I’ve just realized that people are much less likely to care about one’s “business vacation” photos unless the individual himself appears in the pictures. Next time, I’ll either make sure my company is willing to operate these newfangled electric doodads, or I’ll hand my $600 camera to the random New Yorkers walking along Times Square. Those glamour shots are important.

Winamp visualization for the music I played during the train ride into New York.

Penn Station at night. They have no benches, why?? Outside the station: dark, loud, grimy, lots of homeless camping out.

Internet access — Yessss!

Hotel room — standard stuff.

Hotel room – standard stuff. Hmm, is that a PC I see on the desk?

The “Hardcore” icon on the desktop links to hotel-approved porn. For a price, that is.

I opted to use a machine I knew to be free of keyloggers. Better safe than sorry.

$4 water bottles, yay! Long on juice, short on the booze. Wait until my boss gets the bill for all the stuff I drank.

WTF!?

First afternoon. We went to ground zero. For a place with no building construction, it looks oddly busy. Maybe subway and infrastructure reconstruction.

The famous ramp.

Visitors are fenced out and corralled to two sides of the site. Informational posters ring the World Trade Center site.

Informational posters ring the World Trade Center site.

Informational posters ring the World Trade Center site.

Informational posters ring the World Trade Center site.

Informational posters ring the World Trade Center site.

Tributes to the victims of 9/11 are written on the walls surrounding the site.

Tributes to the victims of 9/11 are posted on the walls surrounding the site.

Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty ferry

Cops here drive Chevy Impalas…weird, since all the ones in PA drive Ford Crown Victorias. I guess they need small, zippy cars for that Manhattan traffic.

Day 2. Crappy New York City food

Cool solar panels lighting the dock of Liberty Island.

These were cool statues tucked away on Liberty Island.

These were cool statues tucked away on Liberty Island.

New Joisey…ugh

Leaving Liberty Island

Traffic

New York’s finest

Ellis Island

Staten Island Ferry

This was salvaged from the WTC ruins and now stands in Battery Park

Tributes to the victims lie at the foot of the WTC globe that now stands in Batty Park…

Tributes to the victims lie at the foot of the WTC globe that now stands in Batty Park…

Tributes to the victims lie at the foot of the WTC globe that now stands in Batty Park…

Check the price on this item at the Steak House. Only on Wall Street…

I ordered lamp chops, potatoes and sweet potatoes. The meal, for two of us, came to about $95 including tip.

This was our work destination each day. We *did* do some work in NYC, you know…

Yikes. And I thought West Chester’s $15 parking fine sucked…

There’s something famous here (TV studio?), but I couldn’t remember, so I snapped a picture anyway…

Chinatown

Chinatown

United Nations building. Sadly, it was closed to visitors when we went by.

Radio City Music Hall. Been thereā¦

We walked Central Park on day 3. It’s incredibly quiet and serene to be in a huge metropolitan area.

Jazz player in Central Park. Hey buddy: Better pack up before the sun sets.

After 20 minutes of trying to catch a cab in vain (rush hour), we braved the New York subway system. We survived.

Our hotel was near the New York Stock Exchange. Streets around the Exchange are closed to traffic, and the building is guarded by men carrying automatic weapons. One of them spied me pretty suspiciously when I reached for my camera.

Our hotel was near the New York Stock Exchange. Streets around the Exchange are closed to traffic, and the building is guarded by men carrying automatic weapons.

Day 4: Empire State Building.

Pictures from the top of the Empire State Building…

Pictures from the top of the Empire State Building…

Pictures from the top of the Empire State Building…

Pictures from the top of the Empire State Building…

Pictures from the top of the Empire State Building…

Pictures from the top of the Empire State Building…

Pictures from the top of the Empire State Building…

New York Public Library. I have no idea why I snapped a picture of it.

On our last night in New York, we ate at Roxy New York in Times Square. Nice place, lots of good food, sensible bill, best eating experience all week.

Roxy New York…

Too much food. Our leftovers.
A great conclusion and cool pictures!
Take care!