Saturday May 14, 2011

Dani, Katy, Jared and I decided to spend our first full free day exploring Manhattan between the streets of 34th and 52nd. So many interesting things to see exist in those 18 blocks (and we did not even explore in a straight line! We walked all over that area!).
The Subway tracks were undergoing construction, so we waited what seemed an eternity for the train we wanted to 34th Street. From what I’ve heard, there was once a miracle there. ;)
Our first stop was the first and oldest Macy’s store ever. It had eight floors, and each floor was HUGE! We stopped to look at a few items, but never kept in one place too long, for the prices were a little high for our liking.
After we left Macy’s, Jared and I grabbed lunch at an Italian place known as Sbarro. From there we walked in the direction of the Rockefeller Center and continually stopped at stores that caught our fancy. When we arrived at the Rockefeller Center, a rapid snapping of photos began as we all tried to capture the beauty of the plaza that was graced by flowers, fountains, and flags. At the Rockefeller Center, Jared and I explored the Lego shop (which was amazing!) and awed at the skill of the people who made the many Lego creations that were displayed. We then discovered the NBC place and found the bronze plaque where the famous Christmas tree is annually placed.
From there Dani, Katy, Jared, and I continued our trek and stopped to take pictures of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Approximately 20 minutes beforehand, we noticed a funeral procession leaving, and as we passed it the second time around, a wedding ceremony was beginning.
Our next choice of site to see was the United Nations Building. On our way, we passed Trump Tower (a building built by Donald Trump…I think...?) and a large sidewalk with strange, non-gender statues both sitting on benches and standing. After taking a few photographs and resting a bit, we continued on toward the UN Building. We thought about going in but decided against it, and began on yet another hunt, this time for the Chrysler Building. We walked through what we decided was the Irish part of New York, for it was littered with many, many Irish Pubs and flags.
However, while on the way, we all decided to stop for a quick restroom break and randomly chose what we thought was some type of shopping mall in hopes of a restroom. Unbeknownst to us, we had just entered Grand Central Station (the train station in the beginning of the DreamWorks movie Madagascar), which actually happened to be another sight on our list of things to see. The station was gorgeous! The high ceilings and the beautiful clock that sat in the middle of the main lobby area were wonderful to see.
As soon as we exited Grand Central Station and obtained our bearings, we noticed we were a very short distance from the Chrysler Building. We quickly headed in that direction and were able to fulfill Katy’s desire to see it. From there, we traveled in the direction of Times Square (42nd Street). Seeing as it was a Saturday, Times Square was overrun by a ton of people (mostly which were probably tourists) who walked slowly, took pictures, and constantly seemed lost. Even though we are still technically tourists, we (especially Jared and I) feel like we live here and have been here for a long time.
For supper, Katy and Dani headed to McDonald’s while Jared and I ate chicken kebobs from a street vendor. The chicken was absolutely delicious! After our quick supper, we hit up a few stores (and quickly left due to the prices) and then traveled back to our housing.
After a long yet successful day of sightseeing, we all looked forward to an evening of rest and relaxation.