USA 1989: New York - The City that never sleeps...

"Yesterday is but today's memory, tomorrow is today's dream..." - Khalil Gibran

(The Statue of Liberty)

New York
(12 - 20 May 1989)

I was in New York for the 'Reserve Management Seminar' organised by J.P. Morgan. I was the only one nominated from Bank Negara Malaysia. The most junior and the youngest among the Central Bank's candidates from the South-East Asia region. For this trip, hubby accompanied me from the start.

We stayed in The JW Marriott Essex House Hotel, opened in 1931 and commonly known as the Essex House. It is a 44-story luxury hotel with Art Deco–style rooms and suites, located at Central Park South in Manhattan, across the street from the southern border of Central Park. For two weeks I had to commute by subway to J.P. Morgan building situated at Park Avenue.

In the 80s, the New York City subway was known as the most dangerous mass transit system in the world. The subway was notoriously covered in graffiti, with nearly every car vandalized. Getting around New York was quite easy yet scary because of the city's reputation for crime and disorder. Transportation tokens were used for both the subways and city buses. The newly released tokens, had the words “Archer Ave Extension 12-88” in lieu of the “Good for one fare”. To date I still have a few NYC tokens for souvenirs.

When we arrived in New York, there was enormous attention on the criminal trials of the Central Park jogger case where a Central Park jogger was badly beaten and raped. It was over the news and papers. We were briefed and advised not to roam alone and to be extra careful of our belongings.

(The elegant Essex House Hotel, New York)

(The New York Sports Club opening soon)

(Visiting the Metropolitan Museum)

(Taking a rest in between exhibition halls)

(The Battery Park Pier to Staten Island)

(Seafood Restaurants at the wharf)

(The weekend crowd at the Central Park)

(Boating at the Central Park Lake)

(A leisure evening walk in the park)

(A horse-carriage ride around the Central Park)

(The hustle and bustle of downtown New York)

(Doing my homework in the park)

(A glass of hot coffee in the park)

(Spending our care free days in New York)

(Watching the colorful weekend parades)

(American Eagle Statue at Battery Park)

(New York War Memorial)

New York is one of the world’s great metropolises, offering visitors everything from the ethnic flavours of Chinatown and Little Italy, to the galleries of SoHo, the cafes of Greenwich Village, the glitz of the Theater District, the shopping on Fifth Avenue and the affluence of Park Lane and the Upper West Side. New York City is made up of five boroughs and is laid out on a grid of avenues and streets.

(The twin towers of the World Trade Centre in the background)

(Roaming mode, from Battery Park to Bronx Zoo)

Most tourist sights are found on Manhattan Island, the city’s entertainment and business centre. The remaining four boroughs are primarily residential, the Bronx to the north, Queens to the east, Brooklyn to the southeast and Staten Island to the southwest. Each has wealthy and salubrious districts alongside working-class neighbourhoods demonstrating New York’s varied social mix.

(View point on the Empire State Building)

(A misty view of New York City)

New York’s location at the mouth of the Hudson River on the Atlantic Ocean is reflected in the city’s importance as a port, and as the point of disembarkation for millions of immigrants to the USA. Vibrating with the energy of over seven million inhabitants, New York is a constantly evolving, growing and changing organism. The sheer volume of things to do – theatre, ballet, opera, museums – is astonishing. During our two weeks stay we tried to cover most attractions.

(The Essex House Hotel, New York)

(Attending the Hudson River Cruise dinner)

(NY city sightseeing experience with dinner and live music)

You

(by jenawin)

'

ocean waves wash my soul

cleanse me of your smile

and the memory often

fingers entwined forever

in a hopeless wish

👈 1989: Los Angeles, USA

1987: Hong Kong 👉