Berny's photos

View from 86th floor observation deck to the east (East River), PANAM-building, Chrysler building, Queensboro Bridge and UN building as landmarks. - scanned slide, Minolta X700

443.2 m above ground is the antenna's peak. Per the original plans, the Empire State Building's spire was intended to be an airship docking station. The 80th, 86th, and 102nd floors contain observatories. I visited the 86th floor observation deck back then, the higher one was closed for public. - scanned slide, Minolta X700

This is finally the last place I visited during my 1986 journey through the US. Some view of the top will follow to finish this travel report. The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. It was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its name is derived from "Empire State", the nickname of the state of New York. The building has a roof height of 380 m and stands a total of 443.2 m tall, including its antenna. The Empire State Building stood as the world's tallest building until the construction of the World Trade Center in 1970. Following its collapse in 2001, the Empire State Building was again the city's tallest skyscraper until 2012 (!). As of 2020, the building is only the seventh-tallest building in New York City, but sure one of the most beautiful. - scanned slide, Minolta X700

My first motorcycle, which I bought with 17 - my parents were not amused, a BMW R51 (1938). The photo was taken with my first camera, a Kodak Instamatic 100 (scanned slide). ► Kodak Instamatik ► Born to be wild

The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, also known as Central Park Reservoir, is a decommissioned reservoir in Central Park. It covers 43 ha and holds over 3,800,000 m³ of water. Looking to the west, the view has not much changed since 1986. The two "towers" are part of "The Eldorado", built 1929-1931, 28 floors, 105.4 m, Art déco. - scanned slide, Minolta X700

In the meantime the name PANAM is gone and the skyscraper is called "MetLife Building". It was built 1960-1963 with 58 floors and is 246.3 m tall. It used to have a rooftop helipad, however it was closed due to a fatal accident in 1977. The MetLife Building was the Pan Am Building from 1963 to 1981 when the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company purchased the building from Grand Central Buildings, Inc. The architectural stly is "brutalist". The old skyscraper in front of the PANAM ist the "Helmsley Building", built in 1929, 35 floors, 172.2 m. Architectural style is a mixture of Art déco, beaux arts and neo gothic. The view is from Park Avenue, looking NE to SW. scanned slide, Minolta X700

Cadillac Fleetwood 75, built in the early 80's scanned slide, Minolta X700

I made this photo in 1985, when I owned the bike, but never restored it. At that time I leased an old empty horse stable, where I stored about 24 classic unrestored, partly very rusty bikes. By the way, DKW means "DampfKraftWagen", later also "Des Knaben Wunsch" or "Das Kleine Wunder" ! - scanned slide, Minolta X700 HFF and a great weekend, my friends! Stay safe and healthy, wish you an early vaccination!

The gardens at the United Nations headquarters were originally closed to the public, but were made publicly accessible in 1958. "Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge" spans across the East River and Roosevelt Island in the background. The bridge was built 1901-1909. - scanned slide, Minolta X700

built 1947-1952, 39 floors, 153.9 m

The bronze sculpture "Let Us Beat Our Swords into Ploughshares," was created by Soviet artist Evgeny Vuchetich, and presented to the United Nations on 4 December 1959 by the Government of the USSR. The sculpture, depicting the figure of a man holding a hammer aloft in one hand and a sword in the other, which he is making into a ploughshare, is meant to symbolize man's desire to put an end to war, and to convert the means of destruction into creative tools for the benefit of mankind. It is located in the North Garden of the United Nations Headquarters. - scanned slide, Minolta X700

scanned slide, Minolta X700

I still have two big boxes of travel brochures, maps, invoices, business cards, tickets etc. from the 1986-journey through the USA.....

I still have two big boxes of travel brochures, maps, invoices, business cards, tickets etc. from the 1986-journey through the USA.....

mag+magdyno, double carbs Amal T27/013, double headlights, JAP JTOR/S engine, 3-speed heavyweight gearbox, rigid frame, castle fork - after 7 years of work, my last project

Jackson Browne - Sold Out (but not for me,....I had a ticket).....June 1st, 1986 Unfortunately I made no photos inside. Very much later I visited the Teatro America in Havana, which is very similar in its architecture to the Radio City Music Hall. More information here: ► Wikipedia - scanned slide, Minolta X700