Man Versus Nature, With a Daughter as Collateral Damage

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I woke-up excessively early due to the time difference, so I headed to Brooklyn for some early morning photos by the Brooklyn Bridge. I should have got out of bed quicker as it took a long while for a subway train to arrive and the journey itself took longer than I expected, so by the time I got there it wasn't early morning any more.

Last time we were in New York, you just needed to buy tickets for the subway. Now it seems that you need to buy a Metro card (like a London Oyster card) and then credit that. Despite the early hour, there was a lady in the ticket office who was remarkably patient with the stupid, clueless Brit who, for some unknown reason, was going to Brooklyn at 5.30am.

London - two things to note: trains that run all night and ticket offices that are actually open when you need them!

I was wrapped-up warm but it didn't seem as cold as I was expecting and it was actually very pleasant walking along the deserted water-front under the Brooklyn bridge with the views back to downtown Manhattan.

I got the train back, but, as I still don't understand the express train set-up, it shot straight past the stop I wanted and I ended up walking back from Central Park, which was probably quicker than trying to get a train back the other way and inevitably shooting past my stop again.

Breakfast was a complete free-for-all, but was otherwise ok. Now is it just me, but is it really acceptable to go to breakfast in a hotel in your pyjamas? It would be one thing if it was just children, but there were some adults as well.

We then left the hotel for a day of sights, interjected by shopping. Or was it shopping interjected by sights? I'm not sure, probably the latter.

We have been to the top of the Rockefeller Center before (the "Top of the Rock"), but we really like it up there, so that had to be done again. The queues were surprisingly short, with no waiting around, although we did have to go through the full "experience" which involved the usual green-screen photo before you are allowed through.

It was the same at the Empire State Building.

We thought we would go for a walk along The High Line. This is such a great idea. They have taken an old, discussed freight railway line and turned it into a mile or so long raised park through the old Meat-Packing District. We walked along this last time we were here and I remember constantly stopping to drink some water due to the relentless heat. This time it was beyond freezing. The temperature had declined massively through the day and the wind here was biting, particularly given that it is raised and hence very exposed to the winds coming from the close by Hudson River. It turned what should have been a pleasant afternoon walk into a war of man versus nature, with our poor 15 year old daughter dragged into it as well.

The hotel had 24 hour hot chocolate on standby, which went down very well when we got back.

We had to really motivate ourselves to go back outside to find somewhere to eat.

The Empire State Building ticket also included a return between 8.00pm and 1.15am for the view at night. We would have regretted it if we hadn't gone back and it was definitely worth it, although it was freezing cold up there to say the least.

We got a taxi there, but given all the one way streets, restricted turns and gridlocked traffic, after twenty minutes we were actually further way from the Empire State Building than when we started. At least the taxi was warm though.

I dread to think what it was like during those horrendous snow storms that were only about three weeks ago, although there is absolutely no sign of any of that snow now. Another thing for London to note.

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Photos

Downtown and The Brooklyn Bridge
The early morning view from Dumbo in Brooklyn.

Rockefeller View.
The view from the top of the Rockefeller Center towards Central Park.

Empire State Building View.
The view from the top (almost) of the Empire State Building.

High Line View
Some art along the side from the freezing cold High Line walk.