The former page My travel to Japan is still available.
During the Spring Break 2005 I finally decided to have a first travel in the United States. I went to New York (the Big Apple) by bus, passing Harrisburg and Philadelphia.
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Mar 8 (Wed) | Arrival by Bus |
| Mar 9 (Thu) | First Museum | |
| Mar 10 (Fri) | Metropolitan Museum | |
| Mar 11 (Sat) | Statue of Liberty | |
| Mar 12 (Sun) | Another Rainy Day |
I had to stand up very early, just to get a local CATA-bus to the
Greyhound station. This morning it is open and comfortable warm. Somebody
is buying stuff on the vending machine. Maybe he had no time for breakfast
at home. Putting the luggage in the trunk of the bus and we start. I have
almost never seen these streets of State College and especially from this
perspective. The countryside is really beautiful. 
The bus goes first to Harrisburg, the official
capital of Pennsylvania. I took a few pictures, for example of the old
style train station, where also our bus stopped. I remember Prof. Liu Chun
told me that there are some trains on the east coast of the USA. Changing
into the next bus we head to Philadelphia. This one is a bit more
crowded.
Philadelphia I'd say is the modern capital of
Pennsylvania. Already while approaching one can see this city is a lot
bigger. 
We have a short view onto China-Town and I can take a good
pictureduring the break. It is similar colorful to the one in Yokohama,
Japan, -- that is China as I like it. 
I could even capture the
suspension bridge. And again we leave.
We are approaching New York, more and more sky scrapers occur. This time I don't need to hurry taking pictures - there will be 5 days to take photos. In between the camera is really good with upto 10x zoom and even very fast in adjusting focus. [sogoii!] Exiting the bus I have to find a subway to my hostel. Fortunately a NY-guy helped me to buy a one week subway ticket. $24 is a fair price for all you can ride. 8-)
Upon arrival at the hostel two disappointments -- the price increased from $20 in the reservation to $30 per night (for one person). I can't belive the story about 20% tax! And moreover at this price you cannot expect breakfast in 315 West 94th street.
Well I decide to use the evening to travel through the city and to get to know Miss Liberty. Unfortunately the ferry is not running tonight, but 10x zoom and enlightment around the statue permit me to take a view. Then I decide to walk up the Broadway - maybe I can arrive at China-Town. 
I found it with very colorful facades and good sounding restaurants - Chinese, Japanese, also a Korean and even a Thai restaurant. However I had already dinner for $5.75 Stroboli with mineral water and lime, not too sweet and without ice. I find a gift shop to buy two T-shirts of New York. Additionally I had a sweet rice-flour ball for desert, awesome!! I finished the first day with a travel back to my hostel. For tomorrow I have two options. Nice waether I should visit Miss Liberty a second time. Bad weather I'll visit Metropolitan Museum.
The day began quite sunny. I have breakfast at Starbucks for $9.75, quite
expensive. But I had NY-times for free and found an article about Maya
Beiser, a cello player whose performance I have a ticket for tonight.
however the sun disappears during lunch and even the hope to see Miss Liberty
in the last glimps of sun devasted. 
Well first I visit a Museum of Native Americans downtown.
Disappointing thing, they won't let me in with a knife - just a handsome one
for cutting bread, cheese, cake, … . Well, I deposited it around the
corner. Inside I take some photos, where many things look just grey and
brown earthen colors, but I found some really good pieces also.
Btw. photography is allowed in most of the museums.
After this I decide to visit the International Center of Photography, but
they are closed today, the last ten days, to install a new exhibition, maybe
they open tomorrow. 
Alright now, last chance the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Fortunately this one is open. 
I found a Japanese garden. Then they have plants appearing in Shakespeare's works and last but no least they even have a green house with many blowing plants almost all the year.
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After lunch (turkey sandwich with sweet mustard) I got them
all! Roughly two hours with a short aiming at each and with the fast camera
no problem. I only seems the camera has some difficulties with extreme zoom
and little light - sometimes it does not get focused - but take your time and
try repeatedly. One of the last sights is a gallery with bonsai,
those little accurately styled Japanese trees. I leave the garden at 3:59pm
and decide to have a look into the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Good choice, they
have at least half as much stuff as the Metropolitan Museum. Unfortunately
not enough time is left, but for $4 once I should go there a second time.
For dinner I stop at China Town and have sea food on rice with a spring
roll and something quite sweet and delicious. I do not want to go to the one
and only best ranked restaurant, but the average is really good!
Well I missed the subway station in China Town - ``straight on'' is not a sufficient explanation for finding it. Fortunately I meet another student who knows the streets better than me and so quite unexpectedly we find the station where I had never looked for, but where I should be. Unfortunately I missed the first 45min of Ms. Beiser. However it sounds really good. Illusions, phantasy and Iranian desert on TVs together with word associations and cello music as background. Experimental music in its unexpected kind, but very interesting.
Since for tomorrow bad weather is promised I'll go to the Metropolitan
Museum.
Even this day is quite sunny, but maybe uncertain weather. So
i keep going to the Metropolitan Museum today. Entrance fee is $10 for
students, but it is really worth. There is more than one exhibition, so it
is really 5 museums in one. I started with an exhibition about antique Geece
and Eqypt. There are real mummies and Sarcophargus. But I have taken them almost all.
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Next comes the longest picture gallery I have ever seen. Even longer than one picture album in the camera. They have various painters such as Monet, Renoir, ….
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The most fascinating part is about ancient China, which after a break I start refreshed. There are vessels, brochures, figures and even some hand made pictures in all sizes, each having an explanation. The 1GB comes to its limit so I have to select and cannot take all examples in the decoration part.
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There were even some figures and statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva. Most interesting a Terra Cotta statue of a rider. The exhibition of Terra Cotta Army is to be seen in China only.
Fourth and today's last is Japanese art. Some kimono and caskets
first, but the main part is ukiyo-ee oil paintings on wood. There one
can find the most famous ones as some of the hundred sights on Mt. Fuji (1830
by Hokusai). But also pictures from hundred poems by hundred poets.
Finally I could get some low budget introductory books to Chinese and
Japanese art. The third book is an introduction to the art of photography, wich
I should certainly read.
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After so much exausting museums I need a cultural difference,
so I decided to go to the movies tonight. After a short discussion the sales
woman can tell me where to find a movie theatre. Tonight's movie is
``Singin' in the rain'' - a typical American musical movie. It is also about
film making and stars on an behind the stage. Very interesting. Before the
movie I have to wait one hour, so it is enough time to write some post cards
to friends back in Germany and to my room mate.
The home trip is a bit
tricky, because the one subway line B is already out of order and not every
body seems to know. But finally I found home.
Today is a more relaxing day. I mainly want to go to
Liberty Island and take some photos.
First I have to buy a ticket,
$11.50 at Clinton's Castle in the Battery Park. Then rowing up for
the ferry. Fortunately the line is quite fast. Important point, you
may not bring any wapon, knives included. Leave it home! Well I lost
mine, because somebody found it before I could get it back. Secondly
if you want to climb the statue, you have to register in advance. However it is a really great feelinglooking upwards to freedom.
I had a pool position on the ferry and took lots
of photos also from Ellis Island, the historical immigration center.
I also walked round Liberty Island and found a bright view on the suspension bridge.
In the evening I had dinner in a Chinese Restaurant. Shang Hai Noodle with minced Pork. A German would say Späzzle mit Blutwurst, but it was good. Also I like the tea served for free in addition. It relaxes and opens the dinner. Bon apetite.
Tomorrow will be the last day in the Big Apple. I had lots of
sight seeing for the few days. It will take me a while to arrange all
the pictures, but once done I'll put some on a home page.
Today it is raining cats and dogs, so maybe a sign
to leave New
York. But before I leave I'll have a look into the International
Collection of Photography. Fortunately it is open today and they have
a student rebate $7.00. It starts with some washed out photo
negatives of African people. Laughing people, smiling people, bored
people and straight looking people. These photographer work in
Republic of South Africa in front of state's offices to provide people
with picturesbefore visiting an office. A next theme is signs of
civilization in nature. It turns out that some of the pictures are
even from Germany, where close to the wall a stripe had an untouched
nature only interrupted by few military buildings and their streets.
A last section also had pictures of prisons in Republic South
Africa.
Well, back through the rain to the bus terminal and
returning to Philadelphia, Harrisburg and finally 30 minutes late to
State College. Five days full of pictures, such as the one of
D. Webster in a park between trees and sky scrapers, or the
unexpectedly placed castle in its mid. Even in the subway you can find
musicians bringing joy from time to time.
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