We made our way
into the financial district, where the buildings rise confidently, arrogantly, menacingly. Older styles of architecture mix with modern, shiny things, turning the streets into deep and narrow canyons where the sunlight can't quite reach. Businessmen in business suits poured out of buildings, strode purposefully across streets, smoked in doorways, and held intense phone conversations in the middle of the sidewalks. I saw the Wall St. signs and the iconic stock exchange buildings. That place was rather suffocating, the skyscrapers pressing down and the polluted air wafting all over. On the way out from that concrete jungle, we passed by "ground zero", which isn't much of anything now. They've started rebuilding the WTC and its memorials, so all there is is cranes and scaffolding.
Finally, we emerged from deep in the city area and made our way to the seaport. Here, the air was fresher, the sun shone beatifically, and some ships bobbed lazily at their moorings. There was a boardwalk area leading to a big pier/warehouse building that contains ships and restaurants.
What with the sunlight and the seaside view and the boardwalk, there was a bit of a tropical holiday feeling around. I've never actually been to any of those Caribbean/South American type cruises, but maybe it feels something like that. I guess that whole "sunset walk on the beach" notion may be nice, cliches notwithstanding.
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