- New York! New York! (1)
- New York! New York! (2)
- New York! New York! (3)
Day 2 in New York started with a 4 hour bus tour checking out the different areas of Manhattan Island. We picked up a guy in Times Square – think his name was Inman but didn’t quite catch it. He was our official tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and passionate about New York and a lot of fun! We drove to Central Park and were dropped off for a short walk. We stood opposite the building that John Lennon had lived in – he was also killed outside the front door – and visited a little garden in the park nearby called Strawberry Fields. A round “imagine memorial” – set in the ground – was quite significant. Very popular with tourists. Back on the bus we continued driving along Central Park West past more buildings where more famous people live. Prices for apartments are a little on the expensive side – in the millions! We then visited the revamped Harlem – it was a very unsafe place in the past but no longer. Saw the Apollo Theatre where many famous entertainers launched their careers performing at “Audition Night” – Ella Fitzgerald, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5 and Mariah Carey to name just a few. We then drove along the east side of Central Park – on 5th Ave. Heaps of museums and the New York Zoo. While the stars tend to live on the west side of Central Park the “old money” lives on the east. Apartments are even more expensive. Back in Manhattan we parked the bus and walked through Grand Central Train Station with its variety of market stalls/shops, restaurants, and huge main concourse with its high painted ceilings and arched windows. Then it was off driving through Greenwich Village to Lower Manhattan where we visited the 9/11 site. Checked out the two new – very tall – buildings that have been completed – more still to come, two beautiful memorial water features – the names of people who died on that day are engraved around their edges, a wonderful huge sculpture of a white dove based on a drawing by a 10 year old girl, and the famous Callery Pear tree that survived the devastation. Lots more to see – we hardly scratched the surface. A very moving place to visit. Inman told us about 9/11 and the effect it had on his own family and the people of New York. It was still very hard for him to talk about it. We were then dropped off at a nearby dock area – our official bus tour was over. Lovely views from the docks – back along the East River. Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges prominent. We went for a walk in the local area and grabbed some lunch before catching the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. Great views back to Lower Manhattan, interesting to see the Statue of Liberty – another famous landmark.
After our cruise we then headed off on our own for the rest of the afternoon and evening. We just walked and walked – again. Down Wall Street – checked out the New York Stock Exchange, through China Town and Little Italy, part way across the Brooklyn Bridge and back again, and on to the SoHo district. Interesting buildings, shops and restaurants along the way. Needed the odd break – definitely feeling our age!! We had a meal in a pub in SoHo – great pizza, fries and salad. Another very nice red wine. Picked up by our bus nearby and headed back to New Jersey – another big day!!!
Love again
Di and Reg
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