A Christmas season walk through Manhattan

(ft. millions of tourists and some history lessons)

Patience and Fortitude (seen in the photo above) are the world-renowned pair of marble lions that stand proudly before the majestic Beaux-Arts building at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street in Manhattan since the Library was dedicated on May 23, 1911.

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I made my way through the Midtown East area of Manhattan today — but the swarms of tourists made it quite a challenge. I’m glad I perservered because I was able to help many homeless people along the way. For example:

I also opted to see my hometown through the eyes of a tourist and below is the photographic proof:

Rocking out in one of the well-dressed windows at Bergdorff-Goodman.

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Saks Fifth Avenue urged passersby to look to the stars.

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As I passed the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, this verse came to mind: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.” (Mark 12:38-40)

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The 2023 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is an 80-foot tall Norway Spruce, 43 feet wide. It weighs 12 tons and was approximately 80-85 years old when it was unnecessarily killed.

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St. Patrick's Cathedral is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of New York and a parish church. The cathedral occupies a city block bounded by Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue, 50th Street, and 51st Street, directly across from Rockefeller Center. Designed by James Renwick Jr., it is the largest Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral in North America.

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The origin of the pretzel goes back to 610 AD in an area near Aosta, Italy:

A young monk was preparing unleavened bread for Lent, the Christian period of fasting and penitence before Easter. Christians of the day prayed with their arms folded across their chests, each hand on the opposite shoulder.

It occurred to the monk that he could twist the leftover dough from the bread into this shape and use it as a treat for the children to recite their prayers. He named his creation “pretiola” — Latin for “little reward” and the “ti” is pronounced like “zi.”

The three holes represented the Holy Trinity.

In the centuries following, the pretzel made its way into European culture and, by 1440, the pretzel’s form symbolized good luck, long life, and prosperity.

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