When You Come to New York City...

 ...Be sure to visit Lower Manhattan

From left to right: New Jersey, Manhattan and Brooklyn

I started blogging in 2009 and not surprisingly one of my posts in the first months of blogging was about Lower Manhattan. I looked over my blog archives and there have been several dozen (at least) posts about one of my favorite neighborhoods. I've never lived there, but have worked in the area in four different locations, at different times from 1980 to 2005. 

I've got a few favorite areas that I especially like to share with visitors and Lower Manhattan, with its great history and fabulous  views is definitely in the top three. I can't choose a favorite area, but I'm never disappointed when I do the "tour" of the area where New York City began, and it seems my visitors enjoy it, too. I did my latest tour yesterday with two friends who are visiting from France. 

Our tour began at City Hall, which was completed at the start of the nineteenth century. I didn't take pictures yesterday as there was lots of construction in the area in front which was not especially scenic. I did photograph the fountain in the park in front of City Hall, which not very imaginatively is "City Hall Park." It was quite rundown when I first worked in the area, but in the forty plus years since it's been nicely renovated. 

One World Trade Center

We continued down Broadway and our next stop was at the World Trade Center Memorial. We spoke about where we had been on September 11, 2001 and as always, it was a sad and reflective moment for me. I am grateful, though, that I can pass on the history of what I experienced working just a few blocks away on Broadway. 

 The Wall Street Bull and many, many visitors hoping for good fortune

As we continued walking south on Broadway we came to the Charging Bull, who is a symbol of financial optimism and prosperity. I worked a few blocks south of the Bull for five years and I don't remember the lines to get close to the Bull. My visiting friend had read that touching the bull's horns or private parts are good luck. I'm not sure how that myth evolved, but obviously many people are aware of it. The line curled around for at least half a block. We decided to just take a photograph and not wait in line. 

We'd worked up an appetite and proceeded to one of my favorite places for lunch in the area, Stone Street, which still has original cobblestones. It's lined with restaurants and there are outdoor tables. We took advantage of the good weather and enjoyed our lunch outside. Our restaurant was decorated for Halloween and I liked the spooky look. 

Our next stop was the Staten Island Ferry and per usual I couldn't resist a few more photographs of Lady Liberty. 

My French friends knew all about the Statue and the sculptor, Frederic Bartholdi, who came from the same area of France as they do. Our boat ride and seeing the Statue was the high point of our day.

We ended our day with coffee, a visit to Wall Street and a little shopping. Baseball caps and t-shirts will be returning to France with my friends.

1664 was the year New Amsterdam became New York

I hope you've enjoyed our visit to Lower Manhattan as much I did yesterday. My other two favorite areas? I'll be sharing them in the next few weeks. I know that this is a time of year when many people visit New York and I'm glad to offer suggestions about places to see.

I'll be back tomorrow with a feature that has long been on hiatus, Wedding Wednesday. I hope you'll join us for the festivities. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care.