Day 21Everybody has told us go to "Top of the Rock" at the Rockefeller Centre (pictured below), and don't go to the Empire State building; it’s very crowded, you have to wait 3 hours, and it’s not as nice. If you have to go to the Empire State Building go late at night. So today we went to the Rockefeller Centre, which is only a couple of blocks up from our hotel on 50th Street and 5th Avenue. Admission is only twenty dollars, and we didn't have to wait. They also have a timed ticket system anyway, so you never have to face long lines.
The view of New York is sensational from the three tiers, and there are hardly anyone people up there to block the awesome views. From 850 feet up we could see all the famous landmarks; Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, and the best view of the Empire State building I guess its only when your up high that you realise how gigantic New York City really is, and its just not Manhattan, it's all the other boroughs - New Jersey, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.
It's a great experience, and we can confirm that the reports are true, and you really should go to the "Top of the Rock."
There is plenty to do in the Rockefeller Centre besides the observatory; food courts, NBC tours, Radio City tours, or shop at the NBC store. Louise bought a cap from her favorite television show, Will and Grace, for ten dollars. There’s also a subway conveniently located underneath past the food court, which we would need on the next leg of our journey.
Using the subway is pretty easy, as its all color coded. For example the Rockefeller centre is on the orange line, and we wanted to go south (towards Wall Street), so we choose the downtown platform. Firstly, walk up to the ticket machines, choose what type of Metro ticket you want, and pay by cash or credit card. We chose the unlimited rides for a period of seven days for twenty five dollars. Remember, it’s boiling hot down there underground so dress lightly, and I would imagine it would be horrific during peak hour, pressed up against other people. From what I’ve read workers arrive drenched in sweat to start their work day, and then face the same again on the way home. The subway is the quickest way to move anywhere in New York though: we hardly had to wait for a train, and we went from 50th Street to 34th Street in a few minutes, where we got off on route to Penn Station, an abbreviation of Pennsylvania Station.
Penn Station is the busiest transportation facility in the United States, making it by far the busiest railway station in the United States, moving 600,000 people a day. Therefore we thought it would be prudent to pick up the Washington train tickets we had purchased on the internet, and have a look around to get our bearings. Well, we picked up our tickets, and found the giant board, which shows which platforms the trains are leaving, but I’m sure finding them on the day will be fun. You won’t confuse Penn Station with Grand Central Station, as the beautiful old Penn Station was torn down in 1964. It now looks like a huge modern underground railway station. Just think of a huge Townhall or Wynyard station and you will get a fair idea.
We walked back one block to the famous, Macy’s department store, that is absolutely packed, all the time apparently. Our guides tell us New Yorkers wouldn’t be seen dead in Macy’s as it is a tourist rip off. Go to Century 21 or Canal Street they say. We can confirm Century 21 has designer clothing very cheap. The subway below Macy’s is the orange line, so we headed back to the Rockefeller Centre. Again, it was very quick to get back uptown.
At 8pm we attended The Brooks Atkinson Theatre at 256 West 47th Street at Broadway for the performance of Grease. The difference with American audiences is that they clap along, sing, yell, scream and really get into the performance. Louise likes this, as she is surrounded by like- minded people, as she feels the Sydney audiences are too reserved, and she is the odd one out. Not that I’m an expert, but they were very good, and Louise said it is the most enjoyable show she has ever been to. I must admit walking out of the theatre and onto Broadway is quite an experience. However, I think we need to ban Louise from further musicals. She gets to excited, and suggests crazy ideas like going up ‘The Top of the Rock’ again, and even catching the Staten Island Ferry, all whilst singing Grease Lightening all the way home.
Note to self; never let Louise have a ‘nanna nap’, and go to the theatre, because she can’t calm down for about ten hours.
Interestingly, Broadway Shows take in one and a half billion dollars a year in ticket sales!
