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Published: October 23rd 2013
Inscope archWell we did the American Football experience last night. Caught the New Jersey train to Meadowlands $11 return leaving from Penn Street station. This station is so huge if you take one wrong turn you will be lost for half a day (well it feels like that anyway).
The game was good but the audience participation is even more entertaining. Lots of fun just watching the crowds. Time we arrived home it was nearing 1am - strangely it felt very safe walking the streets at this time of night. We did pass by a number of people sleeping on the streets - they were sound asleep laying on the footpath on cardboard for a bed - some had blankets - others didn't. Once again we couldn't help thinking how this could happen in America - but that's how it is for whatever the reason.
Up early this morning - breakfast then off on the train to Central Park. We were booked into another "free tours on foot" starting at 10am. About 15 other people joined us on the tour - quite a few from Austrilia.
This Central Park tour explores the southern half of the park, wandering the
Remote control boats on the lakewinding pedestrian paths, passing a pond, rocky outcrops, bridges, open fields and skyline views — all great photo opportunities. The tour also includes a stop in Strawberry Fields, a living tribute to John Lennon, and ended in front of the Dakota Hotel, where the great Beatles’s life was tragically ended.
Of course Central Park is huge - at around 840 acres - it's not possible to see in a day or two. It was interesting to hear the history of this well known park and then finding out that over 400 million people visit Central Park - it's just mind blowing!
There is a large monument of Hans Christian Andersen that has been dedicated to the children who lost their parents in the 9/11 attack. The large bronze statue depicts Andersen seated upon a granite bench, reading from his book The Ugly Duckling. Every Saturday during the summer at 11am storytellers read fairy tales from this popular children's author.
Just around the corner is Alice in Wonderland who stands stands eleven feet tall in bronze, surrounded by the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and a few of her other friends. Children are invited to climb, crawl and
Alice in Wonderlandtouch Alice and her friends. In fact, through the decades thousands of hands and feet have literally polished parts of the statue’s surface smooth. It's very difficult to capture a photo of Alice without having children somewhere in the picture!
Locals walk their dogs here in Central Park as well as jog and ride push bikes around. The dogs in the park would have to be the best looked after dogs in the USA - they were immaculately groomed - both small dogs and some nearly the size of small horses! Of course the area surrounding the park is full of expensive real estate - namely the upper east side - which has the most expensive housing in the USA.
After leaving Central Park we took the train downtown to visit the New York Public library 5th and 42nd Avenue. The library opened in 1911 and is known as the "people's palace" - it has vast collections, services for the public and is open to everyone for free.
Although no books can leave the Library you can borrow items to read during the library opening hours and return them before you leave. The library holds over 15
Views of the city from the lakemillion items including the first words ever carved into stone, Columbus's letter announcing his discovery to the New World and the first the first Gutenberg Bible. The main reading room on the third floor is almost as long as a football field and is always busy as people take time out fom the busy NY streets or they come here to do research.
The library has so many books - miles and miles of them that are stored underneath Bryants Park - on average it will take an experienced librarian 9 minutes to locate a book for you.
After the library we decided to try a bit of retail shopping at TJ Maxx and Marshalls on 18th Street - unfortunately we were so very tired that we didnt end up buying much (it just all seemed too hard).
We bought our dinner from a street cart - which was great tasting and so cheap - meal for 2 - $8 - can't beat that..we sat on the sidewalk and ate dinner before catching the train home. Never been so happy to sit and relax! New York is great but thoroughly exhausting as you walk miles each day!
Horse and carriage rides are popular in the parkNever be fooled into thinking you can see this city in a few days...this is day 5 and we still havent been to Times Square and it's just a few blocks from the hostel....oh well there's always tomorrow!
Cheers - but I'm too tired to even raise my glass.
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judith chaffer
non-member comment
memories which I was there!!