New York City - continued

In my tourist activities around NYC I have determined that there should be some new rules for tourists and locals;

• no slow walking (as Flashy says, if they walked any slower they'd fall over)
• when entering a building or doorway no stopping for photos, selfies, discussion until the doorway is cleared.
• this is for the locals, you don't have to wear gumboots just because you got a little rain, unless you are mucking out the stables or somesuch.
• ban all German tourists.  They have started and lost two world wars, never had an empire to speak of and still think that they run the place.
• no wearing of funny hats bought at tourist places, unless you are under 12.
• ban selfie sticks.  The only exception being if it is stored in the appropriate place when not being used.
• when buying tickets you should know what you are buying, this doesn't require 10 minutes of discussion whilst the line builds up behind you.

This list is not comprehensive and no doubt will be added to as my travels continue.


Anyway I am having fun.  On Tuesday, which was the rainy day I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, commonly known as the Met.  Myself and about 30,000 other people had the same idea and the queues stretched up and down the street outside.  The line moved quickly and within half an hour I was inside the building and found my next surprise.  The guide books say that admission to the Met is free but that they will accept donations.  Well they have a "recommended" donation list, $27 for adults, $18 for seniors etc.  You have to queue up (again) and tell the attendant how much you want to "donate".  I got even with em, I told them I was a senior (although I am not 65) and donated the senior amount of $18.


The Met is huge, with many, many, many rooms of various types of art.  It would be easy to spend days there.  I only looked at some small sections of the European masters and some American art including the famous large painting of Washington crossing the Delaware.  Eventually I got "paintinged out" and decided to walk back towards my hotel through Central Park.


On the way back to the city I walked past the headquarters of the next president of the USA, Trump Towers.  Later that day I was talking to some fellow drinkers and the barman at the hotel bar and the subject of the presidential elections came up.  The barman who is a card carrying democrat said that there is no way known he will vote for Hilary.  Another lady said that they don't want no more Clintons, Bushs or Kennedies.


This is my third trip to NYC and I have only just discovered Bryant Park.  Its a lovely little park behind the NYC Library and is very popular with tourists and locals.  There is a couple of eating places and lots of shady places to sit.  It also looks like they have an outdoor theatre, but of course that wasn't running through the day.


I have visited the World Trade Centre 9/11 memorial and museum.  As usual the Americans have done a marvelous job with both the memorial and the museum.  The new WTC building has an observation deck known as the One World Observatory.  This is located on the 100th floor of the building at about 1250ft high.  As you could imagine the views from this observation deck are stunning. 


One of the other interesting things that I have done is the High Line.  This is a disused elevated railway line that has been converted into a 3 mile long park that pretty much follows the Hudson River along the westside.  It is very well done and has some restaurants and cafes along the way.  I stopped for lunch at a little café and two girls sat down at the communal table near me, they were sisters from Mt Martha and Eltham. 


Today, Thursday, I walked about 12 kilometres.  I walked from the WTC to Washington Square and then the High Line, along the High Line and then through the city to my hotel.  This took me through some really nice parts of Soho, Tribeca and Greenwich Village.  So very different than central Manhattan where my hotel is.


I still cant post photos and now I also cannot respond to your comments.  Please be aware that your comments are noted and appreciated.