tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88706761850484343922024-03-13T22:23:17.195-07:00Boon US Trip (Jun 2015)Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-89146586499439563372015-10-25T01:05:00.002-07:002015-10-25T01:05:50.902-07:00Introduction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-onWdaJaS5gQ/ViyNQ63wWOI/AAAAAAAALNg/UmRRfjsG9Xs/s1600/Day%2B14%2B-%2BNYC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-onWdaJaS5gQ/ViyNQ63wWOI/AAAAAAAALNg/UmRRfjsG9Xs/s640/Day%2B14%2B-%2BNYC.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My long awaited US Trip with my family. =)</div>
<br />Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-47198090067896908342015-08-15T06:18:00.005-07:002015-08-30T03:39:11.570-07:00Day 1 - San Francisco<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CFxQY0nsRv0/Vc8-S9zjNsI/AAAAAAAAKwA/Sv2Sro0YWhw/s1600/IMG_2516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CFxQY0nsRv0/Vc8-S9zjNsI/AAAAAAAAKwA/Sv2Sro0YWhw/s640/IMG_2516.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Tze Shan Monastery</div>
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<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsz_Shan_Monastery" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsz_Shan_Monastery</a></div>
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I was so excited to see the Statue from the flight (SIN-SFO, transiting in HKG).</div>
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The previous night, a good friend sent me a photo of Goddess of Mercy (on the left) at Tsz Shan Monastery (the construction cost of almost S$400m funded solely by the Richest Man in Asia - Li Kashing). And the following day, I managed to see the Statue (in the photo on the right) when the plane was descending into Hong Kong airport.</div>
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It was very coincidental. Otherwise, I won't have recognized the Statue.</div>
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What a pleasant surprise!! :))</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wzi6CiK7fNA/Vc8-fTfVXhI/AAAAAAAAKwQ/juZeFv84LLc/s1600/IMG_2520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wzi6CiK7fNA/Vc8-fTfVXhI/AAAAAAAAKwQ/juZeFv84LLc/s400/IMG_2520.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Watch Godzilla on the flight to SFO.</div>
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And yes, that's Golden Gate Bridge at the verge of been destroyed. Somehow, Gold Gate Bridge is so iconic that it needs to be destroyed in many films that has the "end-of-the-world" story-line.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bsURSZihTKE/Vc8-fT-EdZI/AAAAAAAAKwU/oQU0Fxjvp-s/s1600/IMG_2525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bsURSZihTKE/Vc8-fT-EdZI/AAAAAAAAKwU/oQU0Fxjvp-s/s400/IMG_2525.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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View of SF from the Hilton Hotel. =)</div>
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Hilton Hotel & the iconic Transamerica Pyramid</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9thZHpWlTgA/Vc8-g7-BsnI/AAAAAAAAKw0/kYq8uTcdJek/s1600/IMG_2546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9thZHpWlTgA/Vc8-g7-BsnI/AAAAAAAAKw0/kYq8uTcdJek/s640/IMG_2546.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Street of San Francisco</div>
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It has been 11 years since I left San Francisco Bay Area. Once a while, I would think about the best year of my life in SF Bay Area, and at times, it kinda felt like a dream (a really good one). =)</div>
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Just coming back to SF, I am already very happy. </div>
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So many fond memories of this place. =)</div>
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There is no lack of interesting people in SF. </div>
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Love it!!</div>
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Chinatown and the iconic Tram.</div>
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Shit! I still have not taken the Tram before, a good reason to go back to SF!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5nQ0gxRJmnE/Vc8-M7sOTHI/AAAAAAAAKv4/xMvIASNomnw/s1600/DSC_0166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5nQ0gxRJmnE/Vc8-M7sOTHI/AAAAAAAAKv4/xMvIASNomnw/s640/DSC_0166.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Land's End San Francisco</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_oeE5fQLA_Y/Vc8-UjWqAFI/AAAAAAAAKwI/S3zTnMFKzKE/s1600/DSC_0173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_oeE5fQLA_Y/Vc8-UjWqAFI/AAAAAAAAKwI/S3zTnMFKzKE/s640/DSC_0173.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Golden Gate Bridge.</div>
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It's a foggy day in Summer, so typical of SF. =)</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;">It is a wonderful experience to be traveling with the most important people in my life.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;">Thanks to our cousin Tricia for being such a great host.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;">Grateful that we are so fortunate that we could travel together. =)</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cTYgzaSbB-M/Vc8-fO1yWbI/AAAAAAAAKwY/kVKfJVmwbeo/s1600/DSC_0169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cTYgzaSbB-M/Vc8-fO1yWbI/AAAAAAAAKwY/kVKfJVmwbeo/s640/DSC_0169.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Mama, Felice & Keena.</div>
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=)</div>
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Uber is our best friend!!!</div>
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We did not rent a car in SF, and so the best way to get around is using Uber. </div>
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I gave the wrong location to the Uber Driver (as shown above). I was still learning how to use it back then. </div>
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1.5 years old Gwendolyn.</div>
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Looking happy and this is her first trip overseas.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">2009: Perth, Western Australia </span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">2015: San Francisco, California</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">6 years apart, look how much you have grown up.</span><span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"> </span><i class="_4-k1 img sp_fM-mz8spZ1b sx_5371b4" style="background-image: url(https://fbstatic-a.akamaihd.net/rsrc.php/v2/yx/r/pimRBh7B6ER.png); background-position: 0px -340px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: auto; display: inline-block; height: 16px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; vertical-align: -3px; width: 16px;"><u style="display: inline !important; left: -999999px; position: absolute;">smile emoti\</u></i></div>
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Always love you!!! Hope I have been a good uncle.</div>
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The background is uncannily similar.</div>
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<br />Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-43710026133439906602015-08-15T06:18:00.003-07:002015-08-31T06:42:49.552-07:00Day 2 - San Francisco<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5GbYCoAzOKg/VdCOi8bunDI/AAAAAAAAKx0/0Fr068_LWEQ/s1600/DSC_0195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5GbYCoAzOKg/VdCOi8bunDI/AAAAAAAAKx0/0Fr068_LWEQ/s400/DSC_0195.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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A very nice surprise.</div>
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Breakfast delivered by my cousin Tricia. </div>
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=)</div>
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Good morning SF!!!</div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transamerica_Pyramid">Transamerica Pyramid</a></div>
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">The </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Transamerica Pyramid</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> is the tallest </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyscraper" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Skyscraper">skyscraper</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> in the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="San Francisco">San Francisco</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Skyline">skyline</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">. The building no longer houses the</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headquarters" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Headquarters">headquarters</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> of the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transamerica_Corporation" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Transamerica Corporation">Transamerica Corporation</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, who moved their U.S. headquarters to </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Baltimore">Baltimore</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Maryland">Maryland</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, but it is still associated with the company and is depicted in the company's logo. Designed by architect </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Pereira" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="William Pereira">William Pereira</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> and built by Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company, at 853 ft (260 m), on completion in 1972 it was the eighth </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_the_world" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of tallest buildings in the world">tallest building in the world</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">."</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nR7J867wxes/VdCO5bQ78GI/AAAAAAAAKyY/d3aSF84tYTE/s1600/DSC_0207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nR7J867wxes/VdCO5bQ78GI/AAAAAAAAKyY/d3aSF84tYTE/s400/DSC_0207.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>
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Love the metallic staircase...</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gvoJ5Hr-mbo/VdCO3_dbLbI/AAAAAAAAKyI/R7JsRgmMmRA/s1600/DSC_0204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gvoJ5Hr-mbo/VdCO3_dbLbI/AAAAAAAAKyI/R7JsRgmMmRA/s640/DSC_0204.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_flag_(LGBT_movement)">Rainbow Flag</a></div>
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(Created in San Francisco)</div>
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">The</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">rainbow flag</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, commonly the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">gay pride flag</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">LGBT pride flag</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, is a symbol of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesbian" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Lesbian">lesbian</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Gay">gay</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisexual" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Bisexual">bisexual</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, and</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transgender" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Transgender">transgender</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">(</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="LGBT">LGBT</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">) pride and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_social_movements" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="LGBT social movements">LGBT social movements</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">. (Other uses of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_flag" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Rainbow flag">rainbow flags</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">include</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_flag#Rainbow_flag" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Peace flag">a symbol of peace</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">.) The colors reflect the diversity of the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_community" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="LGBT community">LGBT community</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, and the flag is often used as a symbol of gay pride in LGBT rights marches. It originated in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Northern California">Northern California</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, but is now used worldwide.</span></div>
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Designed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="San Francisco">San Francisco</a> artist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Baker_(artist)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Gilbert Baker (artist)">Gilbert Baker</a> in 1978, the design has undergone several revisions to first remove then re-add colors due to widely available fabrics.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Rainbow_1-0" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_flag_(LGBT_movement)#cite_note-Rainbow-1" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_flag_(LGBT_movement)#cite_note-2" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup> As of 2008, the most common variant consists of six stripes, with the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. The flag is commonly flown horizontally, with the red stripe on top, as it would be in a natural <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Rainbow">rainbow</a>."</div>
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Always love the liberal and diversity of San Francisco.</div>
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=)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pkqNi9cyylY/VdCO4U4hUGI/AAAAAAAAKyM/LtQdjchu0ws/s1600/DSC_0222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pkqNi9cyylY/VdCO4U4hUGI/AAAAAAAAKyM/LtQdjchu0ws/s400/DSC_0222.JPG" width="313" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Bridge">Golden Gate Bridge</a></div>
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">The</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Golden Gate Bridge</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">is a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_bridge" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Suspension bridge">suspension bridge</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">spanning the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Golden Gate">Golden Gate</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">strait, the mile-wide, three-mile-long channel between</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Bay" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="San Francisco Bay">San Francisco Bay</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">and the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ocean" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Pacific Ocean">Pacific Ocean</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">. The structure links the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="United States">U.S.</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">city of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="San Francisco">San Francisco</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, on the northern tip of the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Peninsula" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="San Francisco Peninsula">San Francisco Peninsula</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, to</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marin_County,_California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Marin County, California">Marin County</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, bridging both</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_101_in_California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="U.S. Route 101 in California">U.S. Route 101</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="California State Route 1">California State Route 1</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">across the strait. The bridge is one of the most internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco,</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="California">California</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, and the United States. It has been declared one of the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonders_of_the_Modern_World" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Wonders of the Modern World">Wonders of the Modern World</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">by the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Society_of_Civil_Engineers" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="American Society of Civil Engineers">American Society of Civil Engineers</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Bridge#cite_note-7" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup></div>
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The <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frommers" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Frommers">Frommers</a> travel guide considers the Golden Gate Bridge "possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed, bridge in the world".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_Bridge#cite_note-8" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[8]</a></sup> It opened in 1937 and was, until 1964, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_longest_suspension_bridge_spans" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of longest suspension bridge spans">longest suspension bridge main span</a> in the world, at 4,200 feet (1,300 m)."</div>
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Feeling quite emotional when the bus was driving on the bridge. </div>
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I remembered the first time crossing the bridge - my friends and I were so excited that we were shouting and cheering in the car. Those were the days when I could get excited easily. It's good to be young. =)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KU13w22xPn4/VdCPCGoG64I/AAAAAAAAKyg/ZE8a77ufVl8/s1600/DSC_0224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KU13w22xPn4/VdCPCGoG64I/AAAAAAAAKyg/ZE8a77ufVl8/s640/DSC_0224.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The iconic Golden Gate Bridge.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iEhu637G-5I/VdCPB7NF5UI/AAAAAAAAKyo/qTLk-JPPegA/s1600/DSC_0245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iEhu637G-5I/VdCPB7NF5UI/AAAAAAAAKyo/qTLk-JPPegA/s640/DSC_0245.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I walk.... AIDS Walk....</div>
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I have been volunteering with a HIV/AIDS volunteer group for the past 5 years.</div>
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Hopefully, the stigma against people with HIV/AIDS will subside slowly.</div>
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Hopefully, the general public will view people with HIV/AIDS like any other patients with chronic illnesses like Hypertension and Diabetes.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FrvRZfC7hDw/VdCPCPOLHXI/AAAAAAAAKyk/XvPqRlE4oA8/s1600/DSC_0248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FrvRZfC7hDw/VdCPCPOLHXI/AAAAAAAAKyk/XvPqRlE4oA8/s640/DSC_0248.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Tram</div>
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<b><u>GRAFFITI ART AT MISSION DISTRICT</u></b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NCn2Vt1-Dm4/VdCPDLRXDrI/AAAAAAAAKyw/bNONIiJ3kwU/s1600/DSC_0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NCn2Vt1-Dm4/VdCPDLRXDrI/AAAAAAAAKyw/bNONIiJ3kwU/s640/DSC_0284.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Reflection.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yf8urEkZics/VdCPEUq3WwI/AAAAAAAAKzM/p_AoXux7U3E/s1600/DSC_0297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yf8urEkZics/VdCPEUq3WwI/AAAAAAAAKzM/p_AoXux7U3E/s640/DSC_0297.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Artist at work.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_PBm-o8vVU/VdCPEqYHJ3I/AAAAAAAAKzU/ZVnVtmIctwk/s1600/DSC_0293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_PBm-o8vVU/VdCPEqYHJ3I/AAAAAAAAKzU/ZVnVtmIctwk/s640/DSC_0293.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OfPfVW-1V7c/VdCPDcTlFCI/AAAAAAAAKzA/PrtLnSrTTsg/s1600/DSC_0292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OfPfVW-1V7c/VdCPDcTlFCI/AAAAAAAAKzA/PrtLnSrTTsg/s640/DSC_0292.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LN71LURudUA/VdCPEg4E91I/AAAAAAAAKzQ/S9UiWhO0Njk/s1600/DSC_0302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LN71LURudUA/VdCPEg4E91I/AAAAAAAAKzQ/S9UiWhO0Njk/s640/DSC_0302.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Buddhist Art</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6F77ebs1QFw/VdCPGDbgBLI/AAAAAAAAKzo/tIBiCLsdcyI/s1600/DSC_0303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6F77ebs1QFw/VdCPGDbgBLI/AAAAAAAAKzo/tIBiCLsdcyI/s640/DSC_0303.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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MJ</div>
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AIDS</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yijg5JCNJME/VdCPHqzqGKI/AAAAAAAAKz8/X9Ynuu_CYuc/s1600/DSC_0315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yijg5JCNJME/VdCPHqzqGKI/AAAAAAAAKz8/X9Ynuu_CYuc/s640/DSC_0315.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is my favourite art piece</div>
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Reminds me of Nepal....</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Z6dWZFawdY/VdCPJJp6OGI/AAAAAAAAK0Y/oHazzwcxhfQ/s1600/IMG_2656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Z6dWZFawdY/VdCPJJp6OGI/AAAAAAAAK0Y/oHazzwcxhfQ/s640/IMG_2656.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I ended my day by having In-N-Out burgers with 2 friends (who are based in SF). =)</div>
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It is good to catch up with friends, and understand the current situation in SF. I did not know that SF have overtaken NY as the most expensive city in US.</div>
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I had a very good chat with one of my batch mates. We lived in SF for 1 year around 11 years ago, and he decided to relocate back to SF. The night was a bit cold and it really reminded me of the days living in SF. Overall, it was an awesome year, but at times, it could be cold and lonely. Well, that's life, you can't have paradise all the time.</div>
<br />Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-10378385220431700862015-08-15T06:18:00.001-07:002015-08-31T06:59:46.434-07:00Day 3 - Stanford & Big Sur (SF to LA)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PkCRv31M9AU/VdCSPNHWyWI/AAAAAAAAK1s/auS0IpB4hfo/s1600/IMG_2667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PkCRv31M9AU/VdCSPNHWyWI/AAAAAAAAK1s/auS0IpB4hfo/s400/IMG_2667.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Driving south along Highway 101 towards Stanford.</div>
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This is so familiar. =)</div>
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<b><u>STANFORD UNIVERSITY</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University">Wiki:</a> "<b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Stanford University</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">(officially</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Leland Stanford Junior University</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">) is a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_university" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Private university">private</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_university" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Research university">research university</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford,_California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Stanford, California">Stanford</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">,</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="California">California</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, and one of the world's most prestigious institutions,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-11" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[10]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-12" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[11]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-13" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[12]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-14" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[13]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">with the top position in numerous</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rankings_of_universities_in_the_United_States" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Rankings of universities in the United States">rankings and measures in the United States</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-15" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[14]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-16" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[15]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-17" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[16]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-18" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[17]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-19" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[18]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-20" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[19]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-21" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[20]</a></sup></div>
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Stanford was founded in 1885 by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leland_Stanford" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Leland Stanford">Leland Stanford</a>, former <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_California" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Governor of California">Governor</a> of and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="United States Senate">U.S. Senator</a> from California and leading railroad tycoon, and his wife, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Stanford" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Jane Stanford">Jane Lathrop Stanford</a>, in memory of their only child, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leland_Stanford,_Jr." style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Leland Stanford, Jr.">Leland Stanford, Jr.</a>, who had died of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoid_fever" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Typhoid fever">typhoid fever</a> at age 15 the previous year. Stanford was opened on October 1, 1891<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-StanfordAboutHistory_2-1" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-StanfordAboutHistory-2" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-facultyguidehistory_3-1" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-facultyguidehistory-3" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[3]</a></sup> as a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed-sex_education" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Mixed-sex education">coeducational</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-denominational" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Non-denominational">non-denominational</a> institution. Tuition was free until 1920.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-22" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[21]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-23" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[22]</a></sup> The university struggled financially after Leland Stanford's 1893 death and after much of the campus was damaged by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1906_San_Francisco_earthquake" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="1906 San Francisco earthquake">1906 San Francisco earthquake</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-24" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-24" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[23]</a></sup> Following World War II, Provost <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Terman" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Frederick Terman">Frederick Terman</a> supported faculty and graduates' entrepreneurialism to build self-sufficient local industry in what would later be known as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valley" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Silicon Valley">Silicon Valley</a>. By 1970, Stanford was home to a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SLAC_National_Accelerator_Laboratory" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory">linear accelerator</a>, and was one of the original four <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARPANET" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="ARPANET">ARPANET</a> nodes (precursor to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Internet">Internet</a>).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-25" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[24]</a></sup></div>
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Stanford is located in northern <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valley" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Silicon Valley">Silicon Valley</a> near <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Alto,_California" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Palo Alto, California">Palo Alto, California</a>. The university's academic departments are organized into seven schools, with several other holdings, such as laboratories and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_reserve" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Nature reserve">nature reserves</a>, located outside the main campus.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-stanford_facts_glance_7-3" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-stanford_facts_glance-7" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-stanford_where_26-0" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-stanford_where-26" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[25]</a></sup> Its 8,180-acre (3,310 ha)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-stanford_where_26-1" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-stanford_where-26" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[25]</a></sup> campus is one of the largest in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="United States">United States</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-virtualtour_8-1" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-virtualtour-8" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[8]</a></sup> The university is also one of the top fundraising institutions in the country, becoming the first school to raise more than a billion dollars in a year.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Record_Fundraising_27-0" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-Record_Fundraising-27" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[26]</a></sup></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Stanford faculty and alumni have founded many companies including </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Google">Google</a><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hewlett-Packard" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Hewlett-Packard">Hewlett-Packard</a><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike,_Inc." style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Nike, Inc.">Nike</a><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Microsystems" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Sun Microsystems">Sun Microsystems</a><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instagram" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Instagram">Instagram</a><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahoo!" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Yahoo!">Yahoo!</a><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, and companies founded by Stanford alumni generate more than $2.7 trillion in annual revenue, equivalent to the 10th-largest economy in the world.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-30" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[29]</a></sup><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nobel_laureates_by_university_affiliation" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of Nobel laureates by university affiliation">Fifty-nine Nobel laureates</a><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> have been affiliated with the University,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-31" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[30]</a></sup><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> and it is the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_mater" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Alma mater">alma mater</a><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> of 30 living billionaires and 17 astronauts. Stanford has produced a total of 18 </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Turing_Award_laureates_by_university_affiliation" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of Turing Award laureates by university affiliation">Turing Award laureates</a><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-noteStudAward_50-0" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-noteStudAward-50" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[note 2]</a></sup><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> It is also one of the leading producers of members of the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congress" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="United States Congress">United States Congress</a><span style="line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-51" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-51" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[49]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-52" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University#cite_note-52" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[50]</a>"</sup></div>
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Stanford Campus</div>
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Always enjoy walking in Stanford</div>
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Cathedral and the Quad</div>
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I will always the full-moon on the Quad in Stanford.</div>
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http://www.quora.com/What-is-Full-Moon-on-the-Quad-like</div>
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Lovely Campus</div>
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My nieces having fun. =)</div>
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Below was my thoughts (posted on FB) after visiting Stanford again:</div>
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Stanford University</span></div>
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I remember waking up early at 6am, traveling on carpool lane on highway 101 to attend morning classes. I also remember staying in the lab doing experiment until 2-3am - feeling cold, hungry and miserable. </div>
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Even though I was not matriculated as a student, I'm thankful for the opportunity to study in Stanford. It kinda fulfilled my dream of studying overseas. </div>
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In my early years, I had a shaky start in my education. At one point, my mum's expectation of me is to complete my Primary School education (ie. Grade 6), so that i could work as a production worker in a factory. <i class="_4-k1 img sp_fM-mz8spZ1b sx_5371b4" style="background-image: url(https://fbstatic-a.akamaihd.net/rsrc.php/v2/yx/r/pimRBh7B6ER.png); background-position: 0px -340px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: auto; display: inline-block; height: 16px; vertical-align: -3px; width: 16px;"><u style="display: inline !important; left: -999999px; position: absolute;">smile emoticon</u></i></div>
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I hope my nieces, who are smarter and having a better starting point in life, will do much better than me. </div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">May be one of them (or all of them) might graduate from Stanford University in the future! :))</span></div>
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There was a period in my early life, that going to University was far-fetched dream. I remembered my primary teacher was forecasting who would go to University in the future, and not surprisingly, she did not predict that I would study in University. I am really a late bloomer. =)</div>
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Road Trip with Family.</div>
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We needed 2 cars for 9 of us.</div>
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<b><u>BIG SUR</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sur">Wiki: </a>"<b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">Big Sur</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">is a sparsely populated region of the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Coast_of_California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Central Coast of California">Central Coast</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="California">California</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">where the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Lucia_Range" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Santa Lucia Range">Santa Lucia Mountains</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">rise abruptly from the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ocean" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Pacific Ocean">Pacific Ocean</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">. Although it has no specific boundaries, many definitions of the area include the 90 miles (140 km) of coastline from the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmel_River" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Carmel River">Carmel River</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monterey_County,_California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Monterey County, California">Monterey County</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">south to the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Carpoforo_Creek" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="San Carpoforo Creek">San Carpoforo Creek</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Luis_Obispo_County,_California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="San Luis Obispo County, California">San Luis Obispo County</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sur#cite_note-1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sur#cite_note-2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">and extend about 20 miles (30 km) inland to the eastern foothills of the Santa Lucias. Other sources limit the eastern border to the coastal flanks of these mountains, only 3 to 12 miles (5 to 19 km) inland. Another practical definition of the region is the segment of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="California State Route 1">California State Route 1</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">from</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmel-by-the-Sea,_California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Carmel-by-the-Sea, California">Carmel</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">south to</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Simeon,_California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="San Simeon, California">San Simeon</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">. The northern end of Big Sur is about 120 miles (190 km) south of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="San Francisco">San Francisco</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">, and the southern end is approximately 245 miles (394 km) northwest of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px; text-decoration: none;" title="Los Angeles">Los Angeles</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">.</span></div>
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The name "Big Sur" is derived from the original Spanish-language "el sur grande", meaning "the big south", or from "el país grande del sur", "the big country of the south". This name refers to its location south of the city of<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monterey,_California" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Monterey, California">Monterey</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sur#cite_note-3" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[3]</a></sup> The terrain offers stunning views, making Big Sur a popular tourist destination. Big Sur's Cone Peak is the highest coastal mountain in the contiguous 48 states, ascending nearly a mile (5,155 feet/1571 m) above sea level, only 3 miles (5 km) from the ocean.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4" style="font-size: 11.1999998092651px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sur#cite_note-4" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a>"</sup></div>
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Beautiful Scenery</div>
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=)</div>
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Sea lions....</div>
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I did not even bothered to go closer as my mood wasn't really good.</div>
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The journey along Big Sur was too winding and the 2 youngest kids were vomitting due to motion sickness. I was so concerned about them that my mood was affected.</div>
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It was a wrong decision to drive through highway 1 towards Los Angeles.</div>
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We ended up very very tired, reaching our destination past midnight and feeling really hungry. </div>
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I felt bad as my parents and the young kids suffered. </div>
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=(</div>
Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-60751812151662058932015-08-15T06:17:00.007-07:002015-09-11T00:26:09.216-07:00Day 4- Los Angeles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><u>LOS ANGELES</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles">Wiki</a>:" <b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Los Angeles</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> (</span><span class="nowrap" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; white-space: nowrap;"><span class="noexcerpt"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/En-us-los-angeles.ogg" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Listen"><img alt="Listen" data-file-height="11" data-file-width="11" height="11" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Speakerlink-new.svg/11px-Speakerlink-new.svg.png" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Speakerlink-new.svg/17px-Speakerlink-new.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Speakerlink-new.svg/22px-Speakerlink-new.svg.png 2x" style="border: none; margin: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" width="11" /></a><sup style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1;"><span class="IPA" style="color: #0000ee; font-size: 8.96px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; padding: 0px 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:En-us-los-angeles.ogg" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none !important;" title="File:En-us-los-angeles.ogg">i</a></span></sup></span><span class="IPA nopopups"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none !important;" title="Help:IPA for English">/<span style="border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;"><span title="'l' in 'lie'">l</span><span title="/ɒ/ short 'o' in 'body'">ɒ</span><span title="'s' in 'sigh'">s</span></span> <span style="border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px;"><span title="/ˈ/ primary stress follows">ˈ</span><span title="/æ/ short 'a' in 'bad'">æ</span><span title="'n' in 'no'">n</span><span title="/dʒ/ 'j' in 'jam'">dʒ</span><span title="/ə/ 'a' in 'about'">ə</span><span title="'l' in 'lie'">l</span><span title="/ɨ/ 'e' in 'roses'">ɨ</span><span title="'s' in 'sigh'">s</span></span>/</a></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" title="English pronunciation respelling"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Pronunciation_respelling_key" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Wikipedia:Pronunciation respelling key"><i>loss</i></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" title="English pronunciation respelling"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Pronunciation_respelling_key" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Wikipedia:Pronunciation respelling key"><i><b><span class="smallcaps"><span style="font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;">an</span></span></b>-jə-ləs</i></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">),</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles#cite_note-14" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[14]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> officially the </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">City of Los Angeles</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> and often known by its initials </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">L.A.</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, is the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of United States cities by population">second-largest</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> city in the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="United States">United States</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_California_cities_by_population" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of largest California cities by population">most populous city</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> in the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._state" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="U.S. state">U.S. state</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="California">California</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, and the county seat of </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_County" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Los Angeles County">Los Angeles County</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. Situated in </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_California" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Southern California">Southern California</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, Los Angeles is known for its</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_climate" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Mediterranean climate">mediterranean climate</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, ethnic diversity, sprawling metropolis, and as a major center of the American entertainment industry. Los Angeles lies in </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Basin" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Los Angeles Basin">a large coastal basin</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> surrounded on three sides by mountains reaching up to and over 10,000 feet (3,000 m).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;">Nicknamed the </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;">City of Angels</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;">, Los Angeles is a </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Global city">global city</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;"> with a diverse economy in entertainment, culture, media, fashion, science, sports, technology, education, medicine and research. It has been ranked sixth in the</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city#Global_Cities_Index" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Global city">Global Cities Index</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;"> and 9th </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city#Global_Economic_Power_Index.5B29.5D" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Global city">Global Economic Power Index</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;">. The city is home to renowned institutions covering a broad range of professional and cultural fields and is one of the most substantial economic engines within the United States. The Los Angeles </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_statistical_area" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Combined statistical area">combined statistical area</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;"> (CSA) has a </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_metropolitan_product" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Gross metropolitan product">gross metropolitan product</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;"> (GMP) of $831 billion (as of 2008), making it the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_GDP" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="List of cities by GDP">third-largest in the world</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;">, after the </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Tokyo" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Greater Tokyo">Greater Tokyo</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;"> and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_metropolitan_area" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="New York metropolitan area">New York</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;">metropolitan areas. Los Angeles includes </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Hollywood">Hollywood</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;"> and leads the world in the creation of television productions, video games, and recorded music; it is also one of the leaders in motion picture production. Additionally, Los Angeles hosted the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Olympic_Games" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Summer Olympic Games">Summer Olympic Games</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;"> in </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1932_Summer_Olympics" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="1932 Summer Olympics">1932</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_Summer_Olympics" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="1984 Summer Olympics">1984</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;">, and is currently bidding for the</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Summer_Olympics" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="2024 Summer Olympics">2024 Summer Olympics</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;">."</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V2lxpOByCLA/VfJ5g8Urz9I/AAAAAAAAK4w/FjrsEyzEJ0E/s1600/Day%2B4%2B-%2B%2BLos%2BAngeles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V2lxpOByCLA/VfJ5g8Urz9I/AAAAAAAAK4w/FjrsEyzEJ0E/s640/Day%2B4%2B-%2B%2BLos%2BAngeles.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Air-bnb house that we were staying.</div>
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It was good - 3 bedrooms for 9 of us, enough space for the kids to run and play around, kitchen for us to prepare the food for the kids, washing machine & dryer for laundry.</div>
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Instead of staying in a hotel, I felt that it would be nice to live in a typical American neighbour. </div>
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At least, my family would have a slight taste of what it feels like living like an American.</div>
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=)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z49t2kfkagU/VfJ5hYvuXmI/AAAAAAAAK44/q3UmYQlJyoY/s1600/IMG_2718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z49t2kfkagU/VfJ5hYvuXmI/AAAAAAAAK44/q3UmYQlJyoY/s640/IMG_2718.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Cheap Ice-cream (50% cheaper than Singapore Price).</div>
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Always love to go to American Supermarket - a heaven of consumerism.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9EmYaQpa86o/VfJ5h8pd0OI/AAAAAAAAK48/4groXml1DSc/s1600/IMG_2719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9EmYaQpa86o/VfJ5h8pd0OI/AAAAAAAAK48/4groXml1DSc/s400/IMG_2719.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Helpful Cashier. =)</div>
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Really enjoy shopping in LA. The cashier was really helpful. She helped me to find the items I needed, and also, helped me to save some money by scanning the coupons (that I don't have).</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></div>
<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" style="background-color: white; display: inline; outline: none; width: auto;" tabindex="0"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" style="color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; outline: none; width: auto;" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">It's Californian way of doing things. Something that it's hard to come by in Singapore.</span></span><span class="fbPhotoTagList" id="fbPhotoSnowliftTagList" style="color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="fcg" style="color: #9197a3;"> "</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tcC6RCDumgI/VfJ5iMmkGOI/AAAAAAAAK5E/bLgFjl-azRw/s1600/IMG_2721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tcC6RCDumgI/VfJ5iMmkGOI/AAAAAAAAK5E/bLgFjl-azRw/s400/IMG_2721.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Good Jap Food - thanks to the huge Asian diaspora in LA.</div>
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It's reasonably priced as well. Around US$8-10.</div>
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One reason to be living in California. =)</div>
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Traveling with kids is always challenging - changing diapers, showering, feeding etc...</div>
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So we decided to have our lunch before we set off to explore the city.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vZOnWt41LYU/VfJ5jNkkcMI/AAAAAAAAK5Y/xNu9omP1-yY/s1600/IMG_2724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vZOnWt41LYU/VfJ5jNkkcMI/AAAAAAAAK5Y/xNu9omP1-yY/s640/IMG_2724.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Clear blue sky and the rows of Palm Trees!!!</div>
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Very California!!! =)</div>
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<b><u>TCL CHINESE THEATRE</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TCL_Chinese_Theatre">Wiki:</a>" <b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">TCL Chinese Theatre</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">is a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movie_palace" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Movie palace">cinema palace</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">on the historic</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Walk_of_Fame" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Hollywood Walk of Fame">Hollywood Walk of Fame</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">at 6925</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Boulevard" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Hollywood Boulevard">Hollywood Boulevard</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in</span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood,_Los_Angeles,_California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Hollywood, Los Angeles, California">Hollywood</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="California">California</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="United States">United States</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. Originally known (and still commonly referred to) as</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Grauman's Chinese Theatre</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and renamed</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Mann's Chinese Theatre</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in 1973; the current name of the theatre became official January 11, 2013, after</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TCL_Corporation" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="TCL Corporation">TCL Corporation</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">purchased the naming rights.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-lat20130111_2-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TCL_Chinese_Theatre#cite_note-lat20130111-2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">This resulted in the first affiliation of the Chinese Theatre with an actual Chinese corporation.</span></div>
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The original Chinese Theatre was commissioned following the success of the nearby <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grauman%27s_Egyptian_Theatre" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Grauman's Egyptian Theatre">Grauman's Egyptian Theatre</a>, which opened in 1922. Built by a partnership headed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Grauman" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Sid Grauman">Sid Grauman</a> over 18 months starting in January 1926, the theatre opened May 18, 1927, with the premiere of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_B._DeMille" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Cecil B. DeMille">Cecil B. DeMille</a>'s film <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_King_of_Kings_(1927_film)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="The King of Kings (1927 film)">The King of Kings</a></i>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-mannsite_3-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TCL_Chinese_Theatre#cite_note-mannsite-3" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[3]</a></sup> It has since been home to many premieres, including the 1977 launch of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lucas" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="George Lucas">George Lucas</a>' <i><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_IV:_A_New_Hope" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope">Star Wars</a></i>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-lomography_4-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TCL_Chinese_Theatre#cite_note-lomography-4" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup> as well as birthday parties, corporate junkets, and three <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Awards" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Academy Awards">Academy Awards</a> ceremonies. Among the theatre's most distinctive features are the concrete blocks set in the forecourt, which bear the signatures, footprints, and handprints of popular motion picture personalities from the 1920s to the present day.</div>
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The TCL Chinese Theatre has partnered with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMAX_Corporation" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="IMAX Corporation">IMAX Corporation</a> to create the single largest <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMAX" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="IMAX">IMAX</a> auditorium in the world. The new theatre seats 932 people, and hosts the third largest commercial movie screen in North America."</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZzVVXWMz7Y/VfJ5b3YM4dI/AAAAAAAAK3E/m6SN1BE4Teo/s1600/DSC_0438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZzVVXWMz7Y/VfJ5b3YM4dI/AAAAAAAAK3E/m6SN1BE4Teo/s400/DSC_0438.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>
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Iconic Chinese Theatre</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bw8q6lwQREY/VfJ5dI_vTEI/AAAAAAAAK3k/LAwPevOWvmk/s1600/DSC_0451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bw8q6lwQREY/VfJ5dI_vTEI/AAAAAAAAK3k/LAwPevOWvmk/s640/DSC_0451.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hollywood Boulevard</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sS1opd5NH6U/VfJ5b3nYlWI/AAAAAAAAK3M/Ol6-H2-cuX0/s1600/DSC_0436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sS1opd5NH6U/VfJ5b3nYlWI/AAAAAAAAK3M/Ol6-H2-cuX0/s400/DSC_0436.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>
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Hollywood walk of fame.</div>
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Kids with Mickey mouse </div>
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(Keena brought along her Minnie mouse)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p-5DxoUqvIA/VfJ5jDHbODI/AAAAAAAAK5c/n442TBr3erc/s1600/IMG_2726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p-5DxoUqvIA/VfJ5jDHbODI/AAAAAAAAK5c/n442TBr3erc/s640/IMG_2726.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hey Bruce!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OygEIzehXqk/VfJ5jAIPmNI/AAAAAAAAK5U/7Jvfc_B-HVg/s1600/IMG_2741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OygEIzehXqk/VfJ5jAIPmNI/AAAAAAAAK5U/7Jvfc_B-HVg/s640/IMG_2741.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Simple fun of life. =)</div>
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<b><u>GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffith_Observatory">Wiki:</a>" <b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Griffith Observatory</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> is a facility in </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Los Angeles">Los Angeles</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="California">California</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> sitting on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Los Angeles">Los Angeles</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">' </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffith_Park" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Griffith Park">Griffith Park</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. It commands a view of the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Basin" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Los Angeles Basin">Los Angeles Basin</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, including </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Los_Angeles" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Downtown Los Angeles">Downtown Los Angeles</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> to the southeast,</span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood,_California" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Hollywood, California">Hollywood</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> to the south, and the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ocean" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Pacific Ocean">Pacific Ocean</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> to the southwest. The </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observatory" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Observatory">observatory</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> is a popular tourist attraction with a great view of the Hollywood sign, and an extensive array of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Space">space</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Science">science</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">-related displays. Since the observatory opened in 1935, admission has been free, in accordance with Griffith's will. However, some planetary shows inside have a small added charge."</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RPokN-Iu7IY/VfJ5kWlqauI/AAAAAAAAK5s/P0PqxCSuORc/s1600/IMG_2747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RPokN-Iu7IY/VfJ5kWlqauI/AAAAAAAAK5s/P0PqxCSuORc/s640/IMG_2747.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Griffith Observatory perched at the hilltop.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nDucb_hGP4k/VfJ5dfbJITI/AAAAAAAAK3g/-i3Fyj8Sym0/s1600/DSC_0488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nDucb_hGP4k/VfJ5dfbJITI/AAAAAAAAK3g/-i3Fyj8Sym0/s640/DSC_0488.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Enjoyed explaining to the girls about the planetary movements that create day & night, and the four seasons.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jgLILM9BeCs/VfJ5dB9eHgI/AAAAAAAAK3Y/Da0d7mJnPJA/s1600/DSC_0470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jgLILM9BeCs/VfJ5dB9eHgI/AAAAAAAAK3Y/Da0d7mJnPJA/s640/DSC_0470.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The famous HOLLYWOOD signboard.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S57wu0v5dJI/VfJ5kmy9RGI/AAAAAAAAK50/7a45Him56-w/s1600/IMG_2798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="324" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S57wu0v5dJI/VfJ5kmy9RGI/AAAAAAAAK50/7a45Him56-w/s640/IMG_2798.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Good view of LA downtown</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zVOiLxjbFKo/VfJ5eOeeNjI/AAAAAAAAK3w/LBx03tfYTJ8/s1600/DSC_0493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zVOiLxjbFKo/VfJ5eOeeNjI/AAAAAAAAK3w/LBx03tfYTJ8/s640/DSC_0493.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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LA City</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6HttWH_x8zc/VfJ5eW0drKI/AAAAAAAAK30/TTpr8l944Vw/s1600/DSC_0501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6HttWH_x8zc/VfJ5eW0drKI/AAAAAAAAK30/TTpr8l944Vw/s640/DSC_0501.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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The kids are having fun. =)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jFi8gOEAbXc/VfJ5ej-0tCI/AAAAAAAAK38/YNLarOR9ucw/s1600/DSC_0502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="414" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jFi8gOEAbXc/VfJ5ej-0tCI/AAAAAAAAK38/YNLarOR9ucw/s640/DSC_0502.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Happy Keena!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hy2M9UVWIHs/VfJ5eyEJmtI/AAAAAAAAK4I/XziI4AiQCw0/s1600/DSC_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hy2M9UVWIHs/VfJ5eyEJmtI/AAAAAAAAK4I/XziI4AiQCw0/s640/DSC_0505.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Happy Felice!</div>
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<b><u>VENICE BEACH</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice,_Los_Angeles#Venice_Beach">Wiki:</a>" <b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Venice Beach</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, which receives millions of visitors a year, has been labeled as "a cultural hub known for its eccentricities" as well as a "global tourist destination."</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-CarPlows_29-0" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice,_Los_Angeles#cite_note-CarPlows-29" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[29]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice,_Los_Angeles#cite_note-30" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[30]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> It includes the </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreshoreway" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Foreshoreway">promenade</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> that runs parallel to the beach (also the "</span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceanway" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Oceanway">Ocean Front Walk</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">" or just "the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_boardwalks_in_the_United_States#Venice_Beach.2C_California" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of boardwalks in the United States">boardwalk</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">"),</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_Beach" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Muscle Beach">Muscle Beach</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_handball" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="American handball">handball</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> courts, the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paddle_tennis" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Paddle tennis">paddle tennis</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> courts, Skate Dancing plaza, the numerous beach volleyball courts, the bike trail and the businesses on Ocean Front Walk."</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y51qRkEHvpk/VfJ5fzYbjQI/AAAAAAAAK4Q/GzxYQxjnQfU/s1600/DSC_0508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y51qRkEHvpk/VfJ5fzYbjQI/AAAAAAAAK4Q/GzxYQxjnQfU/s640/DSC_0508.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Nice Mustang!</div>
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Very American!!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OzYdN-KaqV4/VfJ5fwFgajI/AAAAAAAAK4U/CXh6vfNCI3s/s1600/DSC_0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OzYdN-KaqV4/VfJ5fwFgajI/AAAAAAAAK4U/CXh6vfNCI3s/s640/DSC_0511.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Venice Beach is one of my favourite beaches in the world.</div>
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Unfortunately, the weather was quite gloomy that day.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KCyoT7VWnEQ/VfJ5gE2jAYI/AAAAAAAAK4g/CFQuYc8NxkU/s1600/DSC_0526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KCyoT7VWnEQ/VfJ5gE2jAYI/AAAAAAAAK4g/CFQuYc8NxkU/s640/DSC_0526.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Skate-boarding facility</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-noKeyrNF5dY/VfJ5gmMh3LI/AAAAAAAAK4o/y7vzsK09T6Y/s1600/DSC_0528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-noKeyrNF5dY/VfJ5gmMh3LI/AAAAAAAAK4o/y7vzsK09T6Y/s640/DSC_0528.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Happy Gwen!</div>
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Dinner at Venice Beach.</div>
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It's really thoughtful to have some activities for the kids. (very typical American restaurant too!)</div>
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They should do that in Singapore, so that the kids won't be stuck to ipad.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zoU2VIFGRw4/VfJ5lUBgTkI/AAAAAAAAK6A/BJ8Qjtyli4w/s1600/IMG_2818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="374" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zoU2VIFGRw4/VfJ5lUBgTkI/AAAAAAAAK6A/BJ8Qjtyli4w/s640/IMG_2818.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Met my ex-colleague Ross (originally from Ohio, relocated to LA)</div>
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It was a good idea to feel the pacific ocean at night!</div>
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Cold water reminds me that I am alive.</div>
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Pretty crowded for a weekday night.</div>
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We called our ex-colleague in Singapore to give her a surprise. </div>
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Always nice to catch up with friend in foreign land, and got to understand the situation in US better too. =)</div>
<br />Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-90340217568112436622015-08-15T06:17:00.005-07:002015-09-13T05:01:30.255-07:00Day 5 - Disneyland (LA)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><u>DISNEYLAND</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disneyland">Wiki:</a> "<b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Disneyland Park</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, originally</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Disneyland</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, is the first of two</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theme_park" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Theme park">theme parks</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">built at the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disneyland_Resort" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Disneyland Resort">Disneyland Resort</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaheim,_California" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Anaheim, California">Anaheim, California</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, opened on July 17, 1955. It is the only theme park designed and built under the direct supervision of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Walt Disney">Walt Disney</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. It was originally the only attraction on the property; its name was changed to Disneyland Park to distinguish it from the expanding complex in the 1990s.</span></div>
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Walt Disney came up with the concept of Disneyland after visiting various amusement parks with his daughters in the 1930s and 1940s. He initially envisioned building a tourist attraction adjacent to his <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_Studios_(Burbank)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)">studios</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burbank,_California" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Burbank, California">Burbank</a> to entertain fans who wished to visit; however, he soon realized that the proposed site was too small. After hiring a consultant to help him determine an appropriate site for his project, Walt bought a 160-acre (65 ha) site near Anaheim in 1953. Construction began in 1954 and the park was unveiled during a special televised press event on the ABC Television Network on July 17, 1955."</div>
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The original Disneyland in Anaheim, LA.</div>
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Walt Disney is quite a genius to create dreams for people around the world. =)</div>
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Below are some of his quotes:</div>
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"If you dream it, you can do it."</div>
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"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."</div>
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"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."</div>
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"All adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you."</div>
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"When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do."</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oDxUqrfqKb4/VfVgKBr5M5I/AAAAAAAAK6c/WVgZAm-7_zs/s1600/DSC_0539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oDxUqrfqKb4/VfVgKBr5M5I/AAAAAAAAK6c/WVgZAm-7_zs/s640/DSC_0539.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Disneyland.</div>
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This was my second time visiting Disneyland, and the previous time, I went in the morning and left at 2pm. It was too boring for me as a grown up. But this time, it was more enjoyable as my nieces were having fun. =)</div>
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One of the reasons I hate visiting Disneyland is the crowd.</div>
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Too many people!!!</div>
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Kids are always kids. =)</div>
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The kids are easily satisfied and happy with simple things like a soft toy.</div>
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Sometimes, I hope I could be like them.</div>
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Happiness is visiting Disneyland.</div>
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Parade in the afternoon</div>
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Mermaid!</div>
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The princesses</div>
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Peter Pan</div>
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Tinker Bell</div>
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Mickey Mouse</div>
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Keena was a bit disappointed after meeting Mickey Mouse.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></div>
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She said "I don't that is the real Mickey Mouse. I think there is someone inside." </div>
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Papa and the girls.</div>
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My favourite part of Disneyland - Mickey's Toontown</div>
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It's quite magical.</div>
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Mermaid - Night Parade</div>
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Belle</div>
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The night parade in Disneyland is really the highlight for the day.</div>
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It's world class parade!</div>
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Look at the crowd. It's a painful journey to go home - really crowded, long queues at the tram (that will bring us to the car park), the girls were exhausted, traffic jam....</div>
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Well, at least, the girls enjoyed themselves. =)</div>
Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-24075116839268845502015-08-15T06:17:00.003-07:002015-09-15T07:06:10.621-07:00Day 6 - LA to Vegas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Airbnb neighborhood in LA.</div>
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Love the ample space (unlike the crowded Singapore).</div>
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On the road from LA to Las Vegas</div>
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Love the big space...</div>
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It was one of the worst droughts in the recent history of California.</div>
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<b><u>LAS VEGAS STRIP</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Strip">Wiki:</a>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Las Vegas Strip</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">is a stretch of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Boulevard" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Las Vegas Boulevard">Las Vegas Boulevard South</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_County,_Nevada" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Clark County, Nevada">Clark County</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Nevada">Nevada</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, internationally known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos along its route. The Strip is approximately 4.2 miles (6.8 km) in length, located immediately south of the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Las Vegas">Las Vegas</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_limits" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="City limits">city limits</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unincorporated_towns_in_Nevada" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Unincorporated towns in Nevada">unincorporated towns</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradise,_Nevada" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Paradise, Nevada">Paradise</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester,_Nevada" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Winchester, Nevada">Winchester</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">(however, the Strip is often referred to as being "in Las Vegas"). Most of the Strip has been designated an</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Scenic_Byway" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="National Scenic Byway">All-American Road</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Strip#cite_note-2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Strip#cite_note-3" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[3]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and is considered a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scenic_route" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Scenic route">scenic route</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">at night.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Strip#cite_note-4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Many of the largest hotel,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casino" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Casino">casino</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resort" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Resort">resort</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">properties in the world are located on the Las Vegas Strip. Fifteen of the world's 25</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_hotels_in_the_world" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of largest hotels in the world">largest hotels</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">by room count are on the Strip, with a total of over 62,000 rooms.</span></div>
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One of the most visible aspects of Las Vegas' cityscape is its use of dramatic architecture. The rapidly evolving skyline and constant modernization of hotels, casinos, restaurants, residential high-rises, and entertainment offerings on the Strip, have established it as one of the most popular destinations for tourists in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="United States">United States</a>, and the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Strip#cite_note-5" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[5]</a>"</sup></div>
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After 45mins in Tommy Hilfiger - this was only the first round.</div>
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Almost immediately after we check-in the hotel, they indulged in their favorite past-time - shopping in factory outlets. At least 50% cheaper than the retail price in Singapore. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pRPjO1AZPWM/VfgjbEsbXDI/AAAAAAAAK9Y/tOMz7pMmE_g/s1600/Photo%2Bfr%2BPhone1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pRPjO1AZPWM/VfgjbEsbXDI/AAAAAAAAK9Y/tOMz7pMmE_g/s640/Photo%2Bfr%2BPhone1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Dinner in Chili's</div>
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It was a typical American Meal => big portion and quite nice (Cheese/Fried etc...)</div>
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I got an Asian palette, as I got sick of the food quite easy.</div>
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Too much and too heavy.</div>
Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-52647791854300533452015-08-15T06:17:00.001-07:002015-09-20T06:11:30.717-07:00Day 7 - Las Vegas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Simple Joy of Life => Having Breakfast together as a family. =)</div>
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@ Hampton Inn Las Vegas</div>
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For me, this trip is not about exploring new places or new experiences.</div>
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It is just spending quality time with family and knowing that my family enjoys the trip.</div>
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The swimming pool that I didn't dip in (which is not my usual habit).</div>
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And it was freaking hot in Las Vegas (around 40 degrees), and dip would be heavenly. =)</div>
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We spent the whole day shopping in the factory outlet.</div>
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It is really really cheap. </div>
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For instance, I wanted to buy a Polo Ralph Lauren Polo T-shirt in Singapore this year, and the retail price was around S$260 (US$195), so I decided not to buy it. I bought the exact same Polo T-shirt in Las Vegas, and the discounted price was around S$70 (US$51) - 75% difference!!!!</div>
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Even for a non-shopper like myself, I can't resist the urge to purchase!</div>
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2nd round of shopping!! =)</div>
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Zumanity</div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zumanity">Wiki: </a>"<i style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"><b>Zumanity</b></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">is a resident</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabaret" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Cabaret">cabaret</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">-style show by</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirque_du_Soleil" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Cirque du Soleil">Cirque du Soleil</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">at the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York-New_York_Hotel_%26_Casino" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York-New York Hotel & Casino">New York-New York Hotel & Casino</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">on the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Strip" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Las Vegas Strip">Las Vegas Strip</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. The production was unveiled on September 20, 2003.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zumanity#cite_note-1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">It is the first "adult-themed" Cirque du Soleil show, billed as "the sensual side of Cirque du Soleil" or "another side of Cirque du Soleil". Created by René Richard Cyr and Dominic Champagne,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><i style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Zumanity</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">is a departure from the standard Cirque format. Intended to be for mature adult audiences only, this show is centered on erotic song, dance, and acrobatics.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-CdS1_2-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zumanity#cite_note-CdS1-2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup></div>
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The inspiration to create <i>Zumanity</i> came from multiple sources. Cirque du Soleil founder <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Lalibert%C3%A9" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Guy Laliberté">Guy Laliberté</a> had been offered the chance to create two new shows in Las Vegas, and wanted something completely new and original rather than multiple similar shows that would cannibalize off of each other's sales and audiences. Another reason was that the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York-New_York_Hotel_and_Casino" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New York-New York Hotel and Casino">New York-New York Hotel and Casino</a> wanted to make their entertainment appear more "trendy". The hotel liked the concept of a more adult Cirque du Soleil performance.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-CdS1_2-1" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zumanity#cite_note-CdS1-2" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup></div>
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Laliberté admits that the biggest reason to produce this show was the chance to create something with riskier subject matter. He was interested in the idea of creating a show that explored <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sexuality" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Human sexuality">human sexuality</a>, something that was at complete odds with the other, more family-oriented Cirque du Soleil shows. "Our previous shows have all been family-oriented and politically correct, which is great," Laliberté said, "but we're human beings, we won't hide it. We're a bunch of happy campers. We like to live new experiences. <i>Zumanity</i> deals with some of those experiences."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-CdS1_2-2" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zumanity#cite_note-CdS1-2" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a>"</sup></div>
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When I was in Las Vegas around 11 years ago, I wanted to watch Zumanity, but unfortunately, I couldn't afford it as I was still a student. To my surprise, it was in production, and without any hesitation, I booked it and watched it with my parents and brother.</div>
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Watching a production with sexual content and homosexual element with my parents was surprisingly not so awkward. It was a pity that my parents did not understand English, hence, we could only appreciate the visual performance.</div>
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Overall, it was a good production, and it did not reach my expectation. </div>
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Previously, when I could not afford to watch Zumanity, I thought that the performance will be fantastic. </div>
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Just like many desires in our lives, we always imagine the good things about our desires in an upsized disproportionate manner. Quite often, we fulfilled our desires, it is often not as good as what we have imagined previously. After that, we continue to seek new desires to fulfill our insatiable needs. That's our human nature, gotta be mindful and keep our desires in check.</div>
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New York New York Casino.</div>
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New York New York Casino.</div>
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Las Vegas Strip.</div>
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Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-15932180070202442882015-08-15T06:16:00.006-07:002015-10-24T04:19:05.108-07:00Day 8 - Las Vegas (rest day)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After more than 1 week of traveling, the tiredness has taken a toll on my father.</div>
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He was quite sick that he did not want to go to Grand Canyon.</div>
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In the end, I decided to stay back to keep him accompany in the hotel room to make sure that everything is okay. I have been to Grand Canyon twice, so naturally, I do not see it again for the 3rd time. </div>
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Since the journey from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon is long, my sister (who also have been to Grand Canyon) decided to stay in the hotel together with the 2 youngest girls. It's a good time for 18mths old Gwendolyn and 3 years old Felice to rest as well. Finally, they could enjoy their daily afternoon nap in the comfort of the hotel room, and not on the car/stroller etc...</div>
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It is a different phase of my life.</div>
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This trip is quite a good example, normally in my travel, I could just go ahead and be carefree. </div>
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For this trip, I need to take care of my parents and think about the young kids as well.</div>
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In another words, more responsibilities. And that should be the way.</div>
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The girls are really happy in the hotel room and running around the corridor.</div>
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The rest of the family went ahead to Grand Canyon.</div>
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My small wish was fulfilled. =)</div>
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Prior to the trip, I imagined taking photo of Grand Canyon with my mum.</div>
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12 years ago when I first saw Grand Canyon, I was awed by the view and felt really sad that my mum didn't have the opportunity to see such amazing view, as my family financial situation back then wasn't good. I was literally crying, as I hoped that my mum could enjoy such a good view. Back then, my mum was still working hard as a factory production worker earning meager salary. </div>
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Coincidentally, at that time, a good friend was also tearing as he was sad that his deceased mum was not around to enjoy such wonderful view. We hugged together. Haha.</div>
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I am thankful that my mum is still around and is enjoying better life now.</div>
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Impermanence of Life is the Truth of Life. </div>
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Be aware of it.</div>
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Those of us who have a good fortunate of having our parents. </div>
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Gotta treasure them. </div>
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There is a limited time to repay their love, kindness and care.</div>
<br />Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-81518430034961599872015-08-15T06:16:00.003-07:002015-10-24T05:06:07.929-07:00Day 9 - Las Vegas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Fortunately, my dad recovered and my family resumed the treasure hunt at the factory outlet.</div>
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There are so many discounting vouchers and coupons available online and offline. It is quite confusing, and we had to do lotsa mental sums to decide which voucher/coupon to use.</div>
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Online Coupon from Polo Ralph Lauren.</div>
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Bought my white Polo Ralph Lauren T-shirt there!!</div>
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Around 20 years ago, my friend wore this white polo T-Shirt which costed S$80-100 (which was around my 1 month of pocket money). I told myself that I would buy that White Polo T-Shirt one day too. Early this year, I went to the Ralph Lauren Boutique in Takashimaya (Singapore) to check it out, and the price tag was S$290 (US$210). I could afford it, but my rational mind told me not to buy it.</div>
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That's the right choice. As I bought the exact White Polo T-Shirt in the factory outlet for around US$45 (S$63) => 80% discount from the retail price in Singapore!! Needless to say, I bought more than 1 item. =)</div>
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More interestingly, how certain things in the past kept lingering in mind?</div>
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Poor girls. Felice is obviously tired of watching videos from youtube.</div>
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We took turns to take care of the girls.</div>
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In fact, half of the purchases are gifts to friends and family members.</div>
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It's tiring!!! My mother bought 4-5 bags from Couch as gifts among many other things.</div>
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Bellagio Ceiling Glass</div>
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My parents with the kids. =)</div>
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Went to Bellagio for the Buffet dinner to celebrate Father's Day.</div>
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Keena was happy with her choice of dessert.</div>
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Gaming tables.</div>
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Fountain performance @ Bellagio</div>
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Paris Casino</div>
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Pretty!! =)</div>
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Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-23560734317036885422015-08-15T06:16:00.001-07:002015-10-24T05:44:26.261-07:00Day 10 - Las Vegas to New York<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Sometimes, we really took the efficiency and convenience of Singapore for granted.</div>
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We were supposed to return our rental cars <b>AT</b> the airport, however, the actual place to return was quite far and not within walking distance.</div>
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It was quite an eventful morning. Traveling with kids, we were always running short of time. We had problems locating the rental car companies, and my brother-in-law left his bag in the rental car after he returned the car and came to the airport to meet us. And we almost missed our flight from Las Vegas to New York.</div>
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Traveling with 3 young kids is no joke. </div>
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Takes a family effort.</div>
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On the flight to New York</div>
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Taking turns to take care the kids.</div>
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My mum is always the best! =)</div>
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<b><u>NEW YORK NEW YORK</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City">Wiki:</a> "<b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">New York</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">– often called</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">New York City</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">or the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">City of New York</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">to distinguish it from the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York">State of New York</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, of which it is a part – is the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of United States cities by population">most populous city</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="United States">United States</a><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2014NYCest2_1-1" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-2014NYCest2-1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and the center of the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_metropolitan_area" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York metropolitan area">New York metropolitan area</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, the premier gateway for legal</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_the_United_States" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Immigration to the United States">immigration to the United States</a><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Immigrants2013est_9-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-Immigrants2013est-9" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[9]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Immigrants2012est_10-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-Immigrants2012est-10" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[10]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Immigrants2011est_11-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-Immigrants2011est-11" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[11]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and one of the most populous</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_agglomeration" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Urban agglomeration">urban agglomerations</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in the world.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-12" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[12]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-13" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[13]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">A</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Global city">global power city</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-14" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[14]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">New York exerts a significant impact upon commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and entertainment. Home to the</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headquarters_of_the_United_Nations" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Headquarters of the United Nations">headquarters of the United Nations</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-15" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[15]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">New York is an important center for</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_diplomacy" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="International diplomacy">international diplomacy</a><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-16" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[16]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and has been described as the cultural and financial capital of the world.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cultura1_17-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-cultura1-17" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[17]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-culture2_18-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-culture2-18" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[18]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-culture3_19-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-culture3-19" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[19]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-culture4_20-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-culture4-20" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[20]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-WorldEconomicAndFinancialSuperCenter_21-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-WorldEconomicAndFinancialSuperCenter-21" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[21]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-culture5_22-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-culture5-22" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[22]</a></sup></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: center;">
Situated on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Harbor" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New York Harbor">one of the world's largest natural harbors</a>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-23" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[23]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-24" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-24" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[24]</a></sup> New York City consists of five <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borough_(New_York_City)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Borough (New York City)">boroughs</a>, each of which is a separate <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_counties_in_New_York" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of counties in New York">county of New York State</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-25" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[25]</a></sup> The five boroughs – <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Brooklyn">Brooklyn</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queens" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Queens">Queens</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Manhattan">Manhattan</a>, the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronx" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Bronx">Bronx</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staten_Island" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Staten Island">Staten Island</a> – were consolidated into a single city in 1898.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-26" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[26]</a></sup> With a census-estimated 2014 population of 8,491,079<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2014NYCest2_1-2" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-2014NYCest2-1" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2014NYCest_27-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-2014NYCest-27" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[27]</a></sup> distributed over a land area of just 305 square miles (790 km<sup style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1;">2</sup>),<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-28" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-28" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[28]</a></sup> New York is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population_density" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of United States cities by population density">most densely populated</a> major city in the United States.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-density_29-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-density-29" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[29]</a></sup> As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-30" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[30]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-800source2_31-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-800source2-31" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[31]</a></sup> making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-800source2_31-1" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-800source2-31" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[31]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-32" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[32]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-33" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[33]</a></sup> By 2014 census estimates, the New York City metropolitan region remains by a significant margin the most populous in the United States, as defined by both the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Metropolitan_Statistical_Areas" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas">Metropolitan Statistical Area</a> (20.1 million residents)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2014metroest_5-1" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-2014metroest-5" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[5]</a></sup> and the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Combined_Statistical_Areas" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of Combined Statistical Areas">Combined Statistical Area</a> (23.6 million residents).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2014combinedest_6-1" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-2014combinedest-6" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[6]</a></sup> In 2013, the MSA produced a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_metropolitan_product" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Gross metropolitan product">gross metropolitan product</a> (GMP) of nearly US$1.39 trillion,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-34" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-34" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[34]</a></sup> while in 2012, the CSA<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-35" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-35" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[35]</a></sup> generated a GMP of over US$1.55 trillion, both ranking first nationally by a wide margin and behind the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_product" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Gross domestic product">GDP</a> of only twelve and eleven countries, respectively.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-36" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-36" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[36]</a></sup></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: center;">
New York City traces its roots to its 1624 founding as a trading post by colonists of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Republic" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Dutch Republic">Dutch Republic</a> and was named <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Amsterdam" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New Amsterdam">New Amsterdam</a> in 1626.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-u-s-history.com_37-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-u-s-history.com-37" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[37]</a></sup> The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-u-s-history.com_37-1" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-u-s-history.com-37" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[37]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-38" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-38" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[38]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-39" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-39" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[39]</a></sup>New York served as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_capitals_in_the_United_States#Former_national_capitals" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of capitals in the United States">capital of the United States</a> from 1785 until 1790.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-senate_40-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-senate-40" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[40]</a></sup> It has been the country's largest city since 1790.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-41" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-41" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[41]</a></sup> The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Liberty" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Statue of Liberty">Statue of Liberty</a> greeted millions of <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigrants" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Immigrants">immigrants</a> as they came to the Americas by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-42" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-42" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[42]</a></sup> and is a globally recognized symbol of the United States and its democracy.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-43" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-43" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[43]</a></sup></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: center;">
Many districts and landmarks in New York City have become well known, and the city received a record 56 million tourists in 2014,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NYCTouristCount_44-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-NYCTouristCount-44" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[44]</a></sup> hosting three of the world's ten most visited tourist attractions in 2013.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Ann_Shields_45-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-Ann_Shields-45" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[45]</a></sup> Several sources have ranked New York the most photographed city in the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-46" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-46" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[46]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-47" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-47" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[47]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-48" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-48" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[48]</a></sup> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Times Square">Times Square</a>, iconic as the world's "heart"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TransformingTimesSquare_49-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-TransformingTimesSquare-49" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[49]</a></sup> and its "Crossroads",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-50" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-50" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[50]</a></sup> is the brightly illuminated hub of the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway_Theater_District" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Broadway Theater District">Broadway Theater District</a>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-51" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-51" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[51]</a></sup>one of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Joshua_Pramis_52-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-Joshua_Pramis-52" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[52]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-53" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-53" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[53]</a></sup> and a major center of the world's entertainment industry.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-54" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-54" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[54]</a></sup> The names of many of the city's <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridges_and_tunnels_in_New_York_City" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Bridges and tunnels in New York City">bridges</a>, <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tallest_buildings_in_New_York_City" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Tallest buildings in New York City">skyscrapers</a>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-55" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-55" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[55]</a></sup> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_York_City_parks" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of New York City parks">parks</a> are known around the world. Anchored by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Wall Street">Wall Street</a> in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_District,_Manhattan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Financial District, Manhattan">Financial District</a> of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Manhattan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Lower Manhattan">Lower Manhattan</a>, New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading financial center of the world,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-WorldEconomicAndFinancialSuperCenter_21-1" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-WorldEconomicAndFinancialSuperCenter-21" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[21]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-EconomicallyPowerful2015_56-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-EconomicallyPowerful2015-56" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[56]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-57" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-57" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[57]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-58" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-58" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[58]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-59" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-59" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[59]</a></sup> and the city is home to the world's two <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stock_exchanges" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of stock exchanges">largest stock exchanges</a> by total <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_capitalization" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Market capitalization">market capitalization</a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Stock_Exchange" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New York Stock Exchange">New York Stock Exchange</a> and<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASDAQ" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="NASDAQ">NASDAQ</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NYSElargest_60-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-NYSElargest-60" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[60]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NYSEhighestcap_61-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-NYSEhighestcap-61" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[61]</a></sup> Manhattan's real estate market is among the most expensive in the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-62" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-62" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[62]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-63" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-63" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[63]</a></sup> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatown,_Manhattan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Chinatown, Manhattan">Manhattan's Chinatown</a> incorporates the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-64" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-64" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[64]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-65" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-65" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[65]</a></sup> with multiple signature Chinatowns developing across the city.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-66" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-66" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[66]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-67" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-67" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[67]</a></sup> Providing continuous 24/7 service,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-twentyfour_68-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-twentyfour-68" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[68]</a></sup> the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City Subway">New York City Subway</a> is one of the most extensive <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_transit" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Rapid transit">metro</a> systems worldwide, with 469 stations in operation.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-69" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-69" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[69]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-70" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-70" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[70]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-71" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-71" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[71]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-72" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-72" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[72]</a></sup> New York City's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_colleges_and_universities_in_New_York_City" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of colleges and universities in New York City">higher education network</a> comprises over 120 colleges and universities, including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_University" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Columbia University">Columbia University</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_University" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New York University">New York University</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockefeller_University" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Rockefeller University">Rockefeller University</a>, which have been ranked among the top 35 in the world.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-73" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-73" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[73]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-74" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City#cite_note-74" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[74]</a>"</sup></div>
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Well, who needs an introduction to NYC? </div>
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So happy to be back in one of the favourite cities in the world. =)</div>
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It is still very expensive!!!</div>
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We had to order 2 UberXL (ie. SUVs) to bring us from Newark Airport to our Airbnb Apartment in Harlem as we have so many luggage.</div>
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The cost was US$83/vehicle. (ie. S$115). </div>
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So we just spent S$230 on airport transfer!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0IHt17HmgKA/Vit2C3yJ7dI/AAAAAAAALBY/NcDczDIWYqs/s1600/Day%2B10%2B-%2B%2BVegas%2Bto%2BNYC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0IHt17HmgKA/Vit2C3yJ7dI/AAAAAAAALBY/NcDczDIWYqs/s640/Day%2B10%2B-%2B%2BVegas%2Bto%2BNYC.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pretty nice Airbnb Apartment in New York City (Harlem).</div>
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For 3 nights, we paid US$1650 (S$2300). That is about US$550/night (S$770/night).</div>
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That's really expensive considering that Harlem is not a safe district and is quite far from downtown Manhattan. But that is one of the best offers, we managed to source. This is New York! It is 3-bedroom apartment with small kitchens and 2 bathrooms. Pretty spacious for New York Standard. Convenient Store is just below!! Most importantly, there are enough space for the kids to run around and play.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--86BaIOx6ps/Vit2E-UEW3I/AAAAAAAALB0/pO93kZ4-NTw/s1600/IMG_3073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--86BaIOx6ps/Vit2E-UEW3I/AAAAAAAALB0/pO93kZ4-NTw/s640/IMG_3073.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Bought grocery and simple dinner (ie. Sandwich) from the local grocery store.</div>
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Yes, my dad was complaining not having Asian food. =(</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3uwnM4auC20/Vit2FRULcSI/AAAAAAAALCE/GjBNNZiI1BY/s1600/IMG_3076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3uwnM4auC20/Vit2FRULcSI/AAAAAAAALCE/GjBNNZiI1BY/s640/IMG_3076.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Taking the subway.</div>
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My parents were quite surprised that New York's subway was so rundown.</div>
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When we came back to Singapore, my father commented that USA is not exactly as good as he thought. Haha... </div>
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<b><u>TIME SQUARE</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square">Wiki:</a> "<b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Times Square</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">is a major commercial intersection and neighborhood in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midtown_Manhattan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Midtown Manhattan">Midtown Manhattan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City">New York City</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, at the junction of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Broadway (Manhattan)">Broadway</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh_Avenue_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Seventh Avenue (Manhattan)">Seventh Avenue</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, and stretching from West</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/42nd_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="42nd Street (Manhattan)">42nd</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">to West</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/47th_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="47th Street (Manhattan)">47th Streets</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Brightly adorned with billboards and advertisements, Times Square is sometimes referred to as The Crossroads of the World,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_referred_to_as_the_Center_of_the_Universe" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of places referred to as the Center of the Universe">The Center of the Universe</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-3" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[3]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">the heart of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_White_Way" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="The Great White Way">The Great White Way</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-5" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[5]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-6" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[6]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and the "heart of the world".</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TransformingTimesSquare_7-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-TransformingTimesSquare-7" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">One of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-8" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[8]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">it is also the hub of the</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway_theatre" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Broadway theatre">Broadway</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theater_District,_Manhattan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Theater District, Manhattan">Theater District</a><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-9" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[9]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and a major center of the world's</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entertainment_industry" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Entertainment industry">entertainment industry</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-10" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[10]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Times Square is one of the world's most visited tourist attractions, drawing an estimated fifty million visitors annually.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-11" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[11]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Approximately 330,000 people pass through Times Square daily, many of them tourists;</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-12" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[12]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">while over 460,000 pedestrians walk through Times Square on its busiest days.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-TransformingTimesSquare_7-1" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-TransformingTimesSquare-7" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup></div>
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Formerly <b>Longacre Square</b>, Times Square was renamed in 1904 after <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a></i> moved its headquarters to the newly erected <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Times_Square" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="One Times Square">Times Building</a>, the site of the annual <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square_Ball" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Times Square Ball">ball drop</a> which began on December 31, 1907, and continues today, attracting over a million visitors to Times Square every <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year%27s_Eve" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New Year's Eve">New Year's Eve</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-13" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[13]</a></sup></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duffy_Square" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Duffy Square">Duffy Square</a>, the northernmost of Times Square's triangles, was dedicated in 1937 to Chaplain <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_P._Duffy" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Francis P. Duffy">Francis P. Duffy</a> of New York City's <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._69th_Infantry_Regiment" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="U.S. 69th Infantry Regiment">U.S. 69th Infantry Regiment</a> and is the site of a memorial to him, along with a statue of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M._Cohan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="George M. Cohan">George M. Cohan</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-14" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square#cite_note-14" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[14]</a>"</sup></div>
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When I was younger, I always saw on the news about the New Year Eve countdown in Time Square. I told myself that I want to do it as well, and yes, I did it many years ago and it was quite an experience. Very tiring, but totally worth it. I might not do it again.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S-Atusi7ZI4/Vit2GHh047I/AAAAAAAALCI/5Xsjcp2YDzU/s1600/IMG_3081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S-Atusi7ZI4/Vit2GHh047I/AAAAAAAALCI/5Xsjcp2YDzU/s640/IMG_3081.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Going to Time Square</div>
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Love the Billboards and Neon Lights in Time Square.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ExFpJVeVTVY/Vit2BEm4vxI/AAAAAAAALBA/9KGoC0G-XIM/s1600/DSC_0669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ExFpJVeVTVY/Vit2BEm4vxI/AAAAAAAALBA/9KGoC0G-XIM/s640/DSC_0669.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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=)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9TlJnZhzd3k/Vit2BFnZMfI/AAAAAAAALA8/uq-VvO5cAjU/s1600/DSC_0677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9TlJnZhzd3k/Vit2BFnZMfI/AAAAAAAALA8/uq-VvO5cAjU/s640/DSC_0677.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's good to be back!!!!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5V0GZDmpPYc/Vit2CYKh2cI/AAAAAAAALBM/ylN9I2l8sLQ/s1600/DSC_0684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5V0GZDmpPYc/Vit2CYKh2cI/AAAAAAAALBM/ylN9I2l8sLQ/s640/DSC_0684.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Love it!!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CPvTL9LvMqg/Vit2HY7WDPI/AAAAAAAALCU/D4-Nau9HAGo/s1600/IMG_3092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CPvTL9LvMqg/Vit2HY7WDPI/AAAAAAAALCU/D4-Nau9HAGo/s640/IMG_3092.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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So happy to revisit Time Square with my family.</div>
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(Clearly, the kids were really tired.)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0V5z-R2WN24/Vit2BIJxHcI/AAAAAAAALBE/XU17G-ffixw/s1600/DSC_0683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0V5z-R2WN24/Vit2BIJxHcI/AAAAAAAALBE/XU17G-ffixw/s640/DSC_0683.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Papa and Mama in Time Square, New York City.</div>
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<br />Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-564022738065756722015-08-15T06:15:00.003-07:002015-10-24T06:30:20.152-07:00Day 11 - New York City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YF5a9PNUhe0/ViuCmd9mmcI/AAAAAAAALEw/8pWFEtfWUsA/s1600/IMG_3105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YF5a9PNUhe0/ViuCmd9mmcI/AAAAAAAALEw/8pWFEtfWUsA/s400/IMG_3105.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Our daily morning ritual => preparing food for the kids / showering the kids / Feeding the kids.</div>
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<b><u>NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway">Wiki: </a>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">New York City Subway</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">is a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_transit" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Rapid transit">rapid transit</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">system owned by the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City">City of New York</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and leased to the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Transit_Authority" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City Transit Authority">New York City Transit Authority</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Hood.2C_Clifton_2004_16-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway#cite_note-Hood.2C_Clifton_2004-16" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[10]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">a subsidiary agency of the state-run</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Transportation_Authority_(New_York)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York)">Metropolitan Transportation Authority</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. The New York City Subway is one of the world's oldest public transit systems, one of the world's most used metro systems, and the metro system with the most stations and the most trackage. It offers rail service 24 hours per day and every day of the year.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway#cite_note-17" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[11]</a></sup></div>
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The New York City Subway is the largest rapid transit system in the world by number of stations, with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_York_City_Subway_stations" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of New York City Subway stations">469 stations in operation</a> (422, if stations connected by transfers are counted as single stations).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ridership2014_3-4" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway#cite_note-ridership2014-3" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup> Stations are located throughout the boroughs of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Manhattan">Manhattan</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Brooklyn">Brooklyn</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queens" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Queens">Queens</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bronx" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="The Bronx">the Bronx</a>. While <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staten_Island" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Staten Island">Staten Island</a> does have a rail line, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staten_Island_Railway" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Staten Island Railway">Staten Island Railway</a>, it is not officially considered part of the subway, due to its lack of any direct rail link with the subway system, so any passengers wishing to reach another borough must take a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staten_Island_Ferry" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Staten Island Ferry">ferry</a> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTA_Regional_Bus_Operations" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="MTA Regional Bus Operations">bus</a>. The <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Authority_Trans-Hudson" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Port Authority Trans-Hudson">Port Authority Trans-Hudson</a> and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirTrain_JFK" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="AirTrain JFK">AirTrain JFK</a>, in Manhattan and Queens respectively, accept the subway's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetroCard_(New_York_City)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="MetroCard (New York City)">MetroCard</a> but are not part of the subway; thus, free transfers are not allowed.</div>
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The system is also one of the world's longest. Overall, the system contains 233 miles (375 km) of routes,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NY-MTA-2011-Annual-Report_11-1" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway#cite_note-NY-MTA-2011-Annual-Report-11" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[5]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NYCSubway.org_13-3" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway#cite_note-NYCSubway.org-13" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup>translating into 660 miles (1,060 km) of revenue track;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NYCSubway.org_13-4" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway#cite_note-NYCSubway.org-13" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nyt20150914_14-1" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway#cite_note-nyt20150914-14" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[8]</a></sup> and a total of 846 miles (1,362 km) including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-revenue_track" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Non-revenue track">non-revenue trackage</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NYCSubway.org_13-5" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway#cite_note-NYCSubway.org-13" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup></div>
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By annual ridership, the New York City Subway is the busiest rapid transit rail system in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="United States">United States</a> and in the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_world" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Western world">Western world</a>, as well as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metro_systems" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of metro systems">seventh busiest rapid transit rail system</a> in the world; the metro (subway) systems in<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing_Subway" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Beijing Subway">Beijing</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul_Metropolitan_Subway" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Seoul Metropolitan Subway">Seoul</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghai_Metro" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Shanghai Metro">Shanghai</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Metro" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Moscow Metro">Moscow</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Metro" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Tokyo Metro">Tokyo</a>, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guangzhou_Metro" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Guangzhou Metro">Guangzhou</a> record a higher annual ridership.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway#cite_note-18" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[12]</a></sup> In 2014, the subway delivered over 1.75 billion rides, averaging approximately 5.6 million daily rides on weekdays and a combined 5.9 million rides each weekend (3.2 million on Saturdays; 2.7 million on Sundays).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-ridership2014_3-5" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway#cite_note-ridership2014-3" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup> Ridership continues to increase, and on September 23, 2014, more than 6.1 million people rode the subway system, establishing the highest single-day ridership since ridership was regularly monitored in 1985.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway#cite_note-19" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[13]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway#cite_note-20" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[note 7]</a></sup></div>
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All services pass through Manhattan except for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G_(New_York_City_Subway_service)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="G (New York City Subway service)">G</a> train, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Avenue_Shuttle" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Franklin Avenue Shuttle">Franklin Avenue Shuttle</a>, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockaway_Park_Shuttle" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Rockaway Park Shuttle">Rockaway Park Shuttle</a>. Large portions of the subway outside Manhattan are elevated, on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embankment_(transportation)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Embankment (transportation)">embankments</a>, or in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cut_(earthmoving)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Cut (earthmoving)">open cuts</a>, and a few stretches of track run at ground level. In total, 40% of track is not underground despite the "subway" moniker. Many lines and stations have both <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Express_train" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Express train">express</a> and local services. These lines have three or four tracks. Normally, the outer two are used for local trains, while the inner one or two are used for express trains. Stations served by express trains are typically major transfer points or destinations."</div>
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How do the handicap take NY Subway?</div>
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https://www.google.com.sg/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=how%20do%20handicap%20take%20subway%3F</div>
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Tough!!</div>
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Old Network</div>
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Street View</div>
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<b><u>ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_World_Trade_Center">Wiki:</a>"<b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">One World Trade Center</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">(also known as</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">1 World Trade Center</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">One WTC</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">1 WTC</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">; the current building was dubbed the "</span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Freedom Tower</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">" during initial</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basework" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Basework">basework</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">) refers to the main building of the new</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center_(2001%E2%80%93present)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="World Trade Center (2001–present)">World Trade Center</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">complex in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Manhattan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Lower Manhattan">Lower Manhattan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, New York City.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-12" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_World_Trade_Center#cite_note-12" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[12]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">It is the tallest</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyscraper" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Skyscraper">skyscraper</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Hemisphere" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Western Hemisphere">Western Hemisphere</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, and the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_the_world#Tallest_buildings_in_the_world" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of tallest buildings in the world">fifth-tallest in the world</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. The 104-story</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supertall_structure" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Supertall structure">supertall structure</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">shares a numeric name with the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tenants_in_One_World_Trade_Center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of tenants in One World Trade Center">North Tower</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">of the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center_(1973%E2%80%932001)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="World Trade Center (1973–2001)">original World Trade Center</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, which was destroyed in the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="September 11 attacks">terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. The new skyscraper stands on the northwest corner of the 16-acre (6.5 ha)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center_site" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="World Trade Center site">World Trade Center site</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, on the site of the original</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6_World_Trade_Center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="6 World Trade Center">6 World Trade Center</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. The building is bounded by</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Highway" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="West Side Highway">West Street</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">to the west,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesey_Street" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Vesey Street">Vesey Street</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">to the north,</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulton_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Fulton Street (Manhattan)">Fulton Street</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">to the south, and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Washington Street (Manhattan)">Washington Street</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">to the east.</span></div>
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Construction of below-ground utility relocations, footings, and foundations for the new building began on April 27, 2006. One World Trade Center became the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_New_York_City" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of tallest buildings in New York City">tallest structure in New York City</a> on April 30, 2012, when it surpassed the height of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Empire State Building">Empire State Building</a>. The tower's steel structure was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topping_out" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Topping out">topped out</a> on August 30, 2012. On May 10, 2013, the final component of the skyscraper's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spire" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Spire">spire</a> was installed, making the building, including its spire, reach a total height of 1,776 feet (541 m). Its height in feet is a deliberate reference to the year when the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="United States Declaration of Independence">United States Declaration of Independence</a> was signed. The building opened on November 3, 2014.</div>
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On March 30, 2009, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Authority_of_New_York_and_New_Jersey" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Port Authority of New York and New Jersey">Port Authority of New York and New Jersey</a> confirmed that the building would be officially known by its legal name of "One World Trade Center", rather than its colloquial name of "Freedom Tower". The building is 104 standard floors high, but the tower has only 94 actual stories.</div>
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The new World Trade Center complex will eventually include five <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-rise" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="High-rise">high-rise</a> office buildings built along Greenwich Street, as well as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_September_11_Memorial_%26_Museum" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="National September 11 Memorial & Museum">National September 11 Memorial & Museum</a>, located just south of One World Trade Center where the original Twin Towers stood. The construction of the new building is part of an effort to memorialize and rebuild following the destruction of the original World Trade Center complex."</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-obqGeBeT3Uk/ViuCgaOpIgI/AAAAAAAALC8/d-HMxdzVIEc/s1600/DSC_0703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-obqGeBeT3Uk/ViuCgaOpIgI/AAAAAAAALC8/d-HMxdzVIEc/s640/DSC_0703.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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One World Trade Center</div>
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It's a tough job to take a good photos.</div>
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=)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6gwu6R9bPIU/ViuCnaMg77I/AAAAAAAALE4/X0DOGC_GtCk/s1600/IMG_3110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6gwu6R9bPIU/ViuCnaMg77I/AAAAAAAALE4/X0DOGC_GtCk/s640/IMG_3110.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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911 Memorial & Museum</div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_September_11_Memorial_%26_Museum">Wiki: </a>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Two 1-acre (4,000 m</span><sup style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1;">2</sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">) pools with the largest man-made waterfalls in the United States comprise the footprints of the Twin Towers, symbolizing the loss of life and the physical void left by the attacks. The waterfalls are intended to mute the sounds of the city, making the site a contemplative sanctuary."</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-clfXTCHbR5k/ViuChG0w_5I/AAAAAAAALDM/SF0QVfV0hZU/s1600/DSC_0724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-clfXTCHbR5k/ViuChG0w_5I/AAAAAAAALDM/SF0QVfV0hZU/s640/DSC_0724.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Keena was enjoying herself. =)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9u-U3-I3Hus/ViuChk6j7DI/AAAAAAAALDU/1LTuP8mKDos/s1600/DSC_0727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9u-U3-I3Hus/ViuChk6j7DI/AAAAAAAALDU/1LTuP8mKDos/s640/DSC_0727.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lunch Time!!!</div>
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Keena was really having fun! </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eX5Fp59Ffvw/ViuCoGlfnwI/AAAAAAAALFA/O8jt_a8x5gs/s1600/IMG_3116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eX5Fp59Ffvw/ViuCoGlfnwI/AAAAAAAALFA/O8jt_a8x5gs/s640/IMG_3116.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lower Manhattan</div>
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<i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">"Where liberty is </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">there is my country" </span></i></div>
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- Benjamin Franklin</div>
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Skyline of Lower Manhattan</div>
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<b><u>STATUE OF LIBERTY</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Liberty">Wiki:</a> "<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Statue of Liberty</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">(</span><i style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"><b>Liberty Enlightening the World</b></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">;</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="French language">French</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><i style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">La Liberté éclairant le monde</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">) is a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="extiw" href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/colossus#English" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #663366; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="wikt:colossus">colossal</a><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoclassical_sculpture" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Neoclassical sculpture">neoclassical sculpture</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">on</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Island" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Liberty Island">Liberty Island</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Harbor" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York Harbor">New York Harbor</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City">New York City</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, in the United States. The copper statue, designed by</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Auguste_Bartholdi" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi">Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, a French sculptor, was built by</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Eiffel" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Gustave Eiffel">Gustave Eiffel</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and dedicated on October 28, 1886. It was a gift to the United States from the people of France.</span></div>
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The statue is of a robed female figure representing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertas" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Libertas">Libertas</a>, the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_god" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Roman god">Roman goddess</a>, who bears a torch and a <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabula_ansata" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Tabula ansata">tabula ansata</a></i> (a tablet evoking the law) upon which is inscribed the date of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="United States Declaration of Independence">American Declaration of Independence</a>, July 4, 1776. A broken chain lies at her feet. The statue is an icon of freedom and of the United States, and was a welcoming sight to immigrants arriving from abroad.</div>
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Bartholdi was inspired by French law professor and politician <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89douard_Ren%C3%A9_de_Laboulaye" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Édouard René de Laboulaye">Édouard René de Laboulaye</a>, who is said to have commented in 1865 that any monument raised to American independence would properly be a joint project of the French and American peoples. He may have been minded to honor the Union victory in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="American Civil War">American Civil War</a> and the end of slavery. Due to the troubled <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_France#Second_Empire.2C_1852-1871" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="History of France">political situation in France</a>, work on the statue did not commence until the early 1870s. In 1875, Laboulaye proposed that the French finance the statue and the Americans provide the site and build the pedestal. Bartholdi completed the head and the torch-bearing arm before the statue was fully designed, and these pieces were exhibited for publicity at international expositions.</div>
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The torch-bearing arm was displayed at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Exposition" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Centennial Exposition">Centennial Exposition</a> in Philadelphia in 1876, and in <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_Square_Park" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Madison Square Park">Madison Square Park</a>in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Manhattan">Manhattan</a> from 1876 to 1882. Fundraising proved difficult, especially for the Americans, and by 1885 work on the pedestal was threatened due to lack of funds. Publisher <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Pulitzer" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Joseph Pulitzer">Joseph Pulitzer</a> of the <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_World" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New York World">New York World</a></i> started a drive for donations to complete the project that attracted more than 120,000 contributors, most of whom gave less than a dollar. The statue was constructed in France, shipped overseas in crates, and assembled on the completed pedestal on what was then called Bedloe's Island. The statue's completion was marked by New York's first <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ticker-tape_parade" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Ticker-tape parade">ticker-tape parade</a> and a dedication ceremony presided over by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="President of the United States">President</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover_Cleveland" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Grover Cleveland">Grover Cleveland</a>.</div>
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The statue was administered by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Lighthouse_Board" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="United States Lighthouse Board">United States Lighthouse Board</a> until 1901 and then by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_War" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="United States Department of War">Department of War</a>; since 1933 it has been maintained by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Park_Service" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="National Park Service">National Park Service</a>. The statue was closed for renovation for much of 1938. In the early 1980s, it was found to have deteriorated to such an extent that a major restoration was required. While the statue was closed from 1984 to 1986, the torch and a large part of the internal structure were replaced. After the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="September 11 attacks">September 11 attacks</a> in 2001, it was closed for reasons of safety and security; the pedestal reopened in 2004 and the statue in 2009, with limits on the number of visitors allowed to ascend to the crown. The statue, including the pedestal and base, was closed for a year until October 28, 2012, so that a secondary staircase and other safety features could be installed; Liberty Island remained open. However, one day after the reopening, Liberty Island closed due to the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Hurricane_Sandy_in_New_York" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Effects of Hurricane Sandy in New York">effects of Hurricane Sandy in New York</a>; the statue and island opened again on July 4, 2013. Public access to the balcony surrounding the torch has been barred for safety reasons since 1916."</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I0zH5HbzIJU/ViuCjj-7JCI/AAAAAAAALD0/jn338MtkSPc/s1600/DSC_0765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I0zH5HbzIJU/ViuCjj-7JCI/AAAAAAAALD0/jn338MtkSPc/s640/DSC_0765.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Took a tour to Statue of Liberty.</div>
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Previously when I was here, I could not afford the tour, so I took the free ferry to Staten Island.</div>
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Somehow, this trip was revisiting the sites that I could not afford to visit previously. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9LHdEtOYSzk/ViuCj-6Y3YI/AAAAAAAALD4/O9gr6I5EnrI/s1600/DSC_0785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9LHdEtOYSzk/ViuCj-6Y3YI/AAAAAAAALD4/O9gr6I5EnrI/s640/DSC_0785.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cKdu7-dX744/ViuCkKvQsmI/AAAAAAAALEA/qbAt0HMTysU/s1600/DSC_0793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cKdu7-dX744/ViuCkKvQsmI/AAAAAAAALEA/qbAt0HMTysU/s640/DSC_0793.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I love this photo.</div>
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Statue of Liberty overlooking Manhattan. =)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ErlB4i5rhoM/ViuCk8xwBAI/AAAAAAAALEQ/JlzM02sKyRY/s1600/DSC_0811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ErlB4i5rhoM/ViuCk8xwBAI/AAAAAAAALEQ/JlzM02sKyRY/s640/DSC_0811.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hhphQG53_5I/ViuClBuKqXI/AAAAAAAALEU/LUCEy_32cEE/s1600/DSC_0817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hhphQG53_5I/ViuClBuKqXI/AAAAAAAALEU/LUCEy_32cEE/s640/DSC_0817.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Close-up</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c6MrsQ4N0hk/ViuCo2dMSXI/AAAAAAAALFM/IsP9614sSRk/s1600/IMG_3156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c6MrsQ4N0hk/ViuCo2dMSXI/AAAAAAAALFM/IsP9614sSRk/s640/IMG_3156.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Keena was having fun with my camera.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NhO0mI52YVM/ViuCq6c_vgI/AAAAAAAALFo/M8edKX7c4eE/s1600/IMG_3176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="402" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NhO0mI52YVM/ViuCq6c_vgI/AAAAAAAALFo/M8edKX7c4eE/s640/IMG_3176.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Twins</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BE1Iw9eTg4k/ViuCpzzpwPI/AAAAAAAALFY/Os3zN4t9Zwc/s1600/IMG_3161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BE1Iw9eTg4k/ViuCpzzpwPI/AAAAAAAALFY/Os3zN4t9Zwc/s640/IMG_3161.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Street of New York</div>
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Love it!!!</div>
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<b><u>WALL STREET</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street">Wiki:</a> "<b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Wall Street</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">is a 0.7-mile-long (1.1 km) street running eight blocks, roughly northwest to southeast, from</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Broadway (Manhattan)">Broadway</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">to</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="South Street (Manhattan)">South Street</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">on the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_River" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="East River">East River</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_District,_Manhattan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Financial District, Manhattan">Financial District</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Manhattan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Lower Manhattan">lower</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Manhattan">Manhattan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City">New York City</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street#cite_note-2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Over time, the term has become a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metonym" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Metonym">metonym</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, the American financial sector (even if financial firms are not physically located there), or signifying New York-based financial interests.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street#cite_note-3" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[3]</a></sup></div>
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Anchored by Wall Street, New York City has been called both the most economically powerful city and the leading <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_center" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Financial center">financial center</a> of the world,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-EconomicallyPowerful2015_4-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street#cite_note-EconomicallyPowerful2015-4" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-WorldEconomicAndFinancialSuperCenter_5-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street#cite_note-WorldEconomicAndFinancialSuperCenter-5" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[5]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street#cite_note-6" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[6]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street#cite_note-7" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street#cite_note-8" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[8]</a></sup> and the city is home to the world's two <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stock_exchanges" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of stock exchanges">largest stock exchanges</a> by total <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_capitalization" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Market capitalization">market capitalization</a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Stock_Exchange" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New York Stock Exchange">New York Stock Exchange</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASDAQ" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="NASDAQ">NASDAQ</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NYSEhighestcap_1-1" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street#cite_note-NYSEhighestcap-1" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-NYSElargest_9-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street#cite_note-NYSElargest-9" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[9]</a></sup> Several other major exchanges have or had headquarters in the Wall Street area, including the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Mercantile_Exchange" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New York Mercantile Exchange">New York Mercantile Exchange</a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Board_of_Trade" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New York Board of Trade">New York Board of Trade</a>, and the former <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Stock_Exchange" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="American Stock Exchange">American Stock Exchange</a>."</div>
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Wall Street.</div>
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I always imagined myself working in Wall Street (the center of the world capitalism headquarter).</div>
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Not sure if this dream could realise. </div>
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At least, I managed to make transition into the financial sector.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0jyj6hMe-9k/ViuCmNMkFII/AAAAAAAALEk/xe5jjN3zDYM/s1600/DSC_0882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0jyj6hMe-9k/ViuCmNMkFII/AAAAAAAALEk/xe5jjN3zDYM/s640/DSC_0882.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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NYSE</div>
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Sleeping beauties of Wall Street</div>
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Chinatown of New York!!</div>
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Finally, some Chinese food for my dad.</div>
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Hardworking Student.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; text-align: left;">Doing her homework (at her own accord), even though she is on vacation at the other side of the globe. </span><i class="_4-k1 img sp_fM-mz8spZ1b sx_5371b4" style="background-color: white; background-image: url(https://fbstatic-a.akamaihd.net/rsrc.php/v2/yx/r/pimRBh7B6ER.png); background-position: 0px -340px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: auto; color: #141823; display: inline-block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; height: 16px; line-height: 19.32px; text-align: left; vertical-align: -3px; width: 16px;"><u style="left: -999999px; position: absolute;">smile emoticon</u></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; text-align: left;"> .</span></div>
<br />Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-51494347101837193272015-08-15T06:15:00.001-07:002015-10-24T07:10:30.167-07:00Day 12 - New York City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><u>EMPIRE STATE BUILDING</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building">Wiki:</a>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Empire State Building</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">is a 102-story</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-skyscrapercenter_8-8" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building#cite_note-skyscrapercenter-8" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-emporis_9-2" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building#cite_note-emporis-9" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[8]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-skypage_10-1" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building#cite_note-skypage-10" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[9]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Floor_count_11-1" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building#cite_note-Floor_count-11" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[note 2]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_skyscrapers" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Early skyscrapers">skyscraper</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">located in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midtown_Manhattan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Midtown Manhattan">Midtown Manhattan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City">New York City</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, on</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Avenue" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Fifth Avenue">Fifth Avenue</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">between West</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/33rd_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="33rd Street (Manhattan)">33rd</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/34th_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="34th Street (Manhattan)">34th</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Streets. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet (381 m), and with its</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_tower" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Antenna tower">antenna</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 feet (443 m) high.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-skyscrapercenter_8-9" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building#cite_note-skyscrapercenter-8" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Its name is derived from the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_nicknames" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of U.S. state nicknames">nickname</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">for</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York">New York</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Empire State">Empire State</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. It stood as the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_and_structures_in_the_world" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of tallest buildings and structures in the world">world's tallest building</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">for nearly 40 years, from its completion in early 1931 until the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topping_out" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Topping out">topping out</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">of the original</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center_(1973%E2%80%932001)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="World Trade Center (1973–2001)">World Trade Center</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">'s North Tower in late 1970.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building#cite_note-16" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[14]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Following the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="September 11 attacks">September 11 attacks</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in 2001, the Empire State Building was again the tallest building in New York, until</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_World_Trade_Center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="One World Trade Center">One World Trade Center</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">reached a greater height in April 2012.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building#cite_note-17" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[15]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The Empire State Building is currently the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_the_United_States" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of tallest buildings in the United States">fifth-tallest completed skyscraper in the United States</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_the_world" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of tallest buildings in the world">25th-tallest in the world</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. It is also the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_freestanding_structures_in_the_world" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of tallest freestanding structures in the world">fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the Americas</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. When measured by</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinnacle" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Pinnacle">pinnacle</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">height, it is the fourth-tallest building in the United States.</span></div>
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The Empire State Building is generally thought of as an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="United States">American</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_icon" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Cultural icon">cultural icon</a>. It is designed in the distinctive <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Deco" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Art Deco">Art Deco</a>style and has been named as one of the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Wonders_of_the_Modern_World" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Seven Wonders of the Modern World">Seven Wonders of the Modern World</a> by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Society_of_Civil_Engineers" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="American Society of Civil Engineers">American Society of Civil Engineers</a>. The building and its street floor interior are designated landmarks of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Landmarks_Preservation_Commission" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission">New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission</a>, and confirmed by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Board_of_Estimate" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City Board of Estimate">New York City Board of Estimate</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-AIA_18-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building#cite_note-AIA-18" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[16]</a></sup> It was designated as a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Historic_Landmark" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="National Historic Landmark">National Historic Landmark</a> in 1986.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nhlsum_14-1" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building#cite_note-nhlsum-14" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[12]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nhlnom_19-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building#cite_note-nhlnom-19" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[17]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nrhpphotos_20-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building#cite_note-nrhpphotos-20" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[18]</a></sup> In 2007, it was ranked number one on the AIA's List of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America%27s_Favorite_Architecture" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="America's Favorite Architecture">America's Favorite Architecture</a>."</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DaK3ggKc9t4/ViuM_6xdjAI/AAAAAAAALH4/v_nl5STjYM0/s1600/IMG_3192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DaK3ggKc9t4/ViuM_6xdjAI/AAAAAAAALH4/v_nl5STjYM0/s400/IMG_3192.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Empire State Building is one of the places that I did visit previously, as I can't afford it. </div>
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When I saw the pictures taken by my friend, I was disappointed that I did not pay for it. </div>
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So I am glad that I am back!! =)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-11RYa7cnGxA/ViuM_Yprz1I/AAAAAAAALH0/qXHI2NyzWFo/s1600/IMG_3189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-11RYa7cnGxA/ViuM_Yprz1I/AAAAAAAALH0/qXHI2NyzWFo/s640/IMG_3189.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Empire State Building</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dkiO1mrseDM/ViuM59nngjI/AAAAAAAALGg/TJZp5JAryKc/s1600/DSC_0887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dkiO1mrseDM/ViuM59nngjI/AAAAAAAALGg/TJZp5JAryKc/s640/DSC_0887.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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View from the top</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZltIP3miL9Y/ViuM5w0tvAI/AAAAAAAALGc/zynoEMruKBY/s1600/DSC_0891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZltIP3miL9Y/ViuM5w0tvAI/AAAAAAAALGc/zynoEMruKBY/s640/DSC_0891.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Chrysler Building</div>
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Stunning!!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CNP5BiRV8oE/ViuM5w6kLCI/AAAAAAAALGY/Pwww96Y6sQw/s1600/DSC_0899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CNP5BiRV8oE/ViuM5w6kLCI/AAAAAAAALGY/Pwww96Y6sQw/s640/DSC_0899.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Central Park at the back</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rJ7BNHROWas/ViuM7Ryi09I/AAAAAAAALGw/vcba5RJV59c/s1600/DSC_0911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rJ7BNHROWas/ViuM7Ryi09I/AAAAAAAALGw/vcba5RJV59c/s640/DSC_0911.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Manhattan!!!</div>
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Beautiful!!!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_BO5fRvgtkI/ViuM7s5g03I/AAAAAAAALG4/bF9HOM9Ws8s/s1600/DSC_0914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_BO5fRvgtkI/ViuM7s5g03I/AAAAAAAALG4/bF9HOM9Ws8s/s640/DSC_0914.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lower Manhattan and Statue of Liberty (at the right hand corner)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SQ5xRyrM3-Y/ViuM79xKXNI/AAAAAAAALG8/ji_lsY_FLg0/s1600/DSC_0919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SQ5xRyrM3-Y/ViuM79xKXNI/AAAAAAAALG8/ji_lsY_FLg0/s640/DSC_0919.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Love New York!!!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; text-align: left;">I have been to many big cities around the globe. NYC is a class of its own. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; text-align: left;">Love it!!!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fvidYYsh9Ic/ViuM8auTb-I/AAAAAAAALHM/lb8DJfE_vlo/s1600/DSC_0923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fvidYYsh9Ic/ViuM8auTb-I/AAAAAAAALHM/lb8DJfE_vlo/s640/DSC_0923.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Iconic building (Triangular shaped building) - Flatiron Building</div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_Building">Wiki: </a>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Flatiron Building</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, originally the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Fuller Building</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, is a triangular 22-story</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nycland_4-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_Building#cite_note-nycland-4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">steel-framed landmarked building located at 175</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Avenue_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Fifth Avenue (Manhattan)">Fifth Avenue</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borough_(New_York_City)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Borough (New York City)">borough</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Manhattan">Manhattan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City">New York City</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, and is considered to be a groundbreaking</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyscraper" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Skyscraper">skyscraper</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. Upon completion in 1902, it was one of the tallest buildings in the city at 20 floors high,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_Building#cite_note-5" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[5]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and one of only two skyscrapers north of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="14th Street (Manhattan)">14th Street</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">– the other being the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Life_Insurance_Company_Tower" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower">Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, one block east. The building sits on a triangular block formed by</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Avenue_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Fifth Avenue (Manhattan)">Fifth Avenue</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Broadway (Manhattan)">Broadway</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/22nd_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="22nd Street (Manhattan)">East 22nd Street</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, with</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23rd_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="23rd Street (Manhattan)">23rd Street</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">grazing the triangle's northern (uptown) peak. As with numerous other wedge-shaped buildings, the name "Flatiron" derives from its resemblance to a cast-iron</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clothes_iron" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Clothes iron">clothes iron</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_Building#cite_note-6" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[6]</a></sup></div>
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The building, which has been called "[o]ne of the world's most iconic skyscrapers, and a quintessential symbol of New York City",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-treasure_7-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_Building#cite_note-treasure-7" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup> anchors the south (downtown) end of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_Square" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Madison Square">Madison Square</a> and the north (uptown) end of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladies%27_Mile_Historic_District" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Ladies' Mile Historic District">Ladies' Mile Historic District</a>. The neighborhood around it is called the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_District,_Manhattan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Flatiron District, Manhattan">Flatiron District</a> after its signature building, which has become an icon of New York City.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_Building#cite_note-8" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[8]</a></sup> The building was designated a <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_New_York_City_Landmarks" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of New York City Landmarks">New York City landmark</a> in 1966,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nycland_4-1" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_Building#cite_note-nycland-4" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup> was added to the<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Register_of_Historic_Places" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="National Register of Historic Places">National Register of Historic Places</a> in 1979,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nrhpinv_9-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_Building#cite_note-nrhpinv-9" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[9]</a></sup> and designated a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Historic_Landmark" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="National Historic Landmark">National Historic Landmark</a> in 1989.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nhlsum_10-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_Building#cite_note-nhlsum-10" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[10]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nrhpphotos_11-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_Building#cite_note-nrhpphotos-11" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[11]</a>"</sup></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W_vCsVl0lJk/ViuNByI5NQI/AAAAAAAALII/zA1ruSS2eY8/s1600/IMG_3199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W_vCsVl0lJk/ViuNByI5NQI/AAAAAAAALII/zA1ruSS2eY8/s640/IMG_3199.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Stunningly Beautiful.</div>
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It encapsulates the human ingenuity. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GyWQKwoKQPk/ViuNCi4SwJI/AAAAAAAALIU/Dta8B3p9RDw/s1600/IMG_3210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GyWQKwoKQPk/ViuNCi4SwJI/AAAAAAAALIU/Dta8B3p9RDw/s640/IMG_3210.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Can't get enough of it! =)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R9e8vaTS97s/ViuM-ANDtFI/AAAAAAAALHk/e2ER0EKd3Gs/s1600/DSC_0970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R9e8vaTS97s/ViuM-ANDtFI/AAAAAAAALHk/e2ER0EKd3Gs/s640/DSC_0970.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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One of favourite buildings - Chrysler Building</div>
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Always reminds me of the Gotham City in Batman</div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building">Wiki: </a>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Chrysler Building</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">is an</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Deco" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Art Deco">Art Deco</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">style</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_skyscrapers" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Early skyscrapers">skyscraper</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">located on the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Side_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="East Side (Manhattan)">East Side</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midtown_Manhattan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Midtown Manhattan">Midtown Manhattan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City">New York City</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, at the intersection of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/42nd_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="42nd Street (Manhattan)">42nd Street</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexington_Avenue_(Manhattan)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Lexington Avenue (Manhattan)">Lexington Avenue</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle_Bay,_Manhattan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Turtle Bay, Manhattan">Turtle Bay</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">neighborhood. At 1,046 feet (319 m),</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-skyscraperCenter_4-4" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building#cite_note-skyscraperCenter-4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Map_6-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building#cite_note-Map-6" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[6]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Skyscraperpage1_7-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building#cite_note-Skyscraperpage1-7" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">the structure was the world's tallest building for 11 months before it was surpassed by the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_State_Building" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Empire State Building">Empire State Building</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in 1931.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-History_8-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building#cite_note-History-8" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[8]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">It is still the tallest brick building in the world, albeit with an internal steel skeleton. After the</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="September 11 attacks">destruction</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">of the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center_(1973-2001)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="World Trade Center (1973-2001)">World Trade Center</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, it was again the second-tallest building in New York City until December 2007, when the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spire" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Spire">spire</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">was raised on the 1,200-foot (365.8 m)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_America_Tower_(New_York_City)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Bank of America Tower (New York City)">Bank of America Tower</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, pushing the Chrysler Building into third position. In addition,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Building" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="The New York Times Building">The New York Times Building</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, which opened in 2007, is exactly level with the Chrysler Building in height.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building#cite_note-9" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[9]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Both buildings were then pushed into 4th position, when the under construction</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_World_Trade_Center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="One World Trade Center">One World Trade Center</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">surpassed their height.</span></div>
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The Chrysler Building is a classic example of Art Deco architecture and considered by many contemporary architects to be <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building#Representation" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;">one of the finest buildings in New York City</a>. In 2007, it was ranked ninth on the <i><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_America%27s_Favorite_Architecture_according_to_the_AIA" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="List of America's Favorite Architecture according to the AIA">List of America's Favorite Architecture</a></i> by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Institute_of_Architects" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="American Institute of Architects">American Institute of Architects</a>.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building#cite_note-10" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[10]</a></sup> It was the headquarters of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Chrysler">Chrysler Corporation</a> from 1930 until the mid-1950s. Although the building was built and designed specifically for the car manufacturer, the corporation did not pay for the construction of it and never owned it, as <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_P._Chrysler" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Walter P. Chrysler">Walter P. Chrysler</a> decided to pay for it himself, so that his children could inherit it.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-jayebee.com_11-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Building#cite_note-jayebee.com-11" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[11]</a>"</sup></div>
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Rockefeller Center</div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockefeller_Center">Wiki: </a>"<b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Rockefeller Center</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> is a complex of 19 </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commerce" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Commerce">commercial</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> buildings covering 22 acres (89,000 m</span><sup style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1;">2</sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">) between 48th and 51st streets in </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City">New York City</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="United States">United States</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. Commissioned by the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockefeller_family" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Rockefeller family">Rockefeller family</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, it is located in the center of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midtown_Manhattan" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Midtown Manhattan">Midtown Manhattan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, spanning the area between </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_Avenue" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Fifth Avenue">Fifth Avenue</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixth_Avenue_(Manhattan)" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Sixth Avenue (Manhattan)">Sixth Avenue</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. It was declared a </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Historic_Landmark" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="National Historic Landmark">National Historic Landmark</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> in 1987.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nhlsum_2-1" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockefeller_Center#cite_note-nhlsum-2" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nrhpinv_3-0" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockefeller_Center#cite_note-nrhpinv-3" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[3]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nrhpphotos_4-0" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockefeller_Center#cite_note-nrhpphotos-4" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a>"</sup></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DFzHjBhRjVw/ViuNDIwypsI/AAAAAAAALIc/aUOeFd2vwqw/s1600/IMG_3234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DFzHjBhRjVw/ViuNDIwypsI/AAAAAAAALIc/aUOeFd2vwqw/s640/IMG_3234.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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New York Public Library</div>
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NYPL</div>
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What a nice place to study!!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ARccy4B7OGo/ViuM9PgEZGI/AAAAAAAALHY/S4aL6UK5HN8/s1600/DSC_0959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="446" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ARccy4B7OGo/ViuM9PgEZGI/AAAAAAAALHY/S4aL6UK5HN8/s640/DSC_0959.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sisters Love. =)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uduePhxGeJM/ViuM9q4m93I/AAAAAAAALHg/NnG2JhSvpYE/s1600/DSC_0962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uduePhxGeJM/ViuM9q4m93I/AAAAAAAALHg/NnG2JhSvpYE/s640/DSC_0962.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Grand Central Terminal</div>
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Evening in NYC.</div>
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Met up with my University friend who have settled down in NYC. </div>
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He is working as a trader in a top investment bank, yet, he still complains that NYC is an expensive place to settle down and raise kids. Well, if he is complaining, what happens to the rest of New Yorkers? Haha...</div>
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Always nice to meet up with friend in foreign land.</div>
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Good catch-up and got to know NYC better through him.</div>
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=)</div>
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Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-84815966608293286052015-08-15T06:14:00.001-07:002015-10-24T23:30:51.120-07:00Day 13 - New York City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><u>CENTRAL PARK</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Park">Wiki: </a>"<b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Central Park</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">is an</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_park" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Urban park">urban park</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in middle-upper</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Manhattan">Manhattan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City">New York City</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. Central Park is the most visited</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_park" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Urban park">urban park</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">in the United States as well as one of the most filmed locations in the world.</span></div>
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It opened in 1857 on 778 acres (315 ha) of city-owned land. In 1858, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Law_Olmsted" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Frederick Law Olmsted">Frederick Law Olmsted</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvert_Vaux" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Calvert Vaux">Calvert Vaux</a>, two soon-to-be famed national landscapers and architects, won a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural_design_competition" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Architectural design competition">design competition</a> to improve and expand the park with a plan they titled the "Greensward Plan". Construction began the same year, continued during the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="American Civil War">American Civil War</a> further south, and was expanded to its current size of 843 acres (341 ha) in 1873.</div>
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It was designated a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Historic_Landmark" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="National Historic Landmark">National Historic Landmark</a> (listed by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_the_Interior" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="United States Department of the Interior">U.S. Department of the Interior</a> and administered by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Park_Service" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="National Park Service">National Park Service</a>) in 1962. The Park was managed for decades by the New York City Department of Recreation and Parks and is currently managed by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Park_Conservancy" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Central Park Conservancy">Central Park Conservancy</a> under contract with the municipal government in a public-private partnership. The Conservancy is a non-profit organization that contributes 75% of Central Park's $57 million annual budget and employs 80.7% of the Park's maintenance staff."</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BqbgLGGcfkc/Vixtmy4mWjI/AAAAAAAALJM/EM8GH_N2T-g/s1600/DSC_0984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BqbgLGGcfkc/Vixtmy4mWjI/AAAAAAAALJM/EM8GH_N2T-g/s640/DSC_0984.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's summer!!</div>
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Who says you can only wear bikini in a beach?</div>
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Nice green oasis in the middle of concrete jungle...</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z1ydY9fRaG0/Vixtm8_7-HI/AAAAAAAALJQ/Yc8qvVwCGO4/s1600/DSC_0999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z1ydY9fRaG0/Vixtm8_7-HI/AAAAAAAALJQ/Yc8qvVwCGO4/s640/DSC_0999.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The girls were having fun! </div>
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Keena was exploring around...</div>
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Kids should be like that!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Og2AzHELzw8/Vixto6YqG1I/AAAAAAAALJk/AettJM_U1M4/s1600/IMG_3266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Og2AzHELzw8/Vixto6YqG1I/AAAAAAAALJk/AettJM_U1M4/s640/IMG_3266.JPG" width="402" /></a></div>
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Cute Gwendolyn was trying to get in when we kept her outside. Haha.</div>
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View from the room in Courtyard by Marriott near Time Square.</div>
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It was my last night in New York City, and I would like to have a nice place for my nieces to take a short nap before they go to airport in the evening. Hence, I decided to splurge a bit on the last night and managed to get a decent deal for such a central location in New York. Room rate was US$275 (S$380/night). </div>
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It was a stark contrast to the underground windowless dormitory bed that I stayed during the last time I was in NYC.</div>
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Love the benches and chairs for people to chill.</div>
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Keena & Marilyn</div>
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What does it remind you of?</div>
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Desperate Housewives!</div>
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Time Square during the daytime.</div>
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The location of the hotel was great. </div>
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Everything is so close!!</div>
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The younger girls were sleeping again. Tough on them.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sftdfq9YU6Y/Vixtt00acMI/AAAAAAAALKY/050DtcoLpok/s1600/IMG_3285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sftdfq9YU6Y/Vixtt00acMI/AAAAAAAALKY/050DtcoLpok/s400/IMG_3285.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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A good friend recommended me to visit this <a href="http://www.mckittrickhotel.com/#McKittrick">McKittrick Hotel</a></div>
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and prompted me not to do any research.</div>
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So I paid US$100 without knowing exactly what this was all about..</div>
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**Spoiler Alert!!!**</div>
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I went alone and had to wear the white mask (as seen in the photo) throughout the 2-3 hours.</div>
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I was apprehensive as I was alone and not knowing what to expect.</div>
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It was dark and everybody was mask-up.</div>
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I kept running around the hotel and following random performers.</div>
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I have never been so close to naked performers.</div>
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Slowly, I got to piece the story together.</div>
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It was quite a novel and interesting experience.</div>
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It is definitely worth the money!! =)</div>
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<b><u>BROOKLYN BRIDGE</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge">Wiki:</a>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Brooklyn Bridge</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> is a hybrid </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable-stayed_bridge" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Cable-stayed bridge">cable-stayed</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">/</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_bridge" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Suspension bridge">suspension bridge</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> in </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City">New York City</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> and is one of the oldest </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Bridge">bridges</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">of either type in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borough_(New_York_City)" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Borough (New York City)">boroughs</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Manhattan">Manhattan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Brooklyn">Brooklyn</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> by spanning the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_River" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="East River">East River</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">. It has a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m), and was the first steel-wire suspension bridge constructed. It was originally referred to as the </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">New York and Brooklyn Bridge</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> and as the </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">East River Bridge</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, but it was later dubbed the Brooklyn Bridge, a name coming from an earlier January 25, 1867, letter to the editor of the </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Daily_Eagle" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Brooklyn Daily Eagle">Brooklyn Daily Eagle</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">,</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-7" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge#cite_note-7" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> and formally so named by the city government in 1915. Since its opening, it has become an icon of New York City, and was designated a </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Historic_Landmark" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="National Historic Landmark">National Historic Landmark</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> in 1964</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nhlsum_6-1" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge#cite_note-nhlsum-6" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[6]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nrhpinv_8-0" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge#cite_note-nrhpinv-8" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[8]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nrhpphotos_9-0" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge#cite_note-nrhpphotos-9" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[9]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> and a</span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historic_civil_engineering_landmarks" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="List of historic civil engineering landmarks">National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> in 1972.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Brooklyn_Bridge_10-0" style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge#cite_note-Brooklyn_Bridge-10" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[10]</a>"</sup></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QjfQNxHW5kg/VixtufB2S2I/AAAAAAAALKg/8n5nGz1Yug0/s1600/IMG_3290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QjfQNxHW5kg/VixtufB2S2I/AAAAAAAALKg/8n5nGz1Yug0/s640/IMG_3290.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Brooklyn bridge at night.</div>
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My parents & brother went to Washington DC, and my sister family went to the airport.</div>
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I was alone. In fact, it was quite nice to be alone and have some quality solitude time.</div>
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Really enjoyed working across the Brooklyn bridge.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wuWat8scnaU/VixtvZVGV3I/AAAAAAAALKw/LjVyqsstvvA/s1600/IMG_3297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wuWat8scnaU/VixtvZVGV3I/AAAAAAAALKw/LjVyqsstvvA/s640/IMG_3297.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I had a good view of Lower Manhattan and the new World Trade Center. =)</div>
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Admittedly, when I was in Brooklyn, it was quite scary.</div>
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Street was quite dimly-lit, and I felt kinda unsafe.</div>
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I quickly found the nearest subway station and made my way back to Manhattan.</div>
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In the empty subway cabin , there are 2 guys seated opposite me and they had interesting conversation about racial discrimination. They were strangers. One guy was a Caucasian from Europe who had been living in NYC for a while, and the other was a Black New Yorker who was complaining how he felt discriminated as a black. And I was just a random Asian tourist in cabin. May be only in New York, you can talk to random people about such sensitive topics. Haha</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkZO924RZWQ/VixtwIsIPqI/AAAAAAAALK0/XABfiQVhFF4/s1600/IMG_3300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkZO924RZWQ/VixtwIsIPqI/AAAAAAAALK0/XABfiQVhFF4/s640/IMG_3300.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Time Square.</div>
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Still full of people past midnight.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3EP7C-5eGAo/VixtwvXLRhI/AAAAAAAALK4/1kum2CJNOTs/s1600/IMG_3303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3EP7C-5eGAo/VixtwvXLRhI/AAAAAAAALK4/1kum2CJNOTs/s640/IMG_3303.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Homeless people. =(</div>
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While NYC is the center of capitalism with so many billionaires, there are still lotsa poor and homeless people around. Always a big contrast!</div>
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Interestingly, I just read this news article:</div>
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<b>Homeless model: New York's hidden homeless</b></div>
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http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34574818</div>
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Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-92095720070204097142015-08-15T06:12:00.003-07:002015-10-25T00:33:03.266-07:00Day 14 - New York City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><u>THE HIGH LINE</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)">Wiki</a>:" <span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">High Line</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">(also known as the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><b style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">High Line Park</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">) is a 1.45-mile-long (2.33 km)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York City">New York City</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_park" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Linear park">linear park</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">built in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Manhattan">Manhattan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">on an elevated section of a disused</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Central_Railroad" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="New York Central Railroad">New York Central Railroad</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">spur called the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Line_(NYCRR)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="West Side Line (NYCRR)">West Side Line</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nydn_20140921_1-1" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-nydn_20140921-1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[1]</a></sup><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Inspired by the 3-mile (4.8-kilometer)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promenade_plant%C3%A9e" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Promenade plantée">Promenade plantée</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">(tree-lined walkway), a similar project in</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Paris">Paris</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">completed in 1993, the High Line has been redesigned and planted as an aerial</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenway_(landscape)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Greenway (landscape)">greenway</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_trail" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Rail trail">rails-to-trails</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">park.</span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-FHL-2004-08-12_3-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-FHL-2004-08-12-3" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[3]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-FHL-2012-02-1_4-0" style="color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-FHL-2012-02-1-4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[4]</a></sup></div>
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The High Line Park uses the disused southern portion of the West Side Line running to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_West_Side,_Manhattan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Lower West Side, Manhattan">Lower West Side</a>of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Manhattan">Manhattan</a>. It runs from Gansevoort Street – three blocks below 14th Street – in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meatpacking_District,_Manhattan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Meatpacking District, Manhattan">Meatpacking District</a>, through <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea,_Manhattan" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Chelsea, Manhattan">Chelsea</a>, to the northern edge of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Yard" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="West Side Yard">West Side Yard</a> on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/34th_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="34th Street (Manhattan)">34th Street</a> near the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_K._Javits_Convention_Center" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Jacob K. Javits Convention Center">Javits Convention Center</a>. An unopened spur extends above 30th Street to Tenth Avenue.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-hiline_map_5-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-hiline_map-5" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[5]</a></sup> Formerly, the West Side Line went as far south as a railroad terminal to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Spring Street (Manhattan)">Spring Street</a> just north of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_Street_(Manhattan)" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Canal Street (Manhattan)">Canal Street</a>; however, most of the lower section was demolished in 1960,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nycarch_6-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-nycarch-6" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[6]</a></sup> with another small portion of the lower section being demolished in 1991.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nyt_19910115_7-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-nyt_19910115-7" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[7]</a></sup></div>
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Repurposing of the railway into an urban park began construction in 2006,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-inc_2006_8-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-inc_2006-8" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[8]</a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-burohappold_2006_9-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-burohappold_2006-9" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[9]</a></sup> with the first phase opening in 2009,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nyt2009-06-08_10-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-nyt2009-06-08-10" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[10]</a></sup> and the second phase opening in 2011.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-pesce_11-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-pesce-11" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[11]</a></sup> The third and final phase officially opened to the public on September 21, 2014.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nyt_20140920_12-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-nyt_20140920-12" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[12]</a></sup> A short stub above Tenth Avenue and 30th Street, is still closed as of September 2014, but will open by 2015.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nycurbed_20140904_13-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-nycurbed_20140904-13" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[13]</a></sup> The project has spurred real estate development in the neighborhoods that lie along the line.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-nyt2010-08-11_14-0" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-nyt2010-08-11-14" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[14]</a></sup> As of September 2014, the park gets nearly 5 million visitors annually.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cny_20140921_2-1" style="font-size: 11.2px; line-height: 1; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line_(New_York_City)#cite_note-cny_20140921-2" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">[2]</a>"</sup></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-np2UzddYP28/Vix8bumxBuI/AAAAAAAALLw/gwxZlVY8TBE/s1600/DSC_1030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-np2UzddYP28/Vix8bumxBuI/AAAAAAAALLw/gwxZlVY8TBE/s640/DSC_1030.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Railway Track.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K_UUoKPbwZY/Vix8cTpBGUI/AAAAAAAALL4/Gjw-hRhezgI/s1600/DSC_1037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-K_UUoKPbwZY/Vix8cTpBGUI/AAAAAAAALL4/Gjw-hRhezgI/s640/DSC_1037.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Life is Beautiful!! =)</div>
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(There was lego area for people express themselves)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLx-oV83m5g/Vix8dPkTZlI/AAAAAAAALME/sbJV_qOKhUI/s1600/DSC_1038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qLx-oV83m5g/Vix8dPkTZlI/AAAAAAAALME/sbJV_qOKhUI/s640/DSC_1038.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Just Chill!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sokbxm-xrVg/Vix8dIqnbVI/AAAAAAAALMM/bN3k1FNhjYY/s1600/DSC_1040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sokbxm-xrVg/Vix8dIqnbVI/AAAAAAAALMM/bN3k1FNhjYY/s640/DSC_1040.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's not just people watching... but car watching as well!!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z94k2j5OhJw/Vix8diPZ1aI/AAAAAAAALMQ/HUXxY5l-MpY/s1600/DSC_1044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z94k2j5OhJw/Vix8diPZ1aI/AAAAAAAALMQ/HUXxY5l-MpY/s640/DSC_1044.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Nice piece of Art!!</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GTHmcRltgZE/Vix8eGlRx5I/AAAAAAAALMY/X6rjGL4a154/s1600/DSC_1046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GTHmcRltgZE/Vix8eGlRx5I/AAAAAAAALMY/X6rjGL4a154/s640/DSC_1046.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Nice Buildings as well.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IfZ_xOYFr9A/Vix8eyz2_JI/AAAAAAAALMk/U3bLJu4TbrM/s1600/DSC_1063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IfZ_xOYFr9A/Vix8eyz2_JI/AAAAAAAALMk/U3bLJu4TbrM/s640/DSC_1063.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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Car Watching again. =)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R-0XLSVdkak/Vix8hMzgV-I/AAAAAAAALNA/A-ufxQhHPb4/s1600/IMG_3339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R-0XLSVdkak/Vix8hMzgV-I/AAAAAAAALNA/A-ufxQhHPb4/s640/IMG_3339.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Really like the high line.</div>
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I just slowed down and relaxed here.</div>
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Just listened to music and enjoy the weather.</div>
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Such a pleasant experience! =)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ITY51c6ilg/Vix8elpEIfI/AAAAAAAALMo/R9YAazz6dvU/s1600/DSC_1059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ITY51c6ilg/Vix8elpEIfI/AAAAAAAALMo/R9YAazz6dvU/s640/DSC_1059.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px;">I confronted 3 fake Buddhist Monks from China soliciting for money. They couldn't speak English. They didn't dare to answer my questions in Mandarin and became defensive and walked away.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.32px;">Damn. They are damaging the image of Buddhism. =(</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oq7gFBHs9P4/Vix8ZxTGXYI/AAAAAAAALLU/0CVmryWUzAo/s1600/DSC_0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oq7gFBHs9P4/Vix8ZxTGXYI/AAAAAAAALLU/0CVmryWUzAo/s640/DSC_0013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Just walking and walking....</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wkDmdeLCx3Q/Vix8Z96VNnI/AAAAAAAALLQ/-60LZrU0RcI/s1600/DSC_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wkDmdeLCx3Q/Vix8Z96VNnI/AAAAAAAALLQ/-60LZrU0RcI/s640/DSC_0012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Loving and chilling.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iP4YKLVQdcw/Vix8Z0_7UqI/AAAAAAAALLY/82J9ivpJ4GA/s1600/DSC_0025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iP4YKLVQdcw/Vix8Z0_7UqI/AAAAAAAALLY/82J9ivpJ4GA/s640/DSC_0025.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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New World Trade Center</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u7fy81hAvCU/Vix8bA_l6jI/AAAAAAAALLo/AWZadd1C6H8/s1600/DSC_0030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u7fy81hAvCU/Vix8bA_l6jI/AAAAAAAALLo/AWZadd1C6H8/s640/DSC_0030.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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New World Trade Center</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-In9c9zzCJ3g/Vix8hZWavrI/AAAAAAAALNI/bzOEoOXxOPM/s1600/IMG_3345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-In9c9zzCJ3g/Vix8hZWavrI/AAAAAAAALNI/bzOEoOXxOPM/s640/IMG_3345.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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3 mths ago I had my first Shake Shack milkshake in Istanbul.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.32px;">Now, I tried the shrooms burger (it's good!!!) and the black & white milkshake. Shake Shack has replaced In-N-out as my favorite fast food restaurant.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5jIiTLbcJik/Vix8hW4dEwI/AAAAAAAALNE/Srwrqn97h1Y/s1600/IMG_3351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5jIiTLbcJik/Vix8hW4dEwI/AAAAAAAALNE/Srwrqn97h1Y/s640/IMG_3351.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Love it!! =)</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GqEtw3DejzQ/Vix8fXxwCAI/AAAAAAAALMw/pl7oHuG9i2k/s1600/DSC_1066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GqEtw3DejzQ/Vix8fXxwCAI/AAAAAAAALMw/pl7oHuG9i2k/s640/DSC_1066.JPG" width="448" /></a></div>
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Love is the answer!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wktA5sVEhnM/Vix8bsnroDI/AAAAAAAALLs/Vdf317rbsZY/s1600/DSC_0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wktA5sVEhnM/Vix8bsnroDI/AAAAAAAALLs/Vdf317rbsZY/s640/DSC_0031.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>
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On the 26th Jun 2015, USA has legalized same sex marriage nationwide!</div>
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http://edition.cnn.com/2015/06/26/politics/obama-calls-gay-marriage-ruling-plaintiff-jim-obergefell/</div>
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That's so cool!! =)</div>
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<br />Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8870676185048434392.post-47424211408646962432015-08-15T06:12:00.001-07:002015-10-25T01:01:03.371-07:00After Trip Thoughts<div style="text-align: center;">
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Going back to San Francisco Bay Area was such a nice experience.</div>
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Spent the best year of my life over there.</div>
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So happy that to be traveling with the most important people in my life!</div>
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++++</div>
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After working for some years, I managed to do so many things in the USA that I can't afford it previously. For instance, staying in SF Hilton, Watching Zumanity, Eating good food, Going Statue of Liberty etc... But I am not happier.</div>
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Even though I can't afford many things previously, it was so much happier and exciting. I was poor but I think of interesting way to enjoy without much money. That's more interesting, and I could get easily excited over everything.</div>
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I kinda missed that period of life. It is so much more interesting.</div>
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Everything in the world is so new and exciting.</div>
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Nowadays, lesser and lesser things excite me.</div>
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I had to practice gratitude to remind myself not to be jaded.</div>
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This is life, I can't go back to my younger self.</div>
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I can only look forward to strive to have a good, fulfilling & meaningful life</div>
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=)</div>
Boonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17036420034019167027noreply@blogger.com0