US Trip – 2024 Edition – Page 4

Traveling across the North-East of United States, focusing mainly on New York but also visiting neighboring states all the way down to Washington. D.C. We find some great food, music and sights in a week long trip.

Day 3 – March 4, 2024 – New York City

First day set a trend. We walked good 25 kilometers and today it wouldn’t be much different. We took a subway to Harlem, where we were to meet a lovely young lady who would give us a tour of the Columbia University and surrounding parts of Harlem. It was a great experience, starting at the old Library, right next to it is the last remaining Psychiatry Ward building. As you walk further, you see the staircase leading to the basement where Project Manhattan research took place.

A little fun fact: After the Statue Liberty, the Bellerophon Taming Pegasus is the second largest metal sculpture in New York City, standing 57 feet (17,3 meters) tall.

Columbia is also known as the birthplace of FM radio and laser. The University is also scattered by all kinds of sculptures. There’s the iconic Alma Mater, at the Philosophy Hall you’ve got The Thinker, or Life Force, sculpture by a former physicist David Bakalar overlooking the Amsterdam Avenue. Of course the wildest one looking sculpture is the Bellerophon Taming Pegasus. Created in 1967 and shipped 10 years later, it’s work of a Lithuanian sculptor Jacques Lipchitz. A little fun fact: After the Statue Liberty, the Pegasus is the second largest metal sculpture in New York City, standing 57 feet (17,3 meters) tall.

Of course Columbia University offers much more, but time is limited so we move on. Not very far though, because after walking down only two streets, you’re greeted by the world’s forth-largest church and the largest Anglican cathedral. More than one hundred years later and it’s still not finished. The Cathedral of St. John the Divine is huge and after walking inside, the atmosphere of the place hits you instantly. The practicing choir makes the experience even better. Throughout the city, you find all kinds of mementos to the 9/11 terrorist act. One of them is in the cathedral itself, a small sculpture by Meredith Bergmann.

After two hours of the incredible tour, we finished at the statue of Frederick Douglass on the north-west edge of Central Park. Although we (jokingly) considered getting a snack in form of Brussel Sprouts, we wanted some good lunch. It was provided by Cocina Mexicana, the Calaveras Corner. The local tacos were delicious, Pollo Rostizado was excellent choice and of course we tasted good Mexican beer Pacífico. This pilsner-style beer is brewed in the Pacific Ocean port city of Mazatlán.

New York is famous for its characteristically large thin pizza often sold in slices to go and of course we wanted to taste some. For a good one, we didn’t even have to walk far, just across the street. One of the famous brands is Mama’s Pizza and it wasn’t half bad.

Third night and third gig. We stayed in Harlem for this one, as it took place at the Red Rooster dinner. ACDS Life, aka “Those Guys” is a Funk, Jazz and R&B band based in New York City. It consists of four members but for a couple of songs they were joined by two more singers. The night was full of great R&B, Funk and Soul songs from Bill Withers, Luther Vandross, The Spinners and more. Red Rooster offers variety of cocktails so of course we had to taste some.