“Sometimes to walk in shaded parts of Manhattan is to be inserted into a Magritte: the street is night while the sky is day.” (Joseph O’Neill, Netherland)
I’ve always wanted to see a vintage binocular tower viewer up close, hold the cold metal in my hands, insert 50c, read “turn to clear vision”, aim, adjust and get a glimpse of what actually happens beyond corporate skyscraper glass windows, how important business decisions are made, what a 21 Century advertising campaign is all about, the look on someone’s face as they are getting fired, what it means to have an office with a view over Manhattan. You know, from God’s perspective.
Every vacation I take means that, at some point, I will be climbing the narrow, fibonacci spiraled stairs of the oldest tower in town and be amazed by the panorama, maybe even forget to breathe for a few moments and just be there staring beauty in the eyes, paralyzed by my own insignificance.
But nothing would have had me prepared for the moment I’d found myself on top of the Empire State. Nothing. It was both majestic and frightening, it got me thinking about 9/11, the tragedy and visceral fear that followed the day America and the whole world have lost their innocence. Everything seemed so peaceful from up here, the city was finally quiet and introspective, the murmur of boulevards had disappeared. Fear no longer existed because the whole island had become a miniature.
But just being there, suspended between dreams and reality above Manhattan was a whole new journey, a journey I wanted to be part of. Stories like “Sleepless in Seattle”, “King Kong”, “Love affair” lingered in my mind and in the air for awhile, promises of something greater, larger than life itself: a “happy end”.
Getting on top of the Empire State Building is a long, rather complicated process though. Before choosing the date and time of your ascent, check the weather. Don’t settle for anything less than blue sky and maybe some puffy white clouds, for photographic effect. Trust me. Otherwise, with even a little bit of rain comes fog which will give you the illusion of entire edifices suddenly disappearing and reappearing, obstructing you from seeing anything around or below, compromising your visit to one of New York’s oldest, most iconic man made buildings. You’ll find the shortest queues between 8AM and 11AM, in any case, be prepared to spend at least half an hour going through airport like security checks, ticket verification and, of course, elevator queues. But once you’ve purchased the tickets (hopefully online, as it will save you extra waiting in line time), all you have to do is make sure you get there a little earlier, bring a fully charged battery for your camera, a 32GB memory card and a pocket full of 25c coins, you know, for the binocular tower viewer. You’ll absolutely want to feed that little fellow…
I get a little romantic about the old Empire State. Just looking at it makes me want to play some Frank Sinatra tunes and sway a little. I have a crush on a building. I’d been in there several times but never to work. I always knew there were offices in there but the face never penetrated, really. You don’t work in the Empire State Building. You propose in the Empire State Building. you kneak a flask up there and raise a toast to the whole city of New York. (Maureen Johnson)
Green Eyed Kisses,
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