We surfaced from the subway - remember we've already walked across Brooklyn Bridge, through Chinatown and the cast iron district - and now arrived to see huge crowds lined up outside ESB. Hawkers assault you as you try to figure out what door to go in. We had bought tickets online that promised we would avoid all lines except security. So the hard sell of "special tickets to avoid lines" didn't interest us but making it through the crowd of them took some effort.
We entered the building and from then on took on the role of sheep. We stood in snaking lines with assurances that this truly was the fast line for security. We eventually did go through another demoralizing airport-like security search. An hour later we were escorted into another room with displays of all the energy-saving changes the ESB is undergoing that we could read at our leisure - the snaking line took all the fun out of it, believe me. Then a line in hallways that circled the building - we could see the line we had been in down the hall cutting through the building as we moved around the perimeter. Finally we turned a corner and were moved into one of three elevators that took us all up to the 78th floor. We were then instructed to join a line for the single elevator and insured that the wait for it was only a little more than an hour! Or, we were given the option of walking up the remaining six floors. We did - I mean how can you accept the idea of another hours wait after waiting so long already? A cruel choice in my mind.... We trudged up the stairwell and broke out into the light only to find the outside so crowded that the next lines began. You picked a spot you thought you'd like to look out at and lined up behind people who were already in front. As long as people felt some responsibility to look, take a few pictures and move out, you were okay. The outlook over the financial district was most crowded with people most reluctant to give up their spots. Pictures have to be taken through wire fencing. It was fairly clear but the smog made for pretty bad pictures.
We returned inside to leave only to find out we had an hour - plus wait to go down unless, you guessed it, we wanted to walk down the six flights. Again we took the exit, totally fed up with the experience.
Empire State Building from Subway exit
Metal cage to prevent suicides, crowds lined up to get to edge to take pictures
Looking southeast toward Financial District
"The Projects" now high-end condo's. Brooklyn Bridge in background
Chrysler Building looking Northwest
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