Day 20 New York City

Day 20 - New York City - Tuesday, September 9, 2014

It is amazing how quickly you become accustomed to the city and it’s transit systems! We jumped on the PATH to 33rd Street after asking another friend New Yorker where would be best to get off. He knew we wanted to go Uptown, so 33rd was best and then we would transfer from there. 

Navigating New York is really not difficult. You learn that Uptown is North and Downtown is South. Streets run north and south, and Avenues run east and west. If you keep the grid of Manhattan in  your mind it is not at all overwhelming. I actually felt incredibly safe on our out and a bouts! 

My intention was to take the Uptown metro to 110 Street, but I was busy speaking to a teenager, when we passed the stop, so we ended up getting off at 116 Street. Not so far, but still a little more walking. We ended up visiting Harlem! So that was rather cool. A quick jaunt through there and we were out and entering the north end of Central Park. 

The good thing about that was we got to see all of Central Park. Television does not do the park justice. What we routinely see on TV is the Sheep Meadow of Central Park, but there is so very much more to this remarkable area! I took a variety of pictures to give a real taste of what it has to offer.

I loved the mingling of cars, bicycles, runners, walkers, horses, carriages, and other various travelers through the park. I honestly can say that it felt like the most welcoming place - anyone could pass through and all would be accepted. There were business men on bicycles, or walking quickly through in their suits, or mothers or nannys with children, and boys with soccer shoes and coaches moving speedily towards their part of the park, or men playing volleyball, or a young couple taking pictures at a fountain for the day of their wedding, or little girls in school uniforms. It was wonderful! 

Making a Game of Ayana Leading Them Through Central Park

Funny Kids! A Fountain For Humans and Dogs

School Girls With Their Nanny - Complete With Demure Uniforms

Navigating the park was not bad; at one point I pulled a guy over and asked him how far I was from 86th street and 5th avenue, and he said, “Oh you’re miles away!” I was so disappointed thinking I had it right in my head. He was just joking! I was right on top of it!! 5th was a path away and we were at 88th!! Not too shabby for a person who is walking through the midst of a humungous park with no signage, just knowing I started at 110th and had certain items to pass before I reached the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

We stopped for a delicious lunch at one of the lunch trucks. As we arrived the two different hawkers began vying for our business. I looked from one to the other, and knowing that these people do this for a living, I could not choose one over the other! So I sent the five children to the one for hotdogs, and Ray and I went to the other for chicken gyros. My goodness, were those ever good! After a tasty lunch hanging on the street corner with all the tourists and locals alike, we headed down to the Museum. This street was called Museum Street and as you can imagine it was full of museums.

The Met was something I remembered from being a child. I read the book The Mixed Up Files of Basil T. ....” Can’t remember the name now, but it was about two children running away to the museum. I loved the story because of the romantic aspect of living in a museum when all the workers went home for the night!! 

I really wanted more time in the museum with the children having the opportunity to stop and sketch a picture, but sadly, we arrived too late in the day, and didn’t get the chance. We did make it through the European painting section and see Monet, Renoir, Manet, Picasso, Degas, Caravaggio, Matisse, and so many, many more!! It was a sight to see! The difficult thing for the children was the nudity. They didn’t know what to do with their eyes! Minutes before the museum closed we dashed to the bookstore to buy a print for each of the children and myself. One of my most prized possessions is a print of the Mona Lisa that I bought when I was twenty in the Louvre in Paris, France. I wanted the children to have a print that one day would hang in their homes and they could remember being in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City when they were children. A true souvenir. 

Once we left the Met at 5:00 it was back to the park to find the Alice in Wonderland, Hans Christian Anderson, and Beethoven statues. We were not disappointed when we found them. They were truly something.

Alice in Wonderland

Hans Christian Anderson

When we found the Columbus status it was my turn to take a picture. While planning this trip and seeing the route I would take it was interesting to me. As I googled my way across the country with the maps and google earth, and actually saw the roads and areas, I felt I was traveling. When my ‘car’ pulled up into Prince Edward Island and I saw the ocean I can’t begin to explain what it felt like. I likened it at that time to how Columbus felt when he discovered America, or how the Pioneers felt when they crossed the continent. A very real accomplishment. Hence my kinship with Columbus!

A quick peek into the Plaza to see all the rich people and fancy world, and we were off again. This time to FAO Schwarz the wonderful toy store with teddies priced at $1000, and adoption centres for the sweetest baby dolls, and a piano that you can walk on to produce music, and of course, the guard at the door to greet you! 

The Plaza

FAO Schwartz

Walking, walking, walking - no need for buses or Metros if you wish to really see it all. If you keep walking you are sure to fall across everything. Now, I had a bit of a plan for when I began, but even more landed in my path, so we got our moneys worth! Tiffany’s was closed, and the vault doors told the children of the value within!

Gucci children’s clothes was something with the golden statues. 

We took a quick ride up the escalator into Trump Tower with it’s gorgeous interior complete with waterfalls, and then it was off to GAP where the boys had their modeling moment, and the Framer had a chance to try out his mannequin skills. Not too shabby. He had us rolling with laughter! 

Empire State Building

New York Pizza

And then it was off home after another wonderful, energized day.