Thursday, October 18, 2012
Okay, one more story....
Lined up at security to board our flight to Seattle, we turned back to see Bill desperately checking all his pockets for his passport. No sign of it! The security officer couldn't find the page in her manual that said that a driver's license was enough and panic was ensuing. Finally, he pulled out a lump of what he thought was kleenex only to discover the wad of blue/white was what was left of his passport after going through the wash! He told the security officer the added wrinkles made his photo more accurate. It was also a topic of conversation when we went across the Peace Border later that day but we were waved on. Bill is going to wait to see how long he can keep it going - seems to lighten the experience.....
MoMa and Hi-line and Goodbye to Manhattan
Looking down a street in Chelsea from the High Line
Native grasses and plantings turning fall colours along the pathway.
Parking below the High Line
We returned to the MoMa to see the exhibit we missed in our first visit. A special exhibit of Chagall, Dali and Picasso was like walking through an art history text. Salvidor Dali's Persistance of Time surprised me - only nine inches by thirteen!
Then off again to the High Line - the New York railroad of the 1930's - now transformed into a wonderful raised mile-long park through Chelsea.
After a Krispy Kreme donut in Penn Station, we grabbed the 3:49 train, said goodbye to Manhattan, and travelled to Watchung, a suburb of Montclair in New Jersey. While waiting to meet up with Leigh's family, we stopped in a deli for a coffee. When identified as Canadians the owner asked what we thought of the up-coming election. We soon realized we'd found ourselves in strident Republican territory and were treated to a scathing review of Obama and Clinton's record and a reminder of the glory days of Bush - "the time when Americans could hold up their heads". I told the owner that had I bought the Obama button I'd pondered outside the Natural History Museum, he might not have wanted to serve me coffee... he assured us later when we left that he would have served us - button or not. Nice to be able to be detached from the emotional quagmire that Americans find themselves in right now.
Curry in a neighbourhood restaurant was a fun way to say goodbye to our hosts - early-morning and late-night drives amidst a very busy life were very much appreciated. It turned out to be the fabulous, whirlwind, but comprehensive visit we hoped for.
End of our list....
One last day and only a few things left to check off. We spent the morning in the American Natural History Museum. We sat in the huge Hall of Diversity with the life-sized blue whale arching above us. The low light and quiet sound scape makes it easy to imagine you are underwater. Life-sized models of thousands of incredible creatures, scores of looping videos, and interactive computers with details of anything you see, make it the most incredible place to spend time. I'd be signing up for a life-time pass if I lived here.
We had a checklist of highlights and moved our way through world-class exhibits as we sought out the massive west-coast canoe, the Star of India, a beautiful blue star sapphire, and ended up in the main foyer under the skeleton of a barasaurus reaching up to the ceiling.
Subway story
Back on the 9:00 train for the last time and easily switched to a subway at Penn Station. We are pros now and quickly swipe our cards, enter the station and often glide onto the subway.
Quite a change from our rush trip from Empire State Building to Brooklyn a few days earlier. That night we had thirty minutes to get to the restaurant and in our tired rush, ran into a station, lost our confidence about our choice and pushed back through the exit. BIG MISTAKE! The one condition of our subway cards is that they can not be used again for twenty minutes (to avoid handing it to someone else). Turned out it was the right station but when we tried to reswipe our cards, we all got the same "Invalid" message. The thought of missing our special dinner was too much. Ron made a split decision and just lifted his long legs over the turnstiles and went in anyway. He looked back to see us old guys looking blankly back at him! I wasn't worried about the idea of bypassing the gate - I knew we had the cards legitimately. I was worried about getting one leg up over the gate and then having to call security to come unwind me and get me out! Ron thought quickly and hearing the alarm going at a gate around the corner, held it open, shouted at us to come this way! and we all ran through. Turns out, people set off alarms often if they have to move a stroller through and no one pays any attention. So we only lost a few minutes and learned a few more lessons.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
War Horse, St. John the Divine and a typical diner
We went to a matinee in order to see the one play we hoped to be special. It involved actors and life-sized puppets of horses and ended up being emotional, convincing and beautifully done. The theater in Lincoln Center was small and intimate and we all loved the experience.
Coming out of the theater and keen for more, we phoned to try to buy last minute tickets to the Lion King for one last play. It was sold out except for three scattered tickets - $200 each. We decided to give it a miss and just enjoy the memory of War Horse.
We then submerged into the subway to try to get up into Harlem to see the Cathedral of St John the Divine - the largest cathedral in North America. The guide book said it was closed at 7:00. We got there at 6:30 to find the doors locked - new hours. We tried to walk around it but were discouraged by security. Still got an impression of its incredible size and appearance. It was begun in 1892 and is still only two-thirds finished. During its history, the style changed from Roman to Gothic. The north and south transepts have not been built yet but once the funds are raised, it will take another fifty years to complete and then be the largest Cathedral in the world.
It was getting dark by then so we again headed for the subway to find a New York Deli for supper - ended up to be nothing special - had hamburgers and spaghetti.
We left the restaurant late as always for the subway, train, and bus home with one more day to go....
Coming out of the theater and keen for more, we phoned to try to buy last minute tickets to the Lion King for one last play. It was sold out except for three scattered tickets - $200 each. We decided to give it a miss and just enjoy the memory of War Horse.
We then submerged into the subway to try to get up into Harlem to see the Cathedral of St John the Divine - the largest cathedral in North America. The guide book said it was closed at 7:00. We got there at 6:30 to find the doors locked - new hours. We tried to walk around it but were discouraged by security. Still got an impression of its incredible size and appearance. It was begun in 1892 and is still only two-thirds finished. During its history, the style changed from Roman to Gothic. The north and south transepts have not been built yet but once the funds are raised, it will take another fifty years to complete and then be the largest Cathedral in the world.
It was getting dark by then so we again headed for the subway to find a New York Deli for supper - ended up to be nothing special - had hamburgers and spaghetti.
We left the restaurant late as always for the subway, train, and bus home with one more day to go....
Locked in the stairwell of the Met
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is unbelievably huge and crowded - especially on a Sunday. Once admitted, we set up a meeting point - one p.m. in the gift shop.
I scanned the exhibit of modern photography, the 17th, 18th-century European wing and next the 19th, 20th century section where you can drink in more Degas, Picasso, van Gogh, Serat. One van Gogh nearly brought me to tears - two sunflowers - I was so close I could see the tiny cross-hatch red paint strokes brilliantly picking out the details of the seed head.
Five to one and I headed for the elevator to go meet up in the gift shop. I managed to get off on the wrong floor thanks to a 'helpful' security officer. As the elevator doors closed behind me, I found myself on an administrative floor with all doors closed and locked. I didn't panic, just headed to the stair well to climb up or down to the floor I needed to get out on. That door banged behind me too and now I was locked in the stairwell! Climbing up or down didn't help. All doors were locked. All was quiet and knowing it was the weekend, I wondered if anyone would be using the stairs. I still wasn't sensible enough to be worried, rather just annoyed that I had to walk and climb more when my feet screamed at every step.
Finally, I rounded a corner and spotted an older-looking, dusty phone on the wall. I picked up the receiver and dialed 0 not really expecting an answer. Surprisingly, an operator answered and after my breathless description of my predicament, reassured me that someone would come find me. After she disconnected, I waited a long time in silence before finally, a voice on the other side of the door tentatively called out, "Hello?" I called out too and a lovely man working overtime in one of the offices rescued me, saying he found my location using the videos in the security office. He then escorted me down winding hallways to the elevator, used his key fob to get it going and emphasized that I should get off on the FIRST floor! He also told me that I wouldn't have spent the night in the stairs - at closing time, alarms are triggered, especially in the stairwells, and the minute I moved an inch all sorts of interesting events would have followed....
A lesson. Never, never follow me if you aren't sure of the directions. I never really know where I am.
I scanned the exhibit of modern photography, the 17th, 18th-century European wing and next the 19th, 20th century section where you can drink in more Degas, Picasso, van Gogh, Serat. One van Gogh nearly brought me to tears - two sunflowers - I was so close I could see the tiny cross-hatch red paint strokes brilliantly picking out the details of the seed head.
Five to one and I headed for the elevator to go meet up in the gift shop. I managed to get off on the wrong floor thanks to a 'helpful' security officer. As the elevator doors closed behind me, I found myself on an administrative floor with all doors closed and locked. I didn't panic, just headed to the stair well to climb up or down to the floor I needed to get out on. That door banged behind me too and now I was locked in the stairwell! Climbing up or down didn't help. All doors were locked. All was quiet and knowing it was the weekend, I wondered if anyone would be using the stairs. I still wasn't sensible enough to be worried, rather just annoyed that I had to walk and climb more when my feet screamed at every step.
Finally, I rounded a corner and spotted an older-looking, dusty phone on the wall. I picked up the receiver and dialed 0 not really expecting an answer. Surprisingly, an operator answered and after my breathless description of my predicament, reassured me that someone would come find me. After she disconnected, I waited a long time in silence before finally, a voice on the other side of the door tentatively called out, "Hello?" I called out too and a lovely man working overtime in one of the offices rescued me, saying he found my location using the videos in the security office. He then escorted me down winding hallways to the elevator, used his key fob to get it going and emphasized that I should get off on the FIRST floor! He also told me that I wouldn't have spent the night in the stairs - at closing time, alarms are triggered, especially in the stairwells, and the minute I moved an inch all sorts of interesting events would have followed....
A lesson. Never, never follow me if you aren't sure of the directions. I never really know where I am.
Train to the Met
Train Station in New Jersey
Tallest building in Newark skyline is actually WTC 1 in Manhattan.
Day five and we were up early again and off on the train heading for Penn. It was much busier today - families going into Manhattan for the day. We are pros now and quickly changed from the train to the subway to head up to east Central Park. Our original plan was to go to the Natural History Museum but, seeing the crowds, we changed our minds and decided to join Ron and walk through another part of Central Park and go to The Metropolitan Museum of Art where there might be smaller crowds.
A tip: go through the side entrance - you miss the snaking lines at the main. It worked for us twice.
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