Our first stop in Albany was the New York State Capitol, the seat of the New York State Legislature. A huge building dating back to 1867, which was under construction for over 32 years and, by today's standards, cost half a billion US dollars. The “Great Western Staircase”, also known as the Million Dollar Staircase, is particularly impressive. It looks like a staircase in a medieval castle and creates a wonderful atmosphere.

Before you are allowed to enter the building, you have to go through a small security check where your bags are x-rayed. There were no entrance fees or queues and you can move freely through the entire building.  When I entered, I was reminded of the movie “Idiocracy”, as it is called “Dunkin Donuts Entrance”. There is a large Dunkin Donuts branch in the building and there are lots of signs in the corridors pointing the way to the donut store. This doesn't fit in at all with the venerable staircase and the status as the seat of the legislature. We were even allowed to go into the meeting room, the chamber of the New York State Assembly. This is where the 63 members of the New York State Assembly meet; with 42 to 21 seats, the Democrats have the majority over the Republicans. The supervisor in the otherwise empty room even allowed us to sit in the Speaker's seat, who presides over the session and is allowed to swing the gavel. 

We walked through the city and were amazed at the design of the city center. The outer areas look very much like Hudson and have a small-town character, whereas the city center looks like a modern artist's experimental playground. “The Egg” is a large theater that dominates the panorama of the city like a giant ice cream. It is joined by several high-rise buildings that surround a large square and create a strange contrast to the old buildings. 

The building “The Egg”, named after its shape, was designed by Harrison & Abramovitz as part of the Empire State Plaza project and built between 1966 and 1978. The construction manager said the spherical shape was meant to bring people closer together, unlike traditional theaters, which are square in shape.

It is located in the northeast corner of the plaza. It has become a landmark in New York's Capital District due to its unusual shape and central location. The Egg is owned by the State of New York and managed by the Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center Corporation.

We walked to the banks of the Hudson and visited the ship “USS Slater”.  It is a Cannon Class destroyer escort that was put into service with the US Navy in 1944. Named after Frank O. Slater, a sailor killed at the Battle of Guadalcanal, the ship was used as an escort for Atlantic and Pacific voyages during World War II and has several weapons to combat German and Japanese submarines as well as kamikaze planes. The ship was used for the movie “Guns of Navarone” (1961) and served as a training ship for the Greek Navy after the Second World War. Volunteers from the association have restored the ship so that visitors can relive the life of the sailors during the Second World War. For example, it was interesting to see the cooks stretching out their hammocks in the dining room after work.  In contrast to the museum ships I have visited so far, you were allowed to try out and touch many things here. For example, I was able to operate a gun that was used against enemy aircraft.  We were also allowed to lie down in the beds and try out how hard the job of a gunner is.

Built in 1973, the Corning Tower offers a great viewing deck on the 42nd floor. It is the tallest skyscraper in New York State outside New York City. To our surprise, there was no entrance fee and there were hardly any people there, so having a day off on a Thursday has its advantages.  From the top we saw that the city with its 99,000 inhabitants really isn't very big and is more like a small town than a capital. However, the view of the Hudson River and the surrounding landscape was very beautiful.

The restaurant “Illusion Restaurant and Bar” was recommended to us for its excellent burgers. I chose the “Empire Smash Burger” as it was once voted the second best burger in New York State. Two Angus beef smash patties, caramelized bacon, sharp cheddar, honey bourbon BBQ sauce, pickles and onions between two toasted brioche buns. A fantastic burger, served with properly seasoned fries and a beautiful view of the city center with the skyscraper from which we had just looked down on the city.