Hold back the temptation to climb on the Bull!

No, it's not an attraction for a steakhouse. I actually did hear a woman say, "What is that thing for?" in a Southern accent.
Well, m'lady, it is the Charging Bull. Sometimes called the Wall Street Bull. This is a 7,000 pound bronze statue created by Arturo Di Modica that represents the competitive and aggressive Stock Market. Or, as I like to see it as, how many Americans feel about their money! It has been reported that Di Modica was inspired by the 1987 stock market crash when he created the sculpture to symbolize American's strength and power.
Di Modica spent his own money ($360,00!) for his creation, and when finished it was brought to Lower Manhattan and placed in front of the New York Stock Exchange. On www.wikipedia.com, it is said that it was meant to be a "Christmas gift to the people of New York."
Soon after its placement, the bull was taken by the NYPD and thrown into an impound lot. This action angered many New Yorkers and art lovers, so the bull was set a few blocks from its orginal location in the plaza at Bowling Green. It is impossible to miss from any direction!
The sculpture is one of the most photographed pieces of art in the city and is of extreme importance to the Financial District.

What is that golden, odd-shaped figure?

This is the quote from a plaque that lies underneath the sculpture:

"For three decades, this sculpture stood in the plaza of the World Trade Center. Entitled "The Sphere," it was conceived by artist Fritz Koenig as a symbol of world peace. It was damaged during the tragic events of September 11, 2001, but endures as an icon of hope and the indestructible spirit of this country. The Sphere was placed here on March 11, 2002 as temporary memorial to all who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center.

This eternal flame was ignited on September 11, 2002 in honor of all of those who were lost. Their spirit and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

And there he was, wooden teeth and all of his glory...

For the first time, Drew and I stuck to our homemade travel itinerary and found ourselves with a few extra days to spend any way we'd like to. Drew had an itch to revisit Battery Park and off we went to Lower Manhattan. His itch was scratched, so we wandered map-free through the streets and found ourselves outside of the NY Stock Exchange on Wall Street (which we hadn't planned on going to, so it was an added bonus) and 'lo and behold, there was Mr. Washington himself only a few yards away. I was admittedly confused until I remembered that the White House didn't exist during his inauguration. It was thrilling to have stumbled upon this site as we weren't aware of its existence (or forgot!) I felt a strange and warm numbness in me being among masses of traders, groups of young students, and wanderers like ourselves. As much as I tried to imagine how it looked/sounded/smelled at the time (1789) I couldn't. Even my always overactive imagination couldn't break through the barrier of awe. The feeling has stuck with me since. On my next visit I plan to go back and sit there until my senses break through and I'm able to visualize and understand the importance of this small alcove of the city. For a complete explanation and actual testimony to the inauguration, please visit www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/pfwashingtoninaug.htm. I've printed out a copy of the page and plan on bringing with me next time. Do the same and add it to your NYC History Tour. Enjoy, fellow countrymen!