Day 12 - Last full day in NY

Nice to know they have regulated littering times

Woke up this morning thought I'd really like some me space. Went to Andy's Deli (a local deli) and ordered a coffee and a toasted bagel. The place was run like a military operation. People came in and ordered, were served and paid in under 90secs. They have the usual fare on offer - simple range of salads with the compulsory egg, chicken or tunafish salad for making sandwiches. Again, good coffee and the bagel was well-toasted and very chewy (editor's note - that's a good thing!).

I took the breakfast package to the small park across the road and just sat on a park bench and watched the New York City life drift by. Police cars, walking parking police, people on their way to work, the occasional homeless-looking person on their way to wherever. People walking children to school and delivery boys in and out of Andy's Deli servicing the local community.

Romantic things to do

Went for a long walk through Central Park. It’s a bit like going though the set of a Robin Hood movie with everything so lush and green. It appears that the fixation with keeping lawns mowed is not just a country thing; it’s a national pasttime. There are lots of different trails to be taken with the occasional vans selling drinks and pretzels. This is the place where mothers bring their children for playgroups, but there is no smoking in the park and dogs are not allowed off their leash.

Think I'll take a "selfie"

After traversing diagonally to the other side of the park, the trail took me to the New York Children’s Zoo. This is a wonderful place where children are allowed to roam freely and graze in their more natural states. (I didn’t pay the $18 to get in so I don’t know if there were any other animals to accompany the children)

At the very bottom corner of the park, next to the Cartier Building, is of course Nerd Mecca – like virtual reality, only real. Hope you like the “selfie” Ben. The fake gasp of horror is to highlight that Hell actually has a glass elevator going down into the bowels of consumerism.

Went back to the Hotel and picked up Tim who is sporting the beginnings of a cold and sore throat. Had to do the Seinfeld thing and get an egg salad from the deli with a cup of coffee (on whole wheat of course.)

We went on the subway back down to Times Square to go to some shop Tim needed and then went across to catch another train close to the Guggenheim Museum.

On the way, Tim spotted LEGO (World? Mania? Universe? What ev's!) so we had to stop and take a few photos. I think that his plan to just use his iPhone to do his photographing went out the window when he saw some of the shots I've got on my computer.

Guggenheim is an impressive looking building with an equally impressive gift shop which is open every day to appease the disappointed people who arrive on a Thursday. The place was quite crowded out the front with lots of people sighing, “They say it’s closed on Thursdays.” And today is Thursday.

 

Went for another long walk to cross Central Park to make it back to our digs. It is starting to rain lightly but not enough to worry about.

Tim was not feeling all the best so I decided to have some "me" time. Went to the corner bistro and bar and sat at the bar with a corona and the Greece versus Japan World Cup Soccer match. Very exciting game and I was allowed to soak up the the whole atmosphere. Coronas, soccer, American bar - good times.

Went back to the room to see if Tim was conscious and he decided that he should go out for the last night in New York.

Self indulgent pic!

It was raining and we went to a little bar further down the street. Because the rain was really coming down, I insisted we stay and make the best of a bar where we were sheltering. There was no room inside so we squeezed in close to another couple having dinner just under the awning of the bar. We started chatting and they were such a nice couple. His name is Richard Habersham and he starred in a couple of movies a few years ago - his most notable was, "Do The Right Thing". We started chatting about different things and Whoopy Goldberg's name came up and he mentioned that she played his mother in a film that he did. Cool night! I looked him up before writing his - he's ridgy-didge. Now he's a Real Estate Broker.