New York - Day 3

What a long day it has been!  We were up no earlier than usual - anytime from 6am or so most days, depending on what we have planned to do.  With 5 or 6 of us to eat and shower, it can take a while!  But today, we managed to walk over 19.5km!  The last two days have been between 13-15 kms - and that is with us using the subway heaps!  So, no, we don't feel bad eating pretzels and other snacks in the evenings!

Anyway, today we went with Marjo to the Port Authority Bus Terminal so she could catch a bus back to Tante Thea's and pack up the rest of her stuff and head back to NZ.  She will be back in NZ early Sunday morning NZ-time.  Lots of hugs and best wishes.

Then, for the rest of us it was off to see the Grand Central Terminal - sheer opulence, especially for a train station!  There is even a Tiffany's located there.  Then, viewing the UN Building.  We made an error on the subway, and ended up going in the wrong direction to start with - ended up in Queens, and had to get out, cross the road and go back down into the subway to go back in the other direction. After that mishap, all was good, and as we walked from the subway to the UN, we walked along the bottom of the Chrysler Building.  There are lots of statues in the grounds at the UN - St George and the Dragon, an elephant, a boat were some we glimpsed.

Chrysler Building

The NZ Flag flying proudly

A photographic display outside the UN

Robin enjoying some time at a playground - note no green grass anywhere

Then it was off to Central Park via Times Square.  At Central Park, Eric left us and went for a run, whilst the rest of us walked around and met up with him later.  The boys played a game of checkers in the Chess and Checkers Building, and we saw a number of statues along the way (Alice in Wonderland, Balto (a tribute for sled dogs), literary greats such as Robert Burns, etc) as well as ponds, bridges (the Bow Bridge and the Gapstow Bridge) and even a castle - Belvedere, which is where the NY weather observations are taken from.  We saw people skating at the Wollman Rink, and we saw the Imagine mosaic in Strawberry Fields, an area dedicated to John Lennon's memory (he lived nearby).  We also got to walk through (not inside - that cost money) the Central Park Zoo and were able to watch seals being fed and see the Delacorte clock chime on the half hour (it played a tune and animal sculptures went round in a circle - very charming!).  The Bethesda Fountain and Terrace were lovely - painted roof and walls, and great acoustics (someone was singing as we walked through).

At $54US, we decided we could walk!

Inside the Bethseda Terrace

Roof tiles inside the Bethseda Terrace

Bethseda Terrace

Bow Bridge

Ice Rescue Ladder Station

Castle Belvedere

Gapstow Bridge

Alice in Wonderland statue

Then, it was back to Times Square to see it lit up in the dusk, then back to our apartment.  Everyone is tired.

There is lots of artwork in the metro stations

I think we have covered quite a bit of New York City.  It is full of people (and yes, that includes homeless people, those simply begging for food and many buskers especially in metro stations), vehicles (especially yellow taxi cabs of all sizes), police, skyscrapers, ... But also history and old and interesting buildings.