Chinatown

Chinatown on Manhattan is USA:s largest and most wellknown Chinatowns. It is home to the largest concentration of Chinese people in the Western hemisphere and is one of the oldest Chinese enclaves outside of Asia. The population of Chinatown exploded in 1965 because of a new immigration law. We only made a brief visit when walking on Mott Street between Lower Manhattan and Soho. Chinatown borders Little Italy, if feels a bit weird since China changes to Italy in the middle of a street! I also visited Chinatown in 1998. Chinatown, heavily dependent on tourism, was badly affected by Sep 11 2001, much because Park Row was closed. Chinatown feels a bit like being in China (except for much of the atmosphere), it is partly gritty and you mostly see Chinese people except for some tourists. The busy and gritty Canal Street passes Chinatown.

Chatham Square. The first Chinese business we saw while approaching from the south on Water Street.

Chatham Square is heavy trafficated and the traffic lights were broken so it was pretty chaotic with policemen directing the traffic!

Chatham Square; Looking towards the WTC Ground Zero site in the center with Beekman Tower to the left and Municipal Bldg to the right.

Mott Street:

Mott Street is one of the main streets of Chinatown. The typical American firescapes reveals it is not China.

The crossing Canal Street/Mott St.

A Chinese style building at Canal Street.

Canal Street is a gritty main street.

The only classic school bus I saw on Manhattan.

Canal Street.

Canal Street looking towards Mahayana Buddhist Temple.

Mott Street continues to the North.

In Chinatown you can buy fish on the streets. And frogs! Just like in China.

The last part of Chinatown, here Little Italy begins (click).