Boat Trip Around Manhattan Island

Interesting facts about New York City gleaned from the Circle Lines River Tour around the island:

• New York City comprises five boroughs: Manhattan, Staten Island, Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens
• Manhattan is 13 miles long
• BMW helps us remember the three major bridges crossing the East River:  Brooklyn Bridge (read David McCullough's The Brooklyn Bridge for an interesting historical read of its construction), Manhattan Bridge and the Williamsburg Bridge) 
• Famous Intrepid ship which fought in WWII, Korean, and Vietnam wars plus used as a space recovery ship docked on the Hudson River.
• 8.5 million people live in the 5 boroughs
• 1.6 million live in Manhattan Island (70,000 people per square mile)
• The Freedom Tower is the colloquial name for the One World Trade Center Building; may be the tallest building in Manhattan
• Central Park is the most famous, visited and filmed park in the U.S.

A few photos below of our 2 1/2 hour boat ride:

Missionary Couples: Grimley's, Fuller's, Veech's, Roger's and Cook's -Ready to sail from Hudson River around Manhattan 

Largest clock in the world hidden behind a lonely sail boat in New Jersey

Striking Baroque church looms amidst skyscrapers

Ulysseys S. Grant buried here

United Nations building in background: Obama and Putin in town for World Summit

Looking skyward and eastward

Tallest building in Manhattan

Skyline from the Hudson River

Statue of Liberty- lovingly referred to as "The Lady" by New Yorkers

Famous Brooklyn Bridge

Famous Empire State Bldg (not the tallest any longer); brings back memories of Sleepless in Seattle

NY Life Insurance Company (gold leaf tower)

Formerly veteran inexpensive housing (not so inexpensive now)

Another view of Manhattan skyline

Aida Cruise Ship sails to Atlantic with ship full of tourists to gamble outside perimeter of city.