Uptown Manhattan today: Rockefeller Center, St Patrick’s Cathedral, Times Square, Central Park, 5th Avenue, Madison Avenue, movie stars, live TV programs and whatever else we see. Bring it on. It’s New York, Baby.
We took the train in again today - best transportation for us. Much better than staying in the city in a hotel and eating restaurant food (and much healthier too) or driving our own car in and finding a parking place. Now, I’ll have to admit that it is not cheap taking the train: it costs $9.00 to park in the parking lot, $40 for the train for 2 seniors round trip and $5.50 for the subway. But the stress - what stress?
St Paul’s Cathedral (we saw St. Paul’s Church the other day in Lower Manhattan) is one of our first stops every time we come to New York City. They are in the process of restoring the inside and we got some glimpses of how this is done.
This guy has just finished putting a new coat of cement on - now it needs to be painted and then the guy below hand-paints the brown lines to make it look like big blocks.
We actually got to see a TV program live: Access Hollywood. I’ve never seen the program on TV but now I’ve seen it live.
Public bathrooms. Tough to find. We had no trouble in the Financial District yesterday since there were several public buildings. But, along 5th Avenue filled with retail stores it is almost impossible to find a bathroom. We had a coffee refill in Barnes and Noble and that helped and we used them again on our way up to Central Park.
Gary bought a new Apple Watch in Times Square for only $50. He’s really excited. I thought about getting one since the guy had at least 30 of them strapped to his left arm but I couldn’t find the color I wanted so passed on it. Gary wore it all day. By the way, if you want one, please tell us and we’ll pick one up for you before we leave. On the train home, he noticed that it didn’t send text messages like he wanted but he thinks it’s just a software problem and he’ll update it tonight when we get back to the RV. Just kidding. If anyone sells watches from their arm, don’t buy. If there’s a ‘Going out of Business’ sign in store windows, don’t walk in - that sign has been there for 5 years.
5th Avenue: shops such as Gucci, TAGHeuer, Vuitan, Tiffany, Bergdorf Goodman, Cartier, Rolex. Yep, we’ll do lots of shopping here. I’ll probably buy a magnet or maybe a t-shirt - but not here.
Why do New Yawkers ask us where we are from? Don’t they think we are locals? Don’t we have that cool New York veneer? Nope, we have that flat Iowa accent. And, believe you me, we don’t dress like anyone else around here. No one else wears combo hiking pants. No one else wears nylon jackets. No one else has that deer-in-the headlight look.
The aromas along the streets send our noses swirling around the nearest food truck. It’s hard to keep our feet on the straight and narrow down the sidewalk. How many food trucks can one stomach eat at? But New York is filled with hungry tummies.
Times Square was loud and brash.
I’m not sure how this works. Gary thinks hydraulics - I just think the person on top has to leave last.
Amazing, we walked just a short distance into Central Park and noticed that already the noise level had decreased immensely. No longer could we hear the sirens, the honking of the cars, the diesel engines of the buses, the rat-a-tat-tat of the jack hammers. Ah, only birds, kids and the rustling of the leaves. No wonder there are thousands of people here every day, both tourists and locals.
Lots of chess tables set up all over New York City, in every park.
Any day is cool when you get to see a live TV show being broadcast, Michael Douglas coming out of a store less than an arm’s length from where I was walking, and Rod Stewart walking through a public space. Well, we’re not so sure about seeing Rod Stewart though the face, the hair and the walk were right but we are absolutely sure about the TV program - we’ve got pictures. And, Michael Douglas, in front of a hotel with a briefcase in his hands, waiting for a taxi. It was him.
It’s time to head home, and, when we got inside Grand Central Station, we checked the Metro North app for the time and track of the next train home, found the track, the train and got a good seat on the Hudson River side on the way home. Oops, the conductor scolded us for talking - yep, it’s the ‘Quiet’ Car and there is no talking. Whispering maybe, but no talking. OK. Gotcha.
We noticed a prison on the way home, near a brook called Sing Sing. What do your think is the name of the prison? You guessed it. Sing Sing. Since it is north along the Hudson River from New York do you think that’s what they old mafia guys meant by ‘up the river?’
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