Tag 4: The Summit - One Vanderbilt

Tag 4: The Summit - One Vanderbilt

We start the day similarly and head to the metro around 9 AM. Our first destination is Grand Central Station. This terminal, built in 1913, is particularly notable for its grand main hall with a dark blue-green painted ceiling resembling a starry sky. We take advantage of our free time and also pay a visit to the New York Public Library. The famous library enchants me once again. In 2011, we used the free internet here to write our travel report to friends and family. Now the PCs are gone, but the wooden tables remain as they were back then.
We also see an original Gutenberg Bible from 1455, imported in 1847 by library builder James Lenox. It is one of 48 copies worldwide that still exist.
Just around the corner is the building 'One Vanderbilt', and we have tickets for 'the Summit' there. After a 15-minute wait with security check, we receive shoe covers, take individual photos, and enter the elevator, which takes us to the 91st floor at 335 meters in 55 seconds.
On two floors, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling mirrors and glass walls, we admire the city. The sun is shining, providing us with unique visuals. Luckily, we borrow sunglasses, making the sun's rays more bearable. We get a 360-degree view of the entire city from above. In the Balloon-Affinity room, there are many large silver balloons creating a great effect. We move through the various rooms, and in the last room, there are clouds with our faces on them.
Overall, we spend 2 hours here and are thrilled. The lights and many effects create amazing pictures.
Now we're hungry, and we find a Chinese restaurant near Rockefeller Center. Directly across is the FDNY Firezone, a learning center for children about fire education that includes a shop for New York firefighter clothing. My 3 firefighters each buy 2 T-shirts and a hat.
Now we stroll to Rockefeller Center and visit the FAQ Schwarz. The shop has reopened in Rockefeller Center. There’s also the Great Piano, which was played by Tom Hanks in the film 'Big' in 1988. The kids and René try to create a melody with their feet. René plays 'All My Ducklings' - for me, that seems unrealistic.
A short detour leads us to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the largest cathedral built in the neo-Gothic style in the United States.

Now we use the metro again to get to the western side of Manhattan. Near the Hudson River is 'The Vessel', a 46-meter tall sculpture. Close by is High Line Park. The High Line is a 2.6-kilometer-long former freight rail line elevated 7.5 meters above ground, transformed into a park from 2006 to 2023. We stroll along the path and gain insights into the Chelsea neighborhood. Here, modern and old residential buildings intersect. The High Line ends at Chelsea Market. This rustic market hall features many gastronomic and culinary offerings. We then cross the hall and take the metro back to the apartment. Around 5:30 PM, we reach our accommodation exhausted. Now we cook and relax.