6 posts tagged “jersey city”
Jersey City, NJ offers, unquestionably, some of the best Manhattan views.
And it has a semblance of a skyline itself. The Goldman Sachs building (see below) is undoubtedly the crowning glory of the JC skyline. The Colgate clock next to it provides an interesting contrast. Seen from the riverfront next to the Hyatt (which kind of juts into the Hudson), you also see the Verrazano bridge all lit up.
Here's another of my experiments with HDR. The liberty marina is just opposite where I live. I took this a few days back - a day on which there was a very deep orange glow in the sky.
Also, see another HDR photo of midtown Manhattan
BTW, HDR is a technique of taking photos with different exposures and merging them. So this one was taken with 4 different exposure and merged using photomatix (you see their watermark because this is a trial version. I still cannot bring myself to buy it for $99 - at least not yet!)
All the signs are there - the nip in the air and early sunsets. Got a few nice skyline shots last Sunday - with skyline bathed in sunlight. Just before sunset is the best time to get the snaps. And Jersey city is unquestionably the best place. I am privileged to have sweeping Manhattan views from the office in Queen's, but the views from Jersey City views beat them hands down.
Talking of Jersey city, I seriously believe there is a housing glut. Will be interesting to see how rents move over the next year or so. Right now, I guess we're at a price-to-rent ratio of upwards of 25. The number of new condos and rentals coming is truly amazing. Looks like the purveyors of these fancy apartments are going to be facing a long, cold winter.
Never thought I would travel ticketless on a train but I wad FORCED to - albeit for a short distance. I had to travel on work to an office in Short Hills, NJ recently - just for that day. Took a cab and it took me an hour and change to get there from Jersey City (25 miles?) because of road work, accidents etc. So I resolved to take the train on the return - saving money, time and some greenhous gases or so I thought.
I duly summoned a cab to the office at 6.00 pm and was at the Short Hills NJ Transit station at 6.20 or so. I gave the cabbie 17 bucks, leaving a dollar and some change in my wallet (having paid the cabbie in the morning a hefty $65 also). Not once did I think I would be getting into trouble with an empty wallet - surely a ticket machine would be found? Or the ticket window would take a credit card. Or, worst case, an ATM surely would be found?
Very soon, all the assumptions started to unravel. No ticket machine at Short Hills - one of the few remaining NJ Transit stations without one. Ticket window was already closed, so you had to buy a ticket on the train (for cash only!). So I off I walked in search of an ATM - sullen that I would have to part with a couple of bucks for using some obscure ATM at a gas station or pharmacy. I was pretty sure I wouldn't find Chase or Citibank.
A gas station and pharmacy were there alright - just that they didn't have ATMs. And, no, they couldn't give me cash back even if I made a purchase. The only ATM was in the news-store which was closed for the day. "The nearest other ATM was - perhaps - a couple of miles away" - thus spake the helpful, sympathetic lady at the pharmacy. While I was at this, a Hoboken train glided in and nonchalantly slipped away.
I was truly at my wits end. No ATM, no ticket machine, no ticket counter, no cash, no cash back, no taxi - nothing but despair. And no time. The next Hoboken train shimmered in the setting sun and approached as noisily as the previous one was silent. Desperate as I was, I got on board and explained my predicament to the conductor. No - he couldn't let me travel to Hoboken on this. I offered to disembark at the next stop - Millburn - which, surely, would have one of the contraptions of modern civilization - an ATM, ticket machine or a ticker window? With an exasperated shake of his head, he agreed. Not that he had a choice - the train was moving already.
I jumped off at Milburn and quickly had to rule out the ticket window and the ticket machine options - none here either. Running out of the station, I almost stumbled on the steps of North Fork Bank. Phew! the $2 sercie charge barely registered now. Of course, by thetime I ran back the Hoboken train was long gone and the next one was an hour away. A New York 'express' train, however, was due in 10 minutes. With no other recourse, I got on board. The only reasonable way to get to Jersey City was to go to Penn station and travel back - unless I wanted to risk getting off at Newark Broad Street and figure something out. No, I had enough adevnture for the day. So Penn station it was. then the '2' train and then PATH. Got home at 8.30 pm - a full 2.5 hours - with a ticketless stretch to boot.
It was a remarkably warm Saturday in New York- a record of sorts it seems (65F) - and people and pets were out in full force. It was a bit windy though and it was fun watching sea-gulls sun themselves on a helipad by the Hudson (see snap). They were clearly exerting considerable downward force to keep themselves from being blown away! That helipad does seem to be a favourite haunt for them. The Verrazona bridge and the Central Railroad Terminal of New Jersey are seen in the background
