USA D2: A Rock, a park, an island and a rooftop bar

Upon leaving our hotel in 40th Street East, Chief Navigator (Mike) led the way to a recommended coffee place at Grand Central Station. Success this time and it will be our regular for the remainder of our stay here. One day. Oh well. I must take proper photos of GCS tomorrow – it’s a fantastic building.

While waiting for coffee I listened to this guy play – classical music isn’t normally my thing but this was quite something

We continued on to the Rockefeller Centre, a magnet for visitors to the city. Outside is a photograph spectacle, what with the international flags, a golden statue atop a fountain, and an ice-staking rink which is due to open tomorrow.

Still, that wasn’t why we were there. At the allotted time we went inside to begin the process of getting to the Top of the Rock. We wanted views, and this place didn’t disappoint.

I went up the Empire State Building on my first visit to NYC, 14 years ago?, and while both places give me the willies, I preferred my TOTR experience.

The rain began when we reached the street again and continued in a light on/off fashion much of the day, though it wasn’t worth busting out the umbrellas for.

After a spot of shopping we found takeaway lunch and moseyed to Central Park. It the first time here for both Mike and I but there is far too much ground to cover in one hit, so we did a mish-mash circuit of the bottom quarter or so.

There was much evidence of autumn on the ground but not so much on the trees which was a shame of sorts, but in any case it’s such a fantastic green space for this heaving metropolis to have.

Part of the John Lennon tribute area – he of course died near here

Finally, a squirrel pic

Filming in progress in Central Park for Blue Bloods, a TV series we follow back home

Every step was now starting to hurt, but we pushed on find the aerial tramway to go over to Roosevelt Island. This place in the middle of the East River, part of the Manhattan borough, provided some of the day’s highlights, including the novel way of getting there.

The Queensborough Bridge and tramway from down on Roosevelt Island

This fabulous structure was the main compulsion for visiting Roosevelt Island. It was a smallpox hospital from the mid-1800s but abandoned 100 years later

The Four Freedoms Park

Rush hour was peaking when we returned to the main island and after dawdling for coffee and shopping, we returned to the hotel with pizza for tea and a wee rest.

Walking by Grand Central Station

Then, with some very necessary freshening up completed, it was back out the door. Before we left home, we figured a rooftop bar would be something we’d try to visit in New York and then one of my cousins recommended a place only a few blocks away. 230 5th is really busy but for a good reason: fantastic view over to the Empire State Building. Drinks were pretty good too.

On the way down from the 20th floor

And as a feet treat we took a cab back.

Daily stats:

• Starbucks stores seen: 13, give or take
• Number of TV shows we may have inadvertently sneaked into the background of: 1
• Sporting merchandise items purchased: 9
• Raspberry mojitos imbibed: 2