THE HIGH LINE AND CHELSEA MARKET

We walked cross town along 30th Street almost to the Hudson River, passing a car park where there were cars three high with the hydraulic system.  I have seen two high before; never three.

We accessed The High Line by a flight of stairs.  This mile and a half long urban park has been built on the abandoned elevated railway.  As Robert said, like Boston's Greenway, but in reverse.

The first thing we encountered was marvellous.  Designed by a Danish-Icelandic artist, two tons of
white Lego is available to form the skyline of the future.  Young and old were there, adding their own ideas to this creation.

There was even two tubs of spare Lego to use and the whole creation was on several tables so you could walk right round and work on any side.

 I love how the park has included the original train tracks in various forms along the way.  Here are the tracks and sleepers, with gravel in between.  In other spots, the tracks are embedded level with the  concrete pavers.

This is the view from near the 30th Street entrance to The High Line, a wide expanse of the city.  At other sections, the city buildings are literally only metres away.  It must have been hard living in these buildings, with trains rattling past so close you would think the cup would shake in the saucer.

 This close building is abandoned, but probably like many in this section, is due for renovation as there was a lot of construction on nearby buildings.

Like the Boston Greenway, there was a wide diversity in design.  Some open spaces, some walkways where the foliage almost formed a tunnel overhead.  Various seating options.  It was so interesting and creative and fun.  We even saw two lawned areas, where locals were just lying in the sun or shade, reading.

 I loved how some sections diverged from the main rail line and created these extra vistas, with seating, just another little surprise.

Mostly the vegetation was level with where we walked, at other times we were above it, looking down on the garden beds.  All these changes added interest, as the vista continually changed.

 Parts of the High Line were in full sun, others were shaded.  I guess this constantly changed during the day as the sun moved across the sky.  When we sat down along the walk, we sought shade as it was another warm, muggy day.

 Here is another spot, which is almost reminiscent of the abandoned tracks, with vegetation growing in between.

At the other end, we entered Chelsea Market.  It is the former Nabisco Biscuit building.  It was turned inside out.  Business entrances are from a central corridor that snakes its way along, so all deliveries are made from the outside perimeters of the building.  There is mainly food, but various other stores as well.  I entered a stationery and book store, as I have nearly finished "Olive Kettridge".  A lovely young man asked if I needed assistance in selecting something.  I asked him for a holiday read, preferably American author, where I can love the characters.  He chose "The Interestings" by Meg Wolitzer which he loved himself.

This curtain like effect is thousands of tiny white light bulbs, all strung together.

The interior of the Chelsea Market retains a lot of its industrial history and this water pouring down is a wishing well, to support animals.

These were taken inside a biscuit shop.  And these are actually biscuits, even though they say "Cookie".  Amazing what can be done with icing and a steady hand.

Emerging at the other end, I noticed this sign on the unpretentious building opposite.  Doing a GOOGLE for "New York Google headquarters" later showed it right near ... Chelsea Market.

We walked about the area, headed to Christopher Park, a tiny fenced area where the two same sex couples statues are.

As I was taking the photo above, a young man moved his arm so as to be out of camera shot.  We started talking.  This is Lawrence, from the Bronx.  He worked near by as a security guard and was laid off and just had another job interview.  Like so many Americans we have encountered, Lawrence was friendly, courteous and with a real graciousness to his manner.  So many welcome us to their city.

Opposite the park is the famous Stonewall Inn, where a 1969 riot helped begin the gay revolution.  We tried to enter for a drink (Robert's suggestion) but this place only comes alive late at night!

In this neighbourhood are the facades used for both Friends and Carrie Bradshaw's building.

We passed the beautiful gardens of Jefferson Park, set on a triangle of land that contains a branch of the New York Public Library.  We entered and climbed a fascinating curved stone staircase to the second floor (they call the ground floor first) to the adult section.  Sitting a while in an air conditioned library was a relief.

We found a cafe nearby for a mid afternoon milkshake, before walking to Washington Square Park, unofficial town square of Greenwich Village.  It is surrounded on three sides by the many buildings that make up NYU: New York University.  So the park was full of young students, family groups, locals and of course, tourists. We sat a while and listened to this quartet playing swing.

Strangely, there were not many people on the lawn areas.  But the fountain was very popular, with adults around the edge with feet in the water and kids splashing about the centre.  There was a lot of bench seating along the paths that wove about the park.

TAKING A BITE

Yesterday we caught a train from Boston to New York.  It often ran right beside water: marshes, bays,      lakes, inlets.  We passed through various towns, some looked reasonably prosperous but others less so.

Arriving at Penn Station, we walked less than a mile to our hotel on East 34th Street, near Lexington Avenue.  It is an apartment hotel, so we have a living area with kitchen off it, a bed room with comfortable armchair and footstool, one wall of storage, and small ensuite.

This is our first full day in New York and we are back at our air conditioned hotel mid afternoon, pooped already!!!  It is hot and muggy outside.  But first this morning was buying a weekly pass each for the Metro.

Thank goodness Robert has read up on the subway system.  At street level, a green globe means an exit or entry, but a red globe is exit only.  You need to know if you are going up town or down down.
We got out at Grand Central Station.  There is a strong presence there of both police and military guarding it.

 The Food Market there has a delight to see and smell.  Below are bowls of pungent spices.

 So many types of bagels and breads, cakes and pastries.

 And cheeses!!!   And cold meats and several fishmongers.  And more!

 This is me experiencing the real New York.  Police and a shoe shine man.

We walked into the foyer of the Chrysler Building, then to the New York Public Library, which is full of reading rooms and "research only" areas, marble hallways and ornate wooden carved ceilings.

As we entered the first exhibition space in the library, this large mirror above allows you to take photos of yourselves (that's us on the left)!   Fittingly, it was a photography exhibition.  On the third floor, under the dome, was a Gutenberg Bible on display.

More New York.  Another obliging policeman.

 Behind the Library was Bryant Park.  The large lawn area in the centre was virtually empty, but around the perimeters were many red metal tables and chairs, with locals and tourists alike eating.  I had my first New York hotdog from a vendor on the street.  It was delicious.

We walked past the Bank of America building, shaped like a crystal, then detoured down to Times Square.  It is not square!!!  It is not even a rectangle.  Here is Robert outside the Armed Forces Recruitment Centre there.

 It is an assault of advertising.  Some are static billboards and others electronic.

We walked along part of Broadway, with so many theatres and even the famous Sardi restaurant.  Walking through the Diamond District, where 2,600 individual business sell gold, silver, gems, pearls and DIAMONDS, we saw this efficient parking officer at work, writing up many tickets for vans illegally parked.

On Fifth Avenue, we visited the new-Gothic St. Patrick's Cathedral, the largest Catholic cathedral in America.  The alter was designed by Louis Tiffany.

 Nearby in the forecourt of yet another skyscraper was this enormous sculpture called CLAY NO. 4.  That is Robert standing on the left, to give a sense of its size.

We both remarked how many yellow cabs cruise the streets.  If the light above the windscreen is on, they are available for hire.

Next we went into to the Rockefeller Centre and sat by the fountains for a break, then headed home, passing Radio City on the way.  Two Metro stops and we were in our area.

But we will venture out again later.