6/21/2016 0 Comments The Metropolitan Museum of ArtThe beauty of spending all day in a city alone with no real plans is the opportunity to make them up as you go. I decided to walk through Central Park to the Met this morning with, to be honest, very little knowledge of what it was or what I would see. I originally planned to stay only two hours but ended up staying four and didn't even scratch the surface. I imagine it would take weeks to actually explore the museum in its entirety. It is HUGE! More than 2M sq. feet of floor space filled with famous paintings and ancient art from all over the world. Perhaps the most interesting exhibit was a replica of the barn from the 1960 film Psycho, which sat on the rooftop garden. A very interesting contrast to the views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline. Of course, my phone died halfway through, but I did manage to get a few pictures.
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6/20/2016 0 Comments The Big AppleBefore embarking on my European adventure, I am spending several days in New York for two reasons: to break up what otherwise would have been a full day of travel, and to visit my aunt who works in the city. I landed in JFK around 2pm and spent the rest of my afternoon in a taxi (because NYC traffic) and exploring the area around our hotel. The first thing I noticed is that traffic laws seem to be a mere suggestion, making the roads utter chaos. I now understand why so many prefer to walk. Despite this, it is difficult to not fall in love with Manhattan - at least from where I'm standing. Our hotel is located in the middle of the theatre district. Walk a few blocks south to enter the energy of Times Square; head north and step into Central Park, 843acres of quiet scenery and wildlife. Around 6pm, I met my aunt back at our hotel and we walked together down to beautiful Bryant Park where we had dinner on a second-story rooftop. Later, we ended our evening on the rooftop of the Dream Hotel with amazing views of the city. Even on a Monday night, the city is alive and full of energy. I am filled with overwhelming feelings of excitement and gratitude tonight.
Tip: for best chance of not being hit by aggressive motorists, follow the crowds rather than the walk signals. |