Old Courthouse

The Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis was the venue of one of the most celebrated cases in the United States judicial system - the one involving  Dred Scott.* Scott was a Virginia slave who sued for his freedom in 1847 (his owner - an Army major named Emerson - lived in Missouri). 

The courthouse, the tallest habitable building in Missouri until 1894, was built in 1839, in Greek revival style. Dred Scott's case was heard in the west wing of the building. 

The case was eventually decided by the US Supreme Court, who ruled that slaves are considered property, and therefore have no claim for citizenship nor freedom. The ruling has far-reaching effects though, as it helped catalyzed the abolitionist movement and influenced Abraham Lincoln in his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. 

Today the courthouse is part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial park, which also includes the Gateway Arch and the Museum of Westward Expansion. 

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pic, from above: the Old Courthouse, where the case was heard; evidence of a dark past: a poster selling slaves, on display at the Museum of the Westward Expansion, in St. Louis. 

*the name was familiar to me since college, as American history was one of the major subjects I have taken for my History course

Enlightening the World

One of the landmarks that fall under "must visit in New York" is the Statue of Liberty.* Located in Liberty Island in the New York Harbor, the statue, also known as Liberty Enlightening the World,  carries some symbolism for people arriving in the United States, especially the immigrants arriving at the turn of 20th century; the  sentiment of which perhaps is best summed up by the sonnet by Emma Lazarus, part of which reads: 

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore."

The sonnet was engraved in a plaque and mounted inside the statue. 

Accessible via a 30-minute ferry ride that departs from Battery Park downtown, the neoclassical  statue was designed by a Frenchman, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, and was built in 1886. Most of the visitors can only access the pedestal (going up to the crown requires a special ticket that is given months ahead). To reach the top of the pedestal means walking 153 steps up the stairs (or you can wait for the elevator). The viewing deck on top offers a great view of Manhattan and the surrounding islands. 

Inside the pedestal is a small museum that displays memorabilia related to the construction of the 46-meter high statue, as well as its significance to American history.  The statue was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

Useful info: The tour is only $13 per person and includes a visit to Ellis Island. Tickets can be purchased online. Visitors must go through an airport-style security check before entering the pedestal. 

pics, from above: the Statue of Liberty; a child inspects the massive replica of the statue's foot; a visitor takes a picture inside the museum; one of the ferries taking visitors to the island

* I guess it wasn't that a must for me because I didn't visit it the first time I was in the Big Apple.

New York Minute

A New York minute is an imaginary unit of time to denote an instant. It is used to describe the frenetic lifestyle associated with the city. 

For me it is also the time it takes to get a snapshot of the people in these pictures. 

pics, from above: a couple pose in Grand Central Terminal; a traveler checks for train schedule; a kid takes a picture of the Statue of Liberty in Liberty Island; a tourist observed a reconstructed Roman dwelling in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, frozen in time and preserved for posterity

On the Edge

A tourist poses near the base of the Gateway Arch, in St. Louis, Missouri


[March 7, 2011]

Basilica of St. Louis, King of France

The Basilica of St. Louis, King of France was the first cathedral built in the west of the Mississippi River. A small church was first  built in the site in 1770. 

Located just near the bank of the river and the Gateway Arch,  the current cathedral was built - in Greek revival style - in 1831 and consecrated in 1834. It was named after King Louis IX of France. 

Museum of Westward Expansion

Underneath the Arch in downtown St. Louis is a visitor center and a museum that commemorates the movement of explorers and pioneers toward Western United States. Part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, the Museum of Westward Expansion displays artifacts and memorabilia dating to the expedition of Lewis and Clark in early 19th century.

Among the artifacts on display are old sextants and timepieces used by explorers for navigation, guns and equipment used by cowboys and pioneers, and mode of transportation, such as the covered wagon and Native American canoe made of animal skin. Also in display are animatronic versions of various personalities of the time, such as the Sioux chief Red Cloud and William Clark.

Useful info: The museum is located below the Arch, accessible through a ramp near the base. Entrance to the museum is free. Visitors are required to go through an airport-style security check. 

pics, from above: Red Cloud; a Native American canoe made from animal skin; a covered wagon, the preferred mode of transportation by pioneers; a navigation instrument used by explorers

Treasures of The Met

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, March 14, 2011

The Lady in Battery Park

A woman waits for the ferry to the Liberty Island in Battery Park, downtown New York. I think she saw me taking her picture.

March 14, 2011

Chicago Midway International Airport

I changed planes in Chicago Midway International Airport on my way to New York from St. Louis. One of the unusual features of this airport is the criss-cross arrangement of its runways, as seen from this window seat view. The livery of Southwest Airlines is also visible from the wingtip extension of the B737's wing.

The airport is the second-busiest in Illinois after O'Hare International Airport. 

Narita International Airport

The Narita International Airport is the second-busiest airport in Japan. It is one of the Asian hubs of Delta Airlines, where passengers going to/from the US pass through before proceeding to their destinations in Asia. 

I passed through Narita, which serves the greater Tokyo, barely a week after the tsunami hit Japan and the nuclear accident in Fushima happened. Traffic in the airport was uneven: there are less passengers going in (my flight from New York was barely half-full), but flights leaving the airport are full. It seems people are keen on escaping the (rumored) radiation leaks coming from the stricken reactor about a hundred miles away. 

The Met

I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York last week. The museum, known as 'The Met' is located along the Museum Mile in Fifth Avenue, just adjacent to Central Park.

The Met is one of the largest museums in the world, with more than 2 million pieces of art, paintings, sculptures and works from diverse periods of history and locations. 

As the museum is very large it would be impossible to explore it in just half a day, so I concentrated my explorations to the subjects that I am interested of: Greek and Roman art, medieval art, ancient Egypt, European paintings, and a little of Asian art. 

I did see many artworks of artists that any college student who has taken Humanities and history  would be familiar of: Salvador Dali, Claude Monet, Edoard Monet, Edgar Degas, Henri Matisse, Edvard Munch, Georgia O'Keefe, Cezanne, and of course, Vincent van Gogh. I got teary eyed when I realize as I gazed on these works that I've only seen them in books before.

I've also seen sculptures by Rodin, an intact Etruscan chariot, several Egyptian mummies, a rebuilt temple, and the embalming cache of Tutankhamen, several medieval tapestries and religious icons and reliquaries (one of which held relics from Philip the Apostle). There is also an exhibit on Andean art, and a section on African, Asian and the Pacific. The latter includes art from ancient Philippines - a bulul (a rice diety), several grave markers and jewelry from northern part of the archipelago. 

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9:30 am to 5:30pm. Admission for adults is $20.

How to get there: if taking the subway, take Line 6 and get off 77th Street and walk to the direction of Central Park. 

Pics, from above: The Great Hall, Vincent van Gogh's Irises, a student observes an Etruscan chariot, a copy of St. Augustine's City of God, a bulul from ancient Philippines, a Greek marble sarcophagus.

A Blogger's Dozen: Thirteen Trip Thoughts

Recapping the trip while at 29,000 feet and eating airline food:

- I wish that I brushed up on my Spanish. I have met a lot of Spanish-speaking folks during this trip. My roommates in the hostel were an Argentine and a Brazilian couple (yeah, but Portuguese is close) across the hall are Puerto Ricans, the group eating next to me at Mama Empanada are Dominicanos, and during the cruise to Liberty Island a group of Spaniards started to chat me up when I mentioned that I'm from "Filipinas." I just wish that my Spanish wasn't that rusty. I can barely understand every other word they are saying.

- I am actually glad that I took a side trip to New York. I'm suppose to fly back after my 2-week stint in St. Louis, which was the day the tsunami hit Japan, and I'm flying through Narita (which was closed right after the earthquake).

- I always get complemented on my (excellent) English. I think Mrs. Mejorada, my English teacher in high school, would be pleased.

- a cheap prepaid cellphone from AT&T ($14.99, with $15 worth of credits!) can quickly solve the arm-and-a-leg conundrum presented by international roaming.

- the iPad is a great travel device (I'm blogging now using it)

- If in the States, go to the nearest Starbucks if you need a free WiFi connection (thanks again, AT&T). You don't need to buy a latte; just stand outside and connect to the network.

- I got my Jetsetter badge from Foursquare!

- I was teary-eyed when viewing the exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I sometimes still can't believe that I used to see those artworks in only in Humanities books. That mask from Benin was actually as creepy as it appeared in the book.




- Viewing Van Gogh's Irises is an experience akin to a religious one.

- It's always a good feeling to be mistaken for a local. Somebody actually asked me for directions in St. Louis and in New York.

- it's nice to meet new and old friends while abroad (Paul and Christine, Alberto, Melo and Romel, Eugene, Hugh)

- It is OK to mix business and pleasure in a trip. Just take care of the business part first - you won't have to worry about it during the pleasure part, and you'll be assured that you'll still have a job when you get back.

- After staying in Kansas for a week, I can never fathom why Dorothy even wanted to go back






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Siberia

Flying from New York to Tokyo, I think the airline took the polar route. This is about 9 hours into the flight (we left NY about 2pm local time). The stewardess says we were flying over southern Siberia - it's all ice as far as the eyes can see.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Narita,Japan

I Love this Game

I went to my first NBA game today at the Madison Square Garden, in New York. The local team, New York Knicks, is hosting the Indiana Pacers. There has been a buzz of sorts for the team lately, as it added a new players -- Amare Stoudemaire and Carmelo Anthony -- to its ranks.

I've planned from the outset to watch an NBA game when I decided to go to New York as a side trip to my business trip to St. Louis. I purchased a ticket online and picked it up on the International Will Call kiosk inside the stadium. Sixty-five dollars got me a seat up there in the bleachers, but the vantage point is good enough for me.

I went to the stadium early, about 4:30 in the afternoon (the game started at 6pm) but the timing is perfect, as there was a large crowd and the venue was almost full. The energy inside MSG when play started is electrifying; the crowd, the In-between game gimmicks, and the cheering squad all contribute to the atmosphere.

As courtesy and out of fear of being lynched by fans, I cheered for the Knicks (I'm an LA Lakers fan). But as the game wore on, which is sub-par at best,it's hard to keep the enthusiasm, considering tier performance. Fans started booing the home team. Losing by more than 10 points, many actually left 2 minutes before the final buzzer.

Despite the poor performance of team, I am not disappointed with the experience, and I'm looking forward to see other teams in the NBA, especially the Lakers, play.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:E 105th St,New York,United States

Beer and Beads

St. Louis hosts the Mardi Gras festival this Saturday. Said to be the second largest Mardi Gras event in the USA after New Orleans, the festival - held in the historic French neighborhood of Soulard - attracts large crowds to the parades. 

Revelers throw and collect bead necklaces, cat-calling people to "flash" their bosoms to the crowd. Alcoholic beverages such as beer, Jell-O shots  and hurricane cocktails are freely consumed during the festivities.

How to get there: Soulard is in the southwest of downtown St. Louis, just near the Anheuser-Busch brewery.