Manhattan. This time I chose the water taxi to go around Manhattan from 44th street on the west side to 34th street on the east side.

After parking the car we pass Times Square

Water Taxi at West 44th street (Pier 84)

Empire State Building is dominating the view

NYC Waterfalls at Brooklyn waterfront

NYC Waterfalls at Brooklyn Bridge

Empire State Building from East River close to Manhattan Bridge

View to Empire State Building and Chrysler Building on East River

United Nations Building

Historic illuminated Pepsi advertising at east side of East River

After arriving at 34th Street we go to the Empire State Building which is not far away. We decide to get the high view from the 102nd floor

Amazing view to the Chrysler Building

The same view form the regular observation deck at 86th floor

We were there.

We drive again into the city and can park on the street between 45th and 46th Street on 6th Avenue.

First we get up the Rockefeller Center to the Top of the Rock.

Elevator Ride

We were here

View to George Washington Bridge. I live on the other side of the Hudson about 15 miles behind the bridge

View to the East River

Back down we go to the 5th Avenue to find out that the Christopher Street Day parade is on it's way.

Funny people

He does not seem to be sure whether he likes what he has to protect

They seem to like what they wear

After watching the parade we go down to Ground Zero and Battery Park where we have a break and an ice cream.

Then we go up again by subway towards Central Park. When we come out of the subway station we see that a nice cooling thunderstorm is going on.

Central Park views

Columbus Circle

We have dinner and then we go to watch a Broadway Show.

Waiting for the show to begin

On the way back to the car we pass Times Square at night.

We fly to from Newark to Toronto and from there we go by car to Niagara Falls

View to the city from Newark Airport

Arriving in Toronto

We were there

Sightseeing from every possible viewing angle.

We start in the morning with the Butterfly Conservatory

Next station Aero Car at Whirlpool

We watch the jet boat

Mom is prepared

The Falls from above

Right hand side is Canada, left hand side is USA. Both sides are connected via rainbow bridge

We survived but both of my parents got a little bit sick in the air

Next group starts their trip

We were there

View to the falls

The air is clear and one can see Toronto 40 miles away

Maid of the Mist Tour is next

View from the boat. On the left hand side the American Falls, further in the background the Horse Shoe Falls.

In the afternoon the rainbows develop

Next station is the Journey behind the falls. Very wet.

Skylon Tower in the dawn

We watch the illuminated falls

It is Tuesday. Usually not a day for fireworks. But this day is 1st of July, the Canadian Independence Day. So we get great fireworks over the falls.

We say goodby to Niagara Falls and return to Toronto.

Last visit to the Aero Car at the Whirlpool

Interesting floatsam

View to Toronto skyline

View to Lake Ontario

We are relaxed

Panorama view of Toronto

Then we go to the CN Tower. It was until the end of 2007 the tallest self supporting structure in the world with a total height of 1,815 ft (553 m). This title has been taken over by the Burj Dubai which is still under construction and will have a final height of 2,684 ft (808 meters).

Glass floor allows for a view straight 1122 ft (342 meters) down

The Sky Pod is 1465 ft (447 meters) high and embedded into the antenna shaft.

View down to the outlook level

Panorama view from the Sky Pod

View to the harbor

We do sightseeing in the city within the Bloor Street area

The Royal Ontario Museum sits in a building from the famous architect Daniel Liebeskind. It is similar to the Jewish Museum in Berlin.

The Bata Shoe Museum is also very interesting

Metal shoes made of silver

Astronaut boots

Eaton Center is a big shopping mall

We fly back in the afternoon Farewell Toronto

The other side of Lake Ontario. Rochester, NY

The pilot manages to make a more than two hours flight out of 350 miles distance. The flight path was so strange that I had to look it up in the internet. See all the jitter even at the straight sections. We made turnes almost continuously. See the flight path as recorded by www.flightaware.com.

This is what an expected flight path looks like (recorded a week later)

We have to relax a little bit. We go to the country side to see the regular America.

At Delaware River we watch for eagles ...

... and see at least some birds.

Outlook at Hawks Nest

In the evening we go to the East River to watch the fire boat parade ...

... and the 4th of July Indepence Day fireworks

Back to the city. This time we take the train.

We visit the M&M world at Times Square

Then we watch another great Broadway Show

In the afternoon we say farewell to the city.

We go to a mall, do some shopping and close the visit with lunch at Cheesecake Factory.