Another Day in Manhattan (1)

Thanks to Deutsche Bank, I was back to NY for the second time this year. Again I got a whole Sunday in Manhattan so I just strayed about shooting some pictures using my Xpan II. The film is Kodak 400UC, and I'm pretty happy with its color and fineness. And the speed is also suitable for a small-aperture camera like Xpan in hand-held situations.

Manhattan in between Thanksgiving and Xmas is certainly filled with holiday atmosphere. Experts warns that the economy is heading south and because of high energy price people's disposable income has shrunk. But I simply don't see that in Manhattan. Shops, even the most luxurious ones, are crowded. And people I talked to are all excited about new toys, game consoles, vacation plans, electronics gadgets, and most talked-about, big-screen LCD TVs. They are also optimistic about future, as there seem to be plenty of job opportunities and the pay and bonus levels are rising, though rents and lots of things are also getting more expensive. Same as what I found later in Hong Kong and Singapore. Contrast that with what's happening in Taiwan, I cannot but feel somber about how bad the Taiwanese government is and worry how we could compete globally if we continue to lock ourselves inside the tiny island. But maybe things are not that bad and we can get out of the trough. I just hope I'll be prepared when that day comes..

Sunset in the sky above Mid-West


NY Palace Hotel, the Manhattan hotel I most often stayed


East 50th Street


God in St. Patrick


I went into St. Patrick for the Sunday morning Mass. I'm not a catholic nor a Christian. But I enjoy the holly ceremony and the identification with what people at the other end of the world do.

Outside the Cathedral


After Mass


Across the street. Lots of policemen are on the alert.


Rockefeller center


Many buildings are decorated to greet yuletide.


Church. I felt a bit pitiful that in the past I had paid very little attention to the details of buildings in Manhattan, but there are just plenty to observe.


The famous "Harry Winston" jewelery


Tiffany. It's in the morning. I can't have breakfast there, though. :-p


The Plaza under renovation. The billboard is to advertise the sale of individual hotel rooms as service apartment, which is getting prevalent nowadays.


Central Park wall


Winter sunshine


A tree in the Central Park


"The Pond"


Ducks and swan (waiting for food)


Lawn


Stairway and a street artist


Buggy horse. I felt lucky with this photo as the boy keeps moving and set off to work right after I shoot him.


Chiaroscuro


Ice rink in Rockefeller Center. Though weather was pretty warm (60s), people flocked into ice rinks here and in the central park to enjoy holiday.


Lunch time... my favorite~


Japanese Kitchen


Time Square


Broadway


Street snap


Season's greeting


Broken street


Central Station


Where are these people going? Philadelphia? Connecticut? Princeton? Mostly not for work, I'm pretty sure.


Clock of the empire


Platform


Engraving of a saying outside the Central Station. Pretty fine graving I reckon.


Steam from subway


Public Library


Bank of New York, which recently announced a mega merger with Mellon Bank..


to be continued...