BLOOMING CONEY ISLAND

I hit the streets early this morning, first to the market on the corner, then later up a block for takeaway coffee.  That's when I noticed that Norman Thomas High School had reopened for the new school year.  All that faces the street are three sets of three metre high iron gates, leading down a short flight of steps, to a dark concourse open the other end.  Doors lead off either side, plus the building is several stories above too.

Being a dense city, do many different buildings are all set so close together.  We walk past this too, as well as a residential building for its students.  The Dunkin' Donuts opposite has a red neon sign in the front window claiming it is KOSHER.

 We wandered the seven floors of Bloomingdale's this morning.  I found it intimidating to enter, past stores within the store of all high end brands like Louis Vuitton and Burberry.  But how is this for so New York?  The colours didn't come out well but each cubby hole holds a different colour of CASHMERE SWEATERS!

 I was astounded by how many rugs you could chose from, different sizes, different colours, different styles.  There were thousands of them.

 This is Ruth from the Clarins section.  She is older than me but looks fabulous.  She had introduced herself and when she called me over to the register, I replied, "Coming Ruthie."  This seemed to delight her.  She called Robert The Tall Man and with this photo asked, "Does this mean I will be famous in Australia?"

We saw this woman walking down 34th Street, her purple, figure hugging dress hardly longer than a top, her over the knee suede boots hD rows of fringing which swayed about more than her hips as she strolled along.  What presence with this sassy outfit!

 We rode the train to the end of the line out to Coney Island.  One of the first things we see is this electronic count down clock for the next International Hot Dog Eating Competition.  Sadly, we will miss this.

 The hot dog was invented at Coney Island and Nathan's is synonymous with them, so I sampled a cheese dog there.

 A few rides were running.  This must have been jumping last weekend being Labour Day Holiday.

 This ride, called The Thunderbolt, runs the entire length of the block.  It is that orange line disappearing into the distance.

 I loved this name for an ice-cream stand here.  Coney's Cones.  It was right in the famous boardwalk.    There are rides behind a cyclone fence, some concession stands front the wide broad walk, with a sandy beach on the other side.

 That round object here is a ride.  Two people were being suspended by cable and bounced around up high.

 They use space well here, twisting up and round and back under.

 Below are some random photos out the train window on the way back into the city.

 This was a huge cemetery, between stations for Avenue M and N, viewed from either side of the train carriage.  It was vast!

 Robert worked out we could use our Metro card for the bus too.  A kind lady at the stop told us to use the ticket machine there and take the receipt on board.  Our online info was a ticket machine was on the bus itself.  We tried to ride the bus across town, but some official with a clipboard boarded part way and the driver told him he had no horn.  So we were asked to get off and onto the bus behind.  All part of the adventure.  We were headed to Pier 86 on the west side for the Circle Line Harbour Lights cruise, which was recommended by a NSW couple we met on Martha's Vineyard

On board, we saw how the outer shiny layer was being added to this new building
.

 We sailed off just after seven and, with no daylight savings time adjustment here, the sun soon set and we had spectacular views off Manhattan but also Brooklyn and Queens, Ellis Island, bridges and the Statue.  Below is the view right down 42nd Street.

The tour guide explained a lot as we went along.  One interesting fact.  The difference between Broadway, Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway is NOT their location.  It is the SIZE of the theatre.  Off Off Broadway has less than 200 seats.  Off Broadway has more than 200 and less than 500 seats.

 There were only a few yachts on the water in the gathering dusk.

 Brooklyn Bridge with the Manhattan Bridge behind it.

There was once a Pepsi-Cola factory here which was so,d for residential housing, with one stipulation: the sign remains.

 The lights of the tall buildings were simply spectacular.  So many buildings.  So many lights.

 After, I thought we were walking back to a subway station, but Robert had a surprise for me.  I had mentioned I wanted to try the famous cheesecake at Juniors's, which now has expanded from Brooklyn to this great position, just down from my Les Mis (and several other) theatre and virtually on Times Square.  What a prime position.  It took me a while to realise we were headed there!

 We even scored a table outside, to people watch!

 So my dinner tonight was a slice of their cheesecake and a vanilla milkshake!

 We walked through Times Square and near the subway station saw this showroom.  So many Steinway grand pianos displayed inside.

It seemed a fairly easy day.  Yet the Health app on my phone recorded we did 21,700 steps today.  Maybe tomorrow we will take it easy.