Alaska, Canada and NYC Day 35

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Up early and off to recharge the SIM card on the phone. Have to go to the AT&T store in times square. Rain gone now, but very humid. Watch as the town wakes up, buildings being opened, deliveries everywhere. In Times Square they are filming Good Morning America in the street - have a sticky but too many screaming yanks........

Into the store, top up and off again. Look for the suitcase shop with no luck. Back to the apartment and breakfast, then off to Central Park. Catch subway (with no hassles) and get off at 72nd and 8th. This is the corner that John Lennon was shot and killed. We could tell coz there were about 4 hop on hop off buses parked with people taking pics everywhere. Into the park to look at the Strawberry Fields section of the park (thanks for the heads up Caleb). Walk into the park, there is a lake so we go over there. Walk into the lake area where there are some big rocks that people were climbing. As we go in there is a group with assign in the rotunda for the wedding of Eric and Michael. Pics being taken of the happy couple.

We climb the rocks, get some pics of the park, lake and the building where John Lennon and Yoko lived (Yoko still lives there). The happy couple arrive on the rocks for their pics as well.

Head off back into the park - we are aiming for the Fricke Gallery which is directly in the other side to where we are. Wander through the park looking at fountains, lakes, etc. when there is a group of street performers just about to start. They are warming up (major stretching going on here). We sit and watch. They are getting people revved up and make us stand us at the edge of some cones and watch and get involved. 3 black guys (we are told it is ok to call them black coz Obama is the president) and one Hispanic. They start off with some flips, hand stands and other acrobatics. They call themselves Affro Batics.

Show is good, then all of a sudden they want audience participation. They pick 2 guys from the crowd, then my turn - bugger. They say they are going to jump over us. More people get invited. Eventually there are 5 guys and 1 girl. Before they do this jump they do the obligatory money collection. Commentary is very funny so people dig in. Then they hit all of us in the line for $20 or $100 to leave..... We pay our $20. Eventually they get 4 of us to lean over, the others get to catch the jumper. More banter, then away he goes, over all of us and stops in the arms of the others. Good show even if it did cost us to participate.

Through the park and out at the Fricke Gallery. This is a privately owned house and gallery in avery large area. Each room was different and had art to suit. Interesting place and watched a video of how it came about. Off to the Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art). Find an entrance, try the NY Pass trick again, the lady at the desk is on to us, pay our way. In and up - this place is a maze of galleries, art and artefacts. Huge and way too much to see in one day, let alone half a day. We wander and finally end up in the ancient Egyptian area where they had the mummies, etc.

Eventually get herded out (literally, the guards come through and follow you out - effectively pushing the crowds out the doors). Decide to walk back to midtown to have a final look for the luggage shop with our friend. Get back to MOMA and start our steps all over again. Beer at Connolys Irish pun, then across the street. walk past the luggage shop we had seen the day before and there is our dude - must have missed him the last 2 times we looked. In we go, haggle on price and finally pick a case and out. Guess what - rain. Walk around the corner, then it dumps it. Under the cover of the Letterman Show building. Literally bucketing down. Help a photo vendor get her stall covered and out of the rain, then try to get a cab. Finally get one and off on our first cab ride - just as it stops raining- d'oh....

Interesting guy, wants to know about kangaroos. Good chat, then out we get. They have pay pass in their cans so easy to pay. Into the apartment to dry out. Watch the storm come and go - get some good pics of the clouds enveloping the buildings. The rain is swirling everywhere down on the streets. Decide to eat at the restaurant just under our building. We can get there mostly under cover.

Sit down and order. Focaccia is hot and very nice. Eat our dinner and back for an early night - not. It was about 2100 when we went in to the restaurant so more like midnight again.

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