Let me take you down cause I'm going to ... (New York)

Strawberry fields, of course.  Thank you to the Beatles, still one of my fave bands after all these years.

Not much to report today dear reader, so who knows where the meanderings of my mind will drag us both?  Certainly not me and I'm at the keyboard.  There have been some observations I've wanted to make that seem so clear to me at 2am and when I sit down down to slap those little keys around, the thought has evaporated.  Or at least it is in hiding, like sleep has been for much of my trip.

The forecast for the weather last night and today was dire.  Apparently there is a cyclone off the coast that is going to cause torrential rain and localised flooding to the tri-state area.  Yes, New York is one of the three states in 'tri'.  There was some rain overnight - a good thing because it kept the natives indoors, or at least restricted their noisy ramblings home to a direct to the door cab.  So, quiet night, until the garbage dudes arrived around 6:20am.  Then back to sleep.  Late starts, not really me, I know, but one could get acclimatised.

Today's plans were based around the weather - indoor excursions.  We walked down to the subway in very light rain, recharged our Metro passes after a chat with the station manager and descended into the depths to the hottest, most oppressive climate I've endured.  What? Don't be so judgemental.  It was seriously uncomfortable down there.

The Guggenheim

The focus of today's excursion was the Soloman Guggenheim Museum.  Now that we are experts on the subway, getting there was simple.  We walked from 86th Street (whatever that means) to the museum expecting queues snaking across the pavement.  Ah, no.  There were few people, and a couple of people who kept getting under my feet (German shepherd style) but that was it.  In we go, through the backpack check, breeze up to the counter after elbowing a couple of geriatric tourists aside - WHAT? I'm a New Yorker! Jeez - to be told that they are changing exhibitions today and only half the exhibits would be available and we couldn't gain access to the swirly walk-way thingy (apparently that's the best bit).  Sad face.  The dude who didn't take our tickets suggested we come back after the 9th, if we would still be in New York.  "Cool," we said (thinking anything but that) "See you then."  He recommended we go to the Met.

The outside of the museum

Outside the drizzle had recommenced.  Shakespeare really nailed the concept of omens in his writing didn't he?  A brief discussion, we were going there later in the week anyway, it's just like swapping days. Not.  Let me explain.

There is a very strict demarcation of duties regarding holidays.  I research, I discuss (a bit), I book. When we arrive, Jayne researches where we are going and what we are going to do.  The major impasse tends to be dinner - neither of us really want to make a decision while we are away.  I guess that's the result of the high-powered positions we hold.  It's not easy being the string wrangler at a puppeteers' convention, or the food analyst for the association of vegan-anaphylactic females over 50. That said, I love my job with the V-AF50+.

I'm sorry, I think I nodded off.  It may be the arsenic in the American red wine I read about today. Oh, yeah.  We, without the usual depth of research into the venue, its peculiarities and its special offerings, walked down to the MET, also known as ...

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met is not to be confused with MOMA even though they have the same acronym.  That's why one is called the MET and the other MOMA.  Got it?  Sure you do.

Do not trust your manscaper!

On another continent, we tackled the museum known as the Louvre - twice, for two full days (almost) and still it is unconquered.  Today we spent over 5 hours at the MET and didn't get to the second floor and didn't do justice to the latter part of the first floor.  We had a floor plan, but that didn't help a lot. I know gentle reader you understand the concept of OCD or being a little anal retentive, so imagine the pain of NOT being able to navigate the museum in some order so that you don't miss an exhibit or backtrack on yourself.  As Dr Smith says (Lost in Space), "Oh the pain, the pain."  I was, as the sports people say, hurtin' bad, real bad.

Really? You need to change manscapers.

Totes agree bro. I'm happy with mine.

There was no way that this vast space could be navigated without turning back on yourself or skipping a room or area.  The horror. I tried. Really I did.  But then after 4 hours, it was like we had been in the dentist chair sucking on a nitrous oxide tube.  Things began to shape shift around us.  I even became tolerant of those people in tour groups who stand incessantly in front of the exhibit that you desperately wish to photograph. Nah, just joking, I still wanted to push them through the nearest plate glass window. Especially the father and son (I assume, or it's just a bit wrong) pair who stood forever in front of the knights on horseback trying to get the selfie right.  I hope your picture was rubbish - idiots.

The MET is fab, but not for us.  It's difficult to write the next bit without being a total wanker.  I'm sorry, dear reader what did you say? Oh. Yeah. Well given I am a wanker it probably doesn't matter that much.

This must hold triffids or something

We are fortunate enough to have been to other countries where we have seen on a larger scale what the MET is recreating - Egypt being the exception. If we were natives and never had the intention of leaving the country, the MET is great.  As a teaching resource, WOW, how fortunate are the students of NYC schools to have all of this on their doorstep?  Absolutely amazing, especially with such a great public transportation system.

At around the 5 hour stage Jayne's interest began to flag. Quickly. So we made our way to the exit and outside into a real climate.  Even though the weather had turned, it was still more comfortable outside than inside the MET where the air con had been set at overdrive level. 

Central Park part 2

So, we were close by and the rain had evaporated (sorry, dad joke) so we made our way to Strawberry Fields in Central Park.  It was a little further than I had anticipated, but we were walking, rather than taking the small steps from exhibit to exhibit.  It was good to stride out again and it was wonderful to be away from the air conditioning.

 I thought Strawberry Fields would have been one of those special places, especially for me, a Beatles fan and a believer in John Lennon's Imagine.  Sadly the incessant tour groups and their shouting to each other and cheering at the Imagine mosaic reminded me of Jesus going nuts in the temple.  There wasn't a lot of peace here and this noise is anathema to the purpose of the garden.  Maybe the love the was there, but I couldn't feel that either.  Perhaps I'll come back in a less crowded hour.  John Lennon still lives in my heart.

And so, to tomorrow, we think we will go to the national September 11 Museum and Memorial.

Before I go tonight I just want to say this: Donald Trump has been the subject of an "in depth" interview on CNN tonight. Sigh. Given in Australia we elected Abbott, I'm not sure I have the credibility to comment (except to say I didn't vote for his government).  Regardless, Trump is a perverse mix of Abbott and Clive Palmer - arrogance and incompetence with a shitload of cash.   Dumbed down: popularist politics with no vision, no depth but loads of rhetoric.  Good luck America, choose more wisely than Australia did at the last election because you can't change leaders for four years.