New York City Tour

I accompanied Ange on the Hop-on and Hop-off double decker bus tour of downtown Manhattan on her last day here. Since she was on a time constraint we couldn't really hop off the bus. But, I did learn some new things about the City despite being here for 3 years.


Top deck of our tour bus...


Nasdaq screen at Times Square - the world's largest and most expensive video screen on the Conde Nast Building cost $37 million. But why am I seeing some ad for Zantax diet pill instead of stock prices??? Hmm...


Needle threading a button, as we passed the Fashion District (formerly Garment District) - home to the warehouses and workshops of the fashion industry.


The Art Deco Empire State Building - the world's tallest building until 1972.
P.S. Best time to go is night time so you can see the lights of NYC. Go in the day time and you risk waiting in line for up till an hour or more (it is normal to see tourists queueing by the sidewalk) for just some really fast elevator ride and hazy/smog like view.


The famous MSG (no, not that "bee-cheng" monosodium glutamate for cooking), Madison Square Garden - home to NY's NBA team, the Knicks, NFL Rangers and the many concerts.


Fuller or Flatiron Building - built in the early 1900s, it is better known as the flatiron due to its unique shape like what else?! Grandma's iron. It has been featured in many movies like Spider Man, Armageddon, Hitch, to name the few.


9/11 Painted Memorial Tiles at the Village - more than 5,000 tile pieces hung on this vacant lot's fence as a rememberance to the victims of terrorist attacks. A very poignant moment.
P.S. We didn't stop at Ground Zero as the main spot is now cordoned off for rebuilding works. I was there 3 years ago and it was just an empty levelled surface. Maybe I'll be able to take better pictures once the rebuilding is completed.


Deutsche Bank Building - damaged beyond repair in the 9/11 attacks, the German bank has since relocated to Wall Street but demolition process to this building was halted when they found human remains and bone fragments in March this year. Hundreds of bone fragments were also found on the roof top. DNA tests hope to match the identity of the approximately 3,000 people killed that day. Good luck to the City Examiner's Office on this very noble endeavor to help victims' families find closure.


St. Paul's Chapel (built 1766) - despite being located directly opposite the former World Trade Center, this chapel remained structurally safe and became an instant dining and rest area for the hundreds of emergency services workers working 24 hours at Ground Zero. For 8 months, this Episcopal Church housed volunteer-relief efforts and has an interactive new exhibit entitled "Unwavering Spirit: Hope & Healing at Ground Zero". It is also the oldest public building in Manhattan still in continuous use; St. Paul ROCKS!


The United States Court House - break the law and you end up here, like Ms. Martha Stewart and "La Bella Mafia" Miss Lil' Kim.


The Gothic Woolworth Building c. 1913 - another NY skyscraper belonging to a man called Frank Woolworth who became a millionaire running five and dime stores (just like the 20 sen discount stores in Kuching) in the 1880s.


United Nations Building - considering all the troubles, wars & genocides happening in this world, it makes you wonder what those people are doing in there...I like to call it "NATO (No Action, Talk Only) Building" instead.


Trump Tower - office of real estate mogul Donald Trump or "The Donald" as he is fondly known here. Home of reality show, The Apprentice. Yep, this is the famous "You're fired" office.