New York, New York!

Our 28th visit to NYC! 

Arrived on Wednesday early morning after having spent five hours on the plane without shutting an eye. We then had the experience to ride on an early train from the airport in Newark/NJ to Penn Station/NY, which was packed with blue-collar workers of all kinds. From there we took the subway to 149th Street up north in Harlem. 

From touch-down at 5:20 am to the door of our apartment in Harlem it took us not quite two hours, which is, considering the distances here, VERY good. We were so happy that we could check into the apartment so early in the morning, could take a shower, have breakfast and take a nap. 

Beautiful weather, sunny and warm. Around noon we went out again, first to see the incomplete Cathedral of St. John the Divine (above) in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. About two-thirds of the proposed building is completed, construction began in 1892. The nave was completed in 1941 and due to various funding and other problems, little progress has occurred since then. One tower is still missing, too! Nevertheless, it's supposed to be one of the world's largest churches. And, it's surrounded by a nice "Children's Garden" (sculpture below).

 

Since we haven't walked much for the last hours (feet got a rest on the plane!), we walked over to Central Park, all the way from the not-so-well-known northern part to the south, from Harlem Meer to the North Woods and Ravine (below) it was a beautiful trail through thick forests, along creeks and ponds.

Over the North Meadow with its playgrounds (soccer fields below), we came to the Reservoir, the Great Lawn and Delacorte Theatre. 

 

Beautiful views of the city's skyline from The Reservoir:

Belvedere Castle and Turtle Pond were our next stops, and, from there to the picturesque Lake with the Bow Bridge (photo with boat below), ending up on Bethesda Terrace/Fountain (below).

 

We took the train over to Brooklyn's Cobble Hill in the evening to meet with friends and to check out a newly opened restaurant, Bar Lumière. Before dinner, we went on a stroll along vivid Smith Street in the neighborhood (photo on the right).

Boy, we almost fell asleep in the subway on the way back home - it's been a REALLY long day!