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Home ยป A South African Traveller’s Bird’s-Eye View of New York City

A South African Traveller’s Bird’s-Eye View of New York City

It is rare that anyone landing in New York gets to fly right over Manhattan, Central Park, Wall Street, and all its iconic neighbourhoods, but South African expat Bruce Marais, arriving from Montreal, Canada, was treated to that view last week as his plane circled slowly above it all. Plus it was a clear day, […]

It is rare that anyone landing in New York gets to fly right over Manhattan, Central Park, Wall Street, and all its iconic neighbourhoods, but South African expat Bruce Marais, arriving from Montreal, Canada, was treated to that view last week as his plane circled slowly above it all. Plus it was a clear day, so he made the most of it and took as many pictures of the famous city as possible.

new york city
A new row of needle-like skyscrapers are rising on 57th Street, just south (to the right in this picture) of Central Park. Follow the line up 57th Street to reach the Queensboro Bridge across the East River. Photos: Bruce Marais.
new york city
The low-lying section on the bottom part of the picture is Hells Kitchen, where buildings are not allowed to go higher than 65 feet (about 20 metres).
new york city
The southern tip of Manhattan island, with its highest building, 1 World Trade Center, on the left, and on the right the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges.
new york city
Looking at the island from its southern tip, with New Jersey’s Jersey City on the left and the uninhabited Governors Island on the bottom right.
new york city
With Manhattan on the top left, one crosses the East River to Brooklyn on the right. The docks of Red Hook (bottom right), a recently trendy suburb, are where liners like the Queen Mary tie up when they come to town.
new york city
Looking from Brooklyn to Manhattan, with the Williamsburg Bridge in the centre. The Hudson River is in the background.
new york city
Newtown Creek snakes between Long Island City on the right and Greenpoint, Brooklyn, on the left. Manhattan lies across the East River.
new york city
Central Park, with its huge Lasker Pool in the north (on the left) and the Jackie Onassis Reservoir in the center.