we couldn't resist giving him a few 'bucks' in return. He continued playing all other national anthems, asking first the people in line their home country..Korea?, Colombia?, Italy? France? Huih..you name it, semua dia tahu! Respect betul pak cik tu..with just an old violin, a good musical ear, and an everlasting memory; dia boleh cari rezeki. Before boarding the ferry, like anywhere else here, visitors had to go through a security check. Ellis Island is part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. It was added to the National Park System and through extensive restoration, its main building opened as a National Museum of Immigration. The ferry stopped at Ellis Island on the way back from Liberty Island to Battery Park. Most passengers did not go down to visit the museum, maybe due to exhaustion...keletihan macam kami sekeluarga! Image of the museum taken from the ferry..

Ground Zero, World Trade Center

My youngest daughter nak sangat tengok the remains or what's left of the fallen World Trade Center, New York. My son was sceptical in going to the site in fear of any negative incidents that might happen. Especially when his mom & two sisters could be easily identified or labeled a mile away! I told him, we have done nothing wrong & NOT going to do anything wrong. I think 'Mat Salleh' yang duduk bawah kulit kacang tu akan lagi takut pada kita. So why should we be afraid? His sister was making her usual pouting face at him & showing signs of agreement..hhhmm...hhhmm.. He turned & walked faster avoiding any confrontations. Dari Battery Park kami tercari-cari signage ke Ground Zero. Agak ramai juga yang sehaluan dengan kami jadi masaalah untuk mencari tempat tu tak timbul. I got to know that approximately 3000 people including 350 rescue workers died in that intentional accident. New Yorkers resolved to rebuild the WTC and redevelopment is underway to transform Ground Zero into a thriving union of commerce. Five new towers are scheduled for completion by 2011 and 2012.
A view of Ground Zero from the window of the crossover linking Financial Center to the site. We were not allowed to stand very close to the window. There are other places to take pictures of the site but I think it was the highest from this spot.

Going around New York like we did, needs stamina & good shoes sebab there was a lot of walking, needs a good positive attitude sebab bukan kampung kita - kalau sesat, orang tua kata balik ke pangkal jalan, I say get yourself a map! - I hope my children learnt a lot from this trip.

Roosevelt Island and the Diplomat

Roosevelt Island,formerly known as Welfare Island between 1921 till 1973, and Blackwell's Island between 1686 till 1921 is a narrow island in the East River of New York City. In 1973, the island was renamed again in memorial to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It lies between the island of Manhattan to its west (on the left) and Queens to its east (on the right). Running from Manhattan's E46th to E85th Streets. It is about 2 miles(3km) long, and maximum width of 800feet. Picture on the left was taken in 1985. During the 1980s and 1990s, the island was developed as a residential community and currently it is filled with its own private amenities such as a fire station, a big car park in the middle of the island, schools, hospitals, shops, a subway station and a tram station(cable car). Walkway pavements around the island make walking easy and very relaxing while watching the amazingly beautiful skyline of Manhattan and Queens in the evenings. Cool breeze from the river would refresh any tired minds and bodies returning from the ever busy commercial and financial cities on both sides of the island. There are two long-term medical care facilities located at opposite ends of Roosevelt as if to validate the number of disabled and old people whom we saw on the island. Roosevelt had a population of 9,520 in 2000 according to the US Census. I guess by now the island would have a slight increase in its population. The lighthouse on the northern tip provides a spot for fishing and picnic-ing. Although Roosevelt Island is located directly under the Queensboro Bridge, it is not directly accessible from the bridge itself. The Roosevelt Island Tramway and the Roosevelt Island Subway Station at the southern tip provides access to Midtown Manhattan for most of Roosevelt's inhabitants. Located over 100 feet below ground level, the Roosevelt Island Subway Station is one of the deepest in New York City's subway system. The on-island shuttle bus popularly known as the Red Bus, provides service from apartment buildings to the subway and tramway for a fare of 25¢. Seniors and disabled are only charged 10¢. We can buy Metro-card at any subway or tramway stations. Kad ni boleh kita top-up & boleh di gunakan untuk tram(cable car), train & bus. One 10 dollar card (worth of 12dollars) allows 4 free transfers between the three means of transportation. One ride cost US2 per person & buses only accept the metro-card or coins. So make sure exact change kalau nak naik bus sebab they don't accept duit kertas. Kalau tidak ada yang kena tinggal kat bawah! If travelling in groups, plan your way first. Have a rendezvous place in case of anybody getting lost...but these days travelling is easy... semua ada cellphone, kan? Most of the residential buildings on Roosevelt Island are rental buildings. Many foreign diplomats live on Roosevelt Island because of its close proximity to United Nations Headquarters and Consulates on the East Side of Manhattan. Thank you to one who has shown us what great Sarawakian hospitality is like.

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