Going to New York was not part of our summer vacation this year.  However, I am very glad we changed our plans and included it in our itinerary at the last minute.  Marc and I certainly had a wonderful time walking all over Manhattan today.  Although neither of us are new to the city, visiting New York is always refreshing not to mention exciting.

We left San Francisco on July 2, 2012 at 4:05 pm and arrived in New Jersey's Newark Airport at 12:24 am.  By the time we checked in at the Springfield Suites by the Marriott chain of  hotels, it was already 1:45 am of July 3, 2012, and we actually didn't sleep until 3 am.  Since we were still operating on California time, it came as no surprise when we woke up late for the breakfast buffet offered by the hotel.

Anyway, we ultimately got dressed and ready for our day in New York.  We took the hotel shuttle to the airport, bought our $25 per person round trip ticket to Manhattan on the New Jersey Transit, and began exploring.

As soon as we arrived in Manhattan, we got out of Penn Station and went to the Uniqlo nearby.  Uniqlo happens to be one of my favorite Japanese stores and I was so glad to know that there were already three branches in Manhattan.  I was hoping to buy some blazers but none fit right when we arrived.  I didn't despair much since Uniqlo will be opening in San Francisco as well this fall.

We took the subway train to downtown with plans of visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  Tickets for these two places sold out though and we decided to take the Staten Island Ferry instead to get a glimpse of the famous Lady Liberty.  I have been to New York many times before, but I last saw the statue in 1994 on my very first trip to New York with Marc.  I wanted to see it again on this trip.

While in Battery Park, we saw a War Memorial dedicated to the American soldiers who perished at sea during the Second World War.  I suppose it had been there for ages but I couldn't recall seeing it the first time I went.

Besides this statue of an eagle, there were slabs of stone with the names of the fallen American soldiers engraved on them.  They reminded me of the American cemetery in France and the Philippines.

We took a ferry very similar to this one so we could get a close view of the Statue of Liberty.

On my very first visit to this monument in 1994, visitors could walk all the way up to the crown of the statue.  I did it.  Sad to say, it is no longer possible since the September 11, 2001 incident for security reasons.

Marc had asked me if I wanted to see a bit of Staten Island and I of course said yes.  We went for a quick stroll along the waterfront and we ended up at the Borough Hall with beautiful murals inside it.

Here were some of the beautiful murals inside the building:

Every time I watch the business news on TV, an image of this bull is always shown.  For years, I had wanted to see it and for some reason I never got round to actually finding it along Wall Street every time I visited New York.  Today, all that changed.

I wanted my picture taken next to the bull.  However, there was a very long line of people waiting to take their picture next to it as well.  Hence, I just took a picture and we went to the 9-11 Memorial next.

Neither of the Twin Towers have been replaced.  On the sites where the two buildings used to be are now two separate memorials similar to water fountains.  Right behind it is a tall skyscraper which is now nearing completion.  It will soon be another landmark in the New York City skyline.

Right in the financial district is a church called the Trinity Church.  I had seen it many times before and I had in fact included a picture of it in one of my NYC blog entries.  I had never gone inside though and since it was open today, we went in to take a peak.  This is how the altar inside looked.

Marc likewise several pictures inside.  I didn't include any other picture about the church though since they didn't come out fine.

It is said that this is where many people agree to meet when they have dates.

The last time I was in New York with Marc, we visited the then very new Time Warner Building on Columbus Circle.  I remember browsing inside the huge Border's Bookstore on the second floor.  Sadly, the space is closed and all boarded up.  Another H & M will be taking up its space soon.

There was a pair of interesting statues at the lobby of Time Warner.  A male and a female.  The male's private was so polished and shiny after so many people had touched it.

Just as there was art inside there was art outside too.

Every time Marc and I find ourselves in Manhattan we always come to this restaurant to have lunch or dinner.  The portions are big and the food delicious.   We do have a lot of Chinese restaurants in San Francisco, but, none of their waiters speak Spanish with a thick Cuban accent.  How's that for style?

At first I didn't believe Marc when he told me that these condo buildings were all named TRUMP.  I did see one or two with the TRUMP name.  I just didn't realize that all the buildings were indeed named after the multi-millionaire real estate mogul until we passed by each and every building by the river.