What we learned in New York - Sun 18th June 2017 - Bike Ride Central Park, 9/11 Museum, TOTR

[Fuellady]

Day 3 is HERE

What we learned in New York – Sunday 18th June 2017

Central Park Bike Tour, 9/11 Memorial Museum, Top of the Rock

Another early start today, we had set the alarm for 6.30am. We were showered and ready to leave the hotel at 7.40am, thinking we had plenty of time to walk to West 56th Street to register for the bike tour of Central Park. We had been going to pre book this using our Explorer Pass before we left the UK but when you reserve a time they ask for credit card details and we decided not to bother in case we had to change the date due to weather.

In any case, it was a lovely morning so we kept to the original plan. We decided our route would be up 40th Street to 5th Avenue, then along 5th Avenue until we reached 56th Street. We stopped at a bakery alongside Bryant Park as the pastries in the window looked lovely. We were just going to take out but there was a seating area at the back and we couldn’t decide what to have so we sat in to look at the menu. It turns out it wasn’t really our kind of place. Everything was really expensive and organic and we struggled to choose. In the end Neil had a muffin and I had a pain au chocolat and we each had coffee which came in a cup without a handle, basically a bowl! We couldn’t really enjoy it as we were regretting sitting in now and rushed our food so we could get going.

We needed to be at the bike shop at 8.45am in time for the 9am start of the tour. So now we route marched up 5th Avenue to make sure we got there on time. None of the shops were open yet, so no distractions there! We just made it to the shop on time and joined the short line where we were told they had 2 spaces left on the 9am tour. We scanned our Explorer Passes and were given a bike, helmet and basket and joined a group of about 15 people outside the shop. Our tour guide was a German lady, I forget her name but she had lived in New York for 20 years and she was very good with lots of information at the stops.

I was really nervous about going on a bike as it must be over 10 years since I was last on one! I wobbled a bit at the start but was soon managing fairly well. Until we got to the first hill that is! I really struggled on the hills, with the bike on the lowest gear setting I was breathless and my legs were killing me and I honestly thought I wasn’t going to make it! The tour was good, with several stops. The first stop was on the Mall where our guide told us about the writers statues.

Our second stop was a restroom stop, overlooking this fountain…

We stopped up there!

Walkway under the bridge.

Our next stop was the Jackie Onassis reservoir…

We had another couple of stops, one at a garden area where you could climb to the highest point of the park (no chance, I’d seen enough hills to last a lifetime by now!), and another stop at Strawberry Fields. We didn’t go right into this area as we have no interest in it, but took the opportunity to sit in the shade under some trees for a few minutes. It was really hard going on the bike, I was exhausted and glad of a sit down.

The tour was good for giving an idea of what the Central Park has to offer, but felt that we missed loads by being on the bike. Lots of times the guide would point to something in the distance as we went whizzing by and it was tricky controlling the bike and looking to where she was pointing at the same time. I felt like we saw a lot but also missed a lot if that makes sense? Maybe a walking tour would be better? But then maybe a walking tour wouldn’t cover so much ground? It’s hard to say which would be best, we might try a walking tour next time. It would also be an improvement to the tour if the guide was miked up and we all had a receiver so we could hear about the things she was pointing out. It was impossible to hear her unless you were directly behind (which we weren’t most of the time!).

When we reached the edge of the park we stopped cycling and pushed the bikes back to the shop. Once we had handed back the helmets etc. we went to Starbucks at the top of the street for a cold drink. We both had banana/strawberry smoothies, just what we needed. Next we walked up to Columbus Circle to get the Subway down to Chambers Street stop as we were going to the 9/11 Museum since we hadn’t managed to get there because of the rain yesterday.

When we got off of the Subway we wandered for ages trying to find where to go as we weren’t sure which direction we were meant to be going in. Eventually we found our way to the 9/11 Memorial Museum and asked a staff member where to change our Explorer Passes for a ticket. We were told that they don’t deal with Explorer Pass and it was the 9/11 Tribute Museum we were looking for. So we asked where to find that and he told us to go around the building and down the street. We did this and just couldn’t find it. There is so much construction work going on in that area at the moment that it’s hard to follow the streets. We knew we needed to be on Greenwich Street but couldn’t figure out which way. After disagreeing which way to go we ended up walking half way up Greenwich Street in the wrong direction, and my shoes were rubbing my feet.

Once we realised our mistake we turned around and taking a different route around the construction work we finally found our destination. We had our Explorer Passes scanned and we were told that there was a tour included with the pass. The next tour wasn’t for 1 ½ hours (it was 1.30pm now, and the tour was at 3pm) but they said we could have a look round ourselves first. After a quick restroom stop we headed into the museum exhibits. There were some moving stories and exhibits including parts of uniforms and equipment damaged during the events of that day. It didn’t take us long to look around, maybe about 45 minutes. We decided not to wait for the tour as it would have been around the same exhibits we had just looked at, so we decided to go instead to the main 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

We paid to get in, and although you can access any New York museum by giving a donation (the people in front of us did this), we paid the full ticket price as it would just have felt wrong to do any different for this museum.

They have airport style security on entering the building, then a large exhibits hall including walls, beams and foundations from the original buildings. They also have a fire engine exhibit there with the whole back of it missing. Photos are allowed in this area although I didn’t take any. Then you can go through into another room, which I thought would be a small display area, but it’s actually the main area. It is a huge room with lots of different sections and exhibits. Everything from pieces of documents, to peoples shoes. Burned and melted pieces of equipment from the emergency services, including vehicles and uniforms. The part that Neil and I found most harrowing was the recordings of people leaving messages for their loved ones from the plane Flight 93 which was hijacked and went down in Pennsylvania. It was just awful. That whole area is quiet, most people just walk round not speaking at all, caught up in their own thoughts. It’s a strange place, it has an eerie feel to it and I must admit to feeling a little relieved when I left that room. Once out in the main area again, we browsed the last few exhibits there and headed out. It was nice to feel the sunshine and we sat outside for a few minutes just enjoying it and deciding what to do next.

We were hungry now and I remembered seeing Georges down opposite the Tribute Museum. I recalled that this was one of the restaurants that was on our list of places recommended by Dibbers and other people we knew who had visited New York. We passed the Rector Street Subway on the way to Georges and realised that it would have been a lot easier if we had got off here instead of Chambers Street. Ah well, you live and learn!

We went into Georges and got a table straight away as it wasn’t busy at all. It’s quite an old fashioned looking place inside but has a huge menu. Neil settled on a hot sirloin sandwich with fries and I had a classic american ham sandwich with fries. They were both really good, we really enjoyed our meal here.

When we were finished our meal, we crossed the street and got the number 1 Subway back up to 42nd Street/Times Square. It had been such a hot day today and we had cycled and walked for miles in the heat so when we got back to our hotel we showered and got ready to go out again. Before we went out, we popped into the hotel bar for a drink first. I had a mojito again and Neil had 2 beers.

We had tickets for Top of the Rock at 8pm so we took our time walking up to the Rockefeller Center. Like most of the New York attractions we had to go through security first, then we got our photo taken. We queued for a few minutes then were directed into the lift. The lift is pretty cool if you look up, there are blue lights going all the way up the lift shaft and a little video playing on the lift ceiling.

The first room is completely enclosed but still with some great views. We had a look around here then headed up to the outside areas but it was really crowded. I guess a lot of other people wanted to see the sunset from up high as well as us. However, we were all to be disappointed because despite being a sunny day and it was still a warm evening, it was cloudier now and the sun just kind of faded away, and there was no blazing sunset.

It was still good to see the views and we wandered around getting a space where we could to get photos from all 4 sides. It was a nice evening to be up there, just a slight breeze but still warm.

We stayed until dark came down…

When we were leaving, we stopped to have a look at our photos… some of them were quite good so we bought a 3 picture package. We got lost again trying to leave the Rockefeller Center, after finding a restroom for Neil but eventually found our way out. I wanted to have a look around and to see the Ballerina and Prometheus statue so we went for a wander.

As we were walking back we decided we should get something to eat. We couldn’t decide at all and I was tired now and getting grumpy as my feet were really sore after all of the walking we had done today. By now we had walked all the way back to 8th Avenue near our hotel and were just wandering aimlessly. We ended up back in Smiths Bar where we had eaten on our very first night in NYC. We both had Lasagne, Neil had his with fries and I had mixed veg. No photos of the food this time. The food was good, but the service wasn’t up to much this time and we were a bit disappointed with it.

When we had eaten, we went straight home to bed deciding not to set an alarm for the next morning, trusting that we would waken up early despite our busy day.

What we learned today: Walking places can take longer than expected so allow plenty time; I am desperately unfit; We should plan where to eat each evening to avoid wandering aimlessly and grumpiness.

Day 5 is HERE

[Mortimer Mouse]

We always got lost in the rockefeller centre too. You don't seem to be able to get out, the way you come in.

[Fuellady]

Originally Posted by Mortimer Mouse

We always got lost in the rockefeller centre too. You don't seem to be able to get out, the way you come in.

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After getting our tickets we weren't allowed to turn around and go back the way we came, we were directed through a door to our left. It's a maze in there!

[Goldia]

Your photos of central park look fab, glad the weather was better for you today.

[Fuellady]

Originally Posted by Goldia

Your photos of central park look fab, glad the weather was better for you today.

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Thank you, Central Park is so pretty. I think you would need several visits to see it all. I feel like we haven't even scratched the surface of it. The weather behaved itself today, hot and sunny

[Jane71]

Seems as though you'd a great day and getting to know your way around really well. At least the weather was better.

[Fuellady]

Originally Posted by Jane71

Seems as though you'd a great day and getting to know your way around really well. At least the weather was better.

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Thank you, we had a lovely day today. I thought we were getting around ok as well until we got lost trying to find 9/11!

[disney owl]

another good day

[WileyCoyote]

What a lovely day with more of those iconic sights. Well done on the cycling and TOTR just looks wonderful. We are the same if we don't pre plan where we eat, it becomes a nightmare. I felt for you with sore feet, hope they were OK the next day.

[Fuellady]

Originally Posted by disney owl

another good day

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Yes, it was nice that it was a sunny day for a change. Thank you for reading

Originally Posted by WileyCoyote

What a lovely day with more of those iconic sights. Well done on the cycling and TOTR just looks wonderful. We are the same if we don't pre plan where we eat, it becomes a nightmare. I felt for you with sore feet, hope they were OK the next day.

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Oh dear, the cycling was not my thing... too exhausting

We're so indecisive when it comes to eating... planning all the way from now on! I don't know what happened to my feet that night, I was wearing sandals I've walked for miles in round Florida and I'd been wearing my lovely comfy Skechers type shoes all day before that. They were fine the next day