New York City 2013

Saturday, May 18 - Saturday, May 25 Saturday, May 18 Flight

9:50pm (Singapore time) - Board ight We will board Japan Airlines ight JL36 at Singapore Changi Airport (Terminal 1). The ight arrives at Tokyos Haneda Airport (International Terminal) at 5.45am.

Sunday, May 19 Flight + walking tours + convocation

6:55am (Tokyo time) - Connecting ight We will connect to American Airlines ight AA134 at the same terminal, and reach New Yorks John F. Kennedy Airport (Terminal 8) at 6.45am (New York time). 8am (New York time) - Post-immigration, travel to hotel After passing through immigration, we will make our way to our hotel in midtown Manhattan (Manhattan Hotel Times Square, 790 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10019) by taxi. Since the ocial check-in time is 3pm, we may need to leave our luggage with them while we wait for our room. To make full use of our time, we may do a free walking tour of the famous historic Grand Central Terminal, which is near the hotel. 10am (Optional) - Grand Central Terminal tour Depending on how we are doing on time and energy, we may join the free walking tour of Grand Central Terminal (20-minute walk from hotel). Duration: approximately 1.5 hours. Meeting point: Grand Central Terminal Information Booth and Clock on the main concourse.

For nearly 100 years, the Beaux-Arts beauty known as Grand Central Terminal (a.k.a Station) has been a testament
to the ingenuity and ambition of a great city, impressing both travelers and visitors with it's wonderful architecture and pulsating vibe. Its history is a story of immense wealth, great engineering, a few accidents, a planned sabotage and one terric ceiling, but most importantly a story of survival and rebirth. See how Grand Central went %om a land of goat pens and breweries to one of the world's most fascinating train stations as we uncover the secrets hidden in plain sight. Sights covered on the tour: Grand Central Facade, Clock and Information Booth, Whispering Ga&ery, Campbe& Apartment, Ceiling Mural of New York Central Building, Chrysler Building, Chanin Building, and much more.

2pm - Midtown Manhattan tour We will get a sense of our surroundings by going on a free walking tour of Midtown Manhattan. Duration: approximately 2 hours. Total walking distance: approximately 1.6km. Meeting point: Northeast corner of 42nd Street & Broadway. We will walk there from the hotel. Arguably the world's most valuable, busiest and most crowded pieces of real estate, Midtown Manhattan is what most visitors think of when they think of New York City. Home to some of the city's most iconic architecture, %om Gothic to PostModern and %om Beaux-Arts to Art Deco (lots of Art Deco). it's not dicult to understand why. But just behind the massive facades lie fascinating histories just waiting to be unveiled. Sights covered on the tour: Times Square, Theater District, Bryant Park, New York Public Library, MetLife Building, Grand Central Terminal, The Chrysler Building, Rockefe&er Center, Radio City Music Ha&, Saks Fi(h Avenue, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, St. Patricks Cathedral, and much more! 5.30pm - MA degree convocation After a short rest in the hotel, we will make our way to Columbia University (116th Street & Broadway) for the MA degree convocation by taking a the uptown 1 train from the 50th Street subway station to 116th-Columbia University station. The convocation schedule is as follows: 5:30 p.m. Arrival of Graduates Students report to the ramps in Lerner Ha& (enter through the campus entrance) by 5:30 p.m. in order to line up according to their department/program. Students should bring their Convocation name card; if you have forgotten your name card, please report to the information table in the East Ramp Lounge of Lerner Ha& between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. 5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Arrival of Guests The General Admission entrance to the Morningside Campus wi& be on 114th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam. 6:30 p.m. Academic Procession Candidates, faculty, and deans enter South Lawn in formal procession. 6:45 p.m. Convocation Ceremony Convocation ceremony includes brief speeches by faculty members, deans, and student speakers; awards are given, and students are announced individua&y and congratulated by Dean Alonso. Students are photographed before they cross the stage and as their names are announced. 8:00 p.m. Academic Recession Convocation ends. Faculty exit rst and form a line in %ont of Hamilton Lawn South to congratulate students. 8:10 p.m. Reception A reception hosted by Dean Carlos J. Alonso and the GSAS Oce of Alumni Relations.

9pm - Return to hotel for rest We will take the downtown 1 train to 50th Street station from the 116th Street-Columbia University subway station, and then walk to the hotel.

Monday, May 20 Washington DC

6.15am - Leave for Washington DC We will walk (15 minutes) or take the downtown 1 train (5 minutes) from 50th Street subway station to 34th Street-Penn Station to the meeting point at 33rd Street & 7th Avenue (by Sbarros pizza joint). We will then board a bus to go the nations capital, Washington DC (operator: Bolt Bus). The bus leaves at 6.30am and arrives at Washington DCs Union Station at 10.45am. 10.45am - Tour Washington DC We will make our way to the Old Town Trolley tour pickup location for our tour of Washington DC. As the nations capital, Washington, DC captures the true spirit of America. Symbols of our patriotism, the ght for our %eedom and the diverse history that spans centuries are present on every corner. For more than 30 years, Old Town Tro&ey Tours has provided extraordinary sightseeing adventures to mi&ions of guests a&owing them to see the best of W ashington DC rst. Our %iendly conductors take you through our countrys rich past to present day through humorous stories and fascinating trivia, making each tour interesting and fun. Hop on board one of our Tro&eys to experience our unique brand of Transportainment, a delightful combination of transportation and entertainment. The tro&ey route has 3 convenient and continuous loops - Orange, Green & Red. The Orange line traverses the National Ma& with stops at a& the Smithsonian Museum buildings, as we& as the National Monuments and Memorials - Lincoln, FDR, Washington, Jeerson and the United States Capitol and Supreme Court buildings. The Green line travels uptown to visit the National Zoo and Washington National Cathedral; then it takes you through "Embassy Row" on its way to historic Georgetown - Washington's oldest neighborhood and a mecca for shopping and dining. Fina&y the green line stops at the White House and then makes its way to our Welcome Center. The Arlington Cemetery line ( Red line) shuttles between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington Cemetery. The ticket entitles you to a& day on and o privileges on each of the three loops. Start the tour at any one of the 20 stops located throughout the 2 loops. Get on and o any stop as many times as you want. 6.15pm - Return to New York City + rest We will board the bus back to New York City (operator: Bolt Bus). The bus leaves Washington DCs Union Station at 6.30pm and arrives at 33rd Street & 7th Avenue (by Sbarros pizza joint see picture) in Manhattan. Upon arrival in New York, we will either walk to the hotel or take the uptown 1 train from 34th Street-Penn Station to 50th Street station.

Tuesday, May 21 Walking tours

10am - All-in-one downtown tour We will explore downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights. Remember to bring along your MetroCard! Duration: approximately 6 hours. Meeting point: George Washington Statue at Federal Hall (see picture) on the corner of Broad Street and Wall Street. To get there we will take a downtown 1 or R train to Rector Street, or take an R train to 14th Street-Union Square station and transfer to the 5 train to Wall Street. This tour utilizes your feet and the New York City Subway to transport you %om Lower Manhattan, the birthplace of New York, through Wa& St and the Financial District, the World Trade Center, Greenwich Vi&age, SoHo, Chinatown, Little Italy, Chelsea Market and the Highline Park. There wi& be ample opportunities for memorable pictures. You& get the chance to savor NYs best pizza and cannoli and other treats, learn how to play NY handba&, maybe bargain with a shopkeeper in Chinatown, observe a game of street chess in Greenwich Vi&age, people watch and window shop in SoHo. Along the way, you& master the subway and learn about New Yorks Finest! Sites covered on the tour: Wa& Street, Financial District, New York Stock Exchange, Trinity Church, World Trade Center, Greenwich Vi&age, Washington Square Park, New York University, , SoHos Cast Iron District, Little Italy, Chinatown, Chelsea Market, The High Line Park and much more. 4pm - Rest, free time 6pm - Brooklyn Heights sunset tour We will explore Brooklyn Heights, where you will see the famous Brooklyn Bridge. Duration: approximately 2 hours. Meeting point: Stairs on the north side of Brooklyn Borough Hall (see picture). To get there from Chelsea, we will take a Brooklyn-bound 2 train to 14th Street station to Borough Hall station. Known as Americas rst suburb, Brooklyn Heights is truly a gem. Travel and Leisure named it one of Americas top 10 most beautiful neighborhoods, and its beauty is rivaled only by its place in American history. These quaint, tree-lined streets have been the sites of Revolutionary War battles, abolitionist activism and have inspired numerous novelists. Visit a stop on the Underground Railroad, or the home of Truman Capote, where he penned Breakfast at Tianys and where Jackie Robinson signed with the Dodgers. You wi& explore one of New York Citys most historic, beautiful and architectura&y diverse neighborhoods, with beautiful homes in various architectural styles, %om Federal to

Greek, Gothic and Renaissance Revivals, in forms ranging %om carriage homes to mansions. Come also for the stories of engineering feats, military defeats, antislavery preachers, prodigious authors, legendary athletes and ctional TV families. If anything, come for the unbeatable views of Manhattan. Sites covered on the tour: Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge, General Washingtons Headquarters, Church of the Pilgrim, Hotel St. George, Grimaldis Pizza, St. Anns and the Holy Trinity Church, Fulton Ferry District, Walt Whitmans Brooklyn Eagle, Brooklyn Historical Society, Homes of Truman Capote and other literary gures, movie and TV locations and much more! 8pm - Back to hotel + rest. We will take the express Manhattan-bound 2 train direct to 42nd Street station and transfer to the uptown 1 train to 50th Street. Alternatively, we can take the Manhattan-bound F train at Jay StreetMetroTech to Broadway-Lafayette Street, and transfer to the D train to 7th Avenue. We can also take the Manhattan-bound R train direct to 49th Street.

Wednesday, May 22 Commencement + walking tours

8.30am - University commencement We will make our way to Columbia University for the 2013 commencement by taking a the uptown 1 train from the 50th Street subway station to 116thColumbia University station. Columbia University Commencement is a centuries-old tradition in which the President of the University grants degrees en masse to graduating students %om eighteen schools, co&eges, and aliated institutions. During this ceremony, remarkable members of the Columbia community are also recognized through the conferring of medals, awards, and honorary degrees. It is Columbia tradition that the University Commencement address is always given by the President of the University. With thousands of degree candidates, participants, and guests in attendance, the ceremony is an unforgettable, grand-scale celebration that appropriately marks the academic achievements of the University graduates. No candidate ocia&y graduates until the Commencement ceremony is completed. Schedule: 8:30 am General admission gates open 9:00 am Degree Candidates line up 9:30 am Degree Candidate Procession begins 10:30 am Ceremony begins with the Academic Procession 12:00 pm Ceremony concludes

2pm - Harlem walking tour From Columbia, we will walk to Harlem, a historic site that has a major African-American inuence. On the way to Harlem, we will pass by several sites of historical interest, such as Riverside Church, Grants Tomb, International House and the Hudson River. Meeting point: Outside the Shomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at 515 Malcolm X Boulevard, just outside the 135th Street subway station (walk along 125th Street and turn left at Lenox Avenue). Duration: approximately 2.5 hours. Although world famous, Harlem may be New Yorks best kept secret with some of the citys most interesting architecture, food, music and people. Harlems history is also one of the citys most dramatic, having gone through many ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic changes over the past roughly 400 years, which have resulted in a diverse array of places of worship, theaters, homes and eating establishments. Discover the streets where E&a Fitzgerald, Duke E&ington and other cutting edge Harlem Renaissance players put American music on the world map, where Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali and where Fidel Castro slept a(er being kicked out of a midtown hotel for having chickens in his room. Come hungry, if you want to treat yourself to some great soul food! Sites covered on the tour: Absynninian Church, Apo&o Theater, Church Mt. Olivet, Lennox Lounge, Masjid Malcolm Shabazz Mosque, Malcolm Shabazz Market, Headquarters of Wi&iam J. Clinton Foundation, Schomberg Center, Sylvias Soul-food Restaurant, Strivers Row, Little Senagal and much more! 5.30pm - Central park sunset tour After the Harlem walking tour, we will take the D train to 42nd Street - Bryant Park and transfer to the F train to 57th Street, and walk to the Sherman Statue (see picture) in Grand Army Plaza on the northwest corner of 5th avenue and Central Park South. Duration: approximately 2 hours. Once described as the lungs of the city, Central Park brings a breath of %esh air to New Yorks crowded urban terrain. What started out as the rocky and desolate northern %inges of a rapidly expanding city is today amongst the worlds most famous and beloved public parks. With over 843 acres of meadows, hi&s, ba& elds and bodies of water, its impossible not to nd something to enjoy in Central Park. Stro& through the park and learn about the epic story of New Yorks green oasis. This tour explores the southern half of Central Park, wandering the winding pedestrian paths, passing a pond, rocky outcrops, bridges, open elds and skyline views a& great photo opportunities. The tour also includes a stop in Strawberry Fields, a living tribute to John Lennon, and wi& end in %ont of the Dakota Hotel, where the great Beatless life was tragica&y ended. Sites covered on the tour: Grand Army Plaza, The Plaza Hotel, Central Park Zoo, The Pond The Dairy, The Ma& and Literary W alk, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, Sheep Meadow, Strawberry Fields andThe Dakota Apartments. 7.30pm - Back to hotel + rest We will take the downtown B train from the 72nd Street subway station to 7th Avenue station and walk to the hotel.

Thursday & Friday, May 23/24 Niagara Fa&s + Shopping

7am - Leave for Niagara Falls (both US and Canadian sides) We will make our way to the New York Airport Service Terminal at 125 Park Avenue (between 41st and 42nd streets), near Grand Central Station. We will also disembark here at Manhattan, after the trip. Departing %om the Big Apple ( New York), you'& head north and pass the beautiful Delaware Gap to Watkins Glen State Park in the heart of the Finger Lakes region. Stro& through the impressive W atkins Glen Canyon and visit the beautiful waterfa&s before continuing on past Seneca Lake to Niagara Fa&s. Arriving to the fa&s in the late a(ernoon, you'& tour the American Side and visit a& the major highlights including the American Fa&s, Goat Island and Sisters Islands. At night, you'& tour Niagara Fa&s where you can appreciate the colorful lighting of the waters. Leaving the hotel the next day, you'& hear the thundering water of Niagara Fa&s. See the fa&s up close %om the Horseshoe Fa&s and experience the power aboard the Maid of the Mist. In the winter time, you'& visit the Scenic Tunnels and Journey Behind the Fa&s, standing in the mist where the powerful Horseshoe Fa&s tumbles %om 13 stories above! At approximately noon, you'& depart south and head back to New York City by bus. On the way back, you'& enjoy a shopping excursion at one of the large outlet ma&s along the way and nd a great bargain at the many brand name stores!

Saturday, May 25 Staten Island ferry, United Nations Headquarters + Flight

7am - Staten Island ferry ride Jump aboard this free 25-minute ferry ride from Manhattan to Staten Island and take in the Statue of Liberty and the New York City skyline at sunrise. From the hotel, take the downtown R train from 49th Street to Whitehall Street station (2-minute walk). 9.30am - United Nations tour (to be conrmed) After the ferry trip back to Manhattan, take the uptown 4/5 train from Bowling Green station to Grand Central station and walk to the UN building. The tour begins at 9.45am and lasts approximately 1.5 hours. Every year, over 1 mi&ion visitors %om around the world enter the Visitors Centre of the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, located on 1st Avenue between 45th and 46th Street. Visit the General Assembly Ha& and the Security Council Chamber. Explore a variety of exhibits grouped under the theme The United Nations: From W ar to Development. Learn about how the United Nations addresses issues such as disarmament, peace and security and the Mi&ennium Development Goals. We can then take any nal pictures of New York City while walking back to the hotel.

1.30pm - Board Go AirLink airport shuttle Our time in the United States has come to an end. Hopefully you would have some wonderful memories of your time here. I will be remaining in New York City for two more days. 6.55pm (New York time) - Board ight You will board American Airlines ight AA135 at John F. Kennedy Airport (Terminal 8). The ight arrives at Tokyos Haneda Airport (International Terminal) on Sunday, 10.15pm.

Monday, May 27 Flight

1am (Tokyo time) - Connecting ight You will connect to American Airlines ight AA5867 (operated by Japan Airlines, Flight JAL35) at the same terminal, and reach Singapore Changi Airport (Terminal 1) at 6.55am (Singapore time). 7am (Singapore time) - Arrival After passing through immigration, you will make your way home.

Images are %om random locations on the Internet. A& information in italics are %om tour operators. The fo&owing are the tour operators used in this trip: Flights: Zuji, http://www.zuji.com.sg | +65 6329 7557 within Singapore & +65 6329 7559 outside Singapore. Walking tours: Free tours by foot, http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com. Niagara Falls tour: Empire Vacations, +1 212 642 0915, via Viator, http://www.viator.com. Bus to/from Washington DC: Bolt Bus, http://www.boltbus.com, | +1 877 265 8287.

Tour of Washington DC: Old Town Trolley Tours, http://www.trolleytours.com/washington-dc/ | +1 888

910 8687 United Nations tour: United Nations Visitors Center, http://visit.un.org.

Created by Sujith, updated on 17 April 2013.