A knife, a fork, a bottle and a cork that's the way you spell New York.

Thanks to Dillinger for today's song reference.

I only briefly touched on what we did yesterday, so here is a fuller version plus today's expedition.

The subway

We chose Sunday to try out the subway because we had heard conflicting reports of how easy/difficult it is to navigate.  As it turns out, it is both.  It is easy once you get the general idea, but it differs significantly from Le Metro or any other underground I've used in Europe or Australia.   It's not a major difference but local knowledge helps.  

The basis of the Subway is it runs uptown or downtown, so some basic geography and map reading skills are essential.  The most confusing part is that, at some stations, the different sides of the platform can only be accessed from discrete entries. For example, 1st Ave on the L line, which we use, has separate entrances: the SE corner for downtown and the NE corner for uptown and there is NO underground access to the other platform if you walk through the incorrect gate.

A complete map of the Subway is absolutely essential and so is understanding the key.  Stations marked with a black circle are local, i.e. part of an all stations run.  Those with a white circle are express.  This is not stated anywhere that we have seen but it is basic knowledge for New Yorkers.

Other than that it is reasonably efficient, albeit stifflingly hot underground, but the trains are air conditioned.

Mass at St Pats

It wasn't the most inspiring Mass to which I've ever been, but it was 1pm and crowded.  The building itself is beautiful, the pale sandstone contrasts with the surrounding buildings, the stained glass windows are exquisite and I'd love to see the rose window lit from outside.  Unlike Notre Dame in Paris, the continuous tourist foot traffic doesn't impact on the service.  The disappointment was with the sound system, as we could barely make out what the priest was saying.  Lucky we are regular attendees so we knew what was happening (plus we found Missals in the pews).

In a fascinating contrast, as we walked past I noticed a Jewish man, complete with yamulca, leaning against the Cathedral wall next to the door, smoking. Perhaps he was waiting for his son (haha, that's too much).

The United Nations

The Empire State

Just down the street from St Pats is the United Nations building and its flags. Sadly the defining aspect of this area was the smell of urine.  Now I've heard plenty of criticism of Paris for a similar reason, but the French seem to deal with the clean up much better.  There have been several parts of New York that we have wandered through in the last few days that had a similarly unpleasant perfume.

The Australian flag was very difficult to spot amongst all the other Union Jacks

The French exhibition

We thought we would walk down 5th Avenue, well, because we could.  I can't remember the cross street but we walked past the Empire State towards Little Italy.  There was a massive police presence, even for America and road barricades everywhere.  We asked a shopkeeper what was happening.  In typical New York fashion, he shrugged his shoulders, "Dunno.  Maybe there was a parade yesterday or something."

Times Square the French Exhibition

As we found out shortly after, the police were there to escort the French President, Monsieur Hollande, who was visiting New York, amongst other reasons, to be a part of the French Exhibition in Times Square.  So we turned our attention in that direction.  Oh joy. A bigger crowd than we'd left.  The exhibition was like Expo for those of you old enough to remember - a big advertisement.  There was food etc etc but you needed to buy coupons to purchase a sample, at $5 a plate we passed. Although we did stop to talk to the guy who was spruiking Chamonix and the Alpes because we haven't been there.  Jayne opens with "bonjour" and explains in English that we have been to most of France blah blah... how utterly soul destroying when the dude opens his mouth and replies in a beautiful Texan drawl.  Sad face with tears.  But in walking through the crowds we heard plenty of French accents.

Dinner and the F word

In the evening, we returned to the scene of the crime, Eleven B and had a pizza.  There is still some in the fridge.  It was Sunday night so it was pretty quiet, but you could hear the F word being dropped left, right and centre.  There were more F ... maybe I won't use that analogy, you can come up with your own. I've heard it on the street walking around, I've heard it float up from the street while trying to sleep and I heard it from the kitchen of the restaurant, from behind the bar and from customers. I'm beginning to think it's NewYork's most popular word.

Dinner was great, again, and we had a chat with the guy who orders the wine.  We discussed price points, what sells when and how the change of seasons affects customer choice.  We also discussed how stingy with tipping his young hipster clientele are.  He pointed out the best wine on the list and said we had to order it next time we were in and he would look after us.   I love New York.

The Staten Island Ferry

The lady herself

One of the best places to view the Statue of Liberty is from the Staten Island ferry, so we've been told. After Jayne poured over the Subway, she declared we could get there with only one change of train. The day was not what we had hoped, it was overcast and just as hazy, but with the forecast closing in on us this week, we thought it best to stay outdoors while we can.

The ferry ride was pleasant enough and the view was very good although the touters who lined the road kept telling us the best view is from a Statue Of LIberty tour.   We are going to do this later anyway, so she will reappear.







The Highline

This should be the sign at the beginning of the walk

The Highline is a wonderful piece of ingenuity.  They have taken an old train line and turned it inot a garden walk above the city.  In most places it was peaceful, except for the crowd and whingeing children and me, swearing under my breath at the inconsiderate morons who meanered all over the path like lobotomised lab rats.  Its the United States of Amreica people, we walk on the right, just like we drive.  It's not that difficult.  Then there were the infirm and the dawdlers who just blocked the path by being slow.  Or the Gen Y fashionistas who were about to halt proceedings for a selfie.  They were easily spotted, teen girls with too much make-up who beagn flicking and coiffing their hair when they approached a likely selfie-site.  As an aside, did you know more people have died this year taking selfies than have been taken by sharks - there's a win for the gene pool.  And of course there were those who are so wrapped up in themsleves that can't see anyone else anyway and are perpetually in everyone's way.

Anyway, the Highline is great.  They have a similar thing in Dallas.  There is an expressway that divided the city and not much could be done about that, so they built a garden over the top it.  Brilliant.

The beginning

Random flower shot

Wall art along the walk

The old rails are still there

Thought you might like this shop Cait.

And now dear friends it's time for dinner, I know not what, I know not where ... we are about to go for another walk.  Tomorrow, weather permitting it will be Central Park.

au demain