Spending Time in Manhattan

Figuring out the grid between streets and avenues was the first order of business here in NYC.

The streets get larger going north and the main avenues get larger going west.

Bill's problem getting around then became the fact that we can not see the sun for all the high buildings so figuring out directions was a puzzle; without a compass.

Anyway....

we hopped on a bus and made made it to Central Park.

This is one of the reservoirs in Central Park.  Bill wanted to see some of the places he remembered from "Home Alone", but we did not have time to search.

At one small area of the Park we found this "ancient playground" that is made mainly of cement structures with sand underneath just as it was built years ago.

Central Park was preparing for the "Global Citizen Festival" that was going to begin on Saturday afternoon and last for ten hours.  Some performers to sing are Carol King, Coldplay, Metallica, and Alicia Keyes.  These are all police officers above, and this was still six hours before the festival starts.

We visited the American Museum of Natural History that is right next to Central Park.  It was rather dark inside and old-fashioned.

This skeleton of a large snake is rather rare and unique.

 This display showed when ancient primates first learned to play hop scotch.

(just kidding)

Saturday morning there was plenty of activity like you see above just outside our hotel on 6th Avenue.

Our street was closed off for many blocks and this is what the same street looked like Saturday afternoon.  Small private vendors were allowed to set up temporary shop for the day.

By the way, when the vendors packed up for the night the street was a mess and sanitation workers were hard at work cleaning up the mess.

We took a night tour that drove us around the city for almost two hours.  It was a beautiful warm evening.

Our open-top bus tour started at Time Square where the lights were brilliant and truly amazing.

 We were next to Broadway with their displays.

This is the Empire State Building at night.

These huge changing LED lights were on a building at the Metronome and were called "The Passage".

Google it if you want to find out how they are displaying time.  (It is complicated but interesting)

This downtown store has a long way to go to catch up with Bronner's in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

We have enjoyed New York more than we expected.

We fly back to Detroit Sunday morning.

We just may visit again to see some sights that we did not have time for now.

💓