Unexpected New York ....

Morning run in Central Park

Thanks to the woman who stole my wallet, I had an unexpected extra two days in New York.  With no plans, I was free to wander (and wait for my retrieved wallet to be returned to me).  This time, I stayed in the Upper West Side, just several blocks from Central Park.  Each morning, I fulfilled my wish to run in Central Park and it is a gorgeous place to run, the air is so free and it is so quiet.

Washington Square Park

Musicians in Washington Square Park

I visited Washington Square Park, where I spent a morning people watching, reading and listening to some young jazz musicians busking. The parks in New York are so well used, there are always people in them, especially people walking their dogs. I even discovered the dog parks - fenced off areas for dogs and their owners to socialise. The dogs were even sitting on the benches.

Madison Square Garden

Dog park in Madison Square Park

Despite the New York Public Library undergoing renovations (which means that the outside is covered in scaffolding), I went inside to have a peek.  The interior is absolutely stunning, it looks more like a museum than a library. 

New York Public Library

New York Public Library

Because I had no plans and I just wandered around New York, I came across things that I would otherwise not have noticed.  Just off Fifth Avenue, I found a tiny triangular shaped Portugese cemetry from the early 1800s.  I wonder how many people have walked past it and not even noticed it.  On the Upper West Side, I found several community gardens that were flourishing on previously vacant lots.

Community garden on the Upper West Side

John Lennon's house

The one thing on my 'to-do' list was to visit the Frick Collection.  As this was on the Upper East Side, I wandered through Central Park to get there.  I got lost along the way and ended up at the southern end but I had a lot of fun on the way.  It was a beautiful day, so there were many people out enjoying the sunshine.

Central Park

The Frick Collection

I wasn't sure what to expect when I visited the Frick Collection, so I was completely blown away  by what I saw.  I knew it was a collection of old Renaissance paintings, Rembrandt and the like but what I loved most of all about the collection was the house in which it lived.  Henry Frick sure was a wealthy man because every single room in the house was simply stunning, as well as the art on the wall.  Whilst I can appreciate these old paintings, I was more impressed by the quantity and the size of them.

Times Square

Of course, while I was in New York, I couldn't resist seeing a few more Broadway shows.  I managed to get a last minute, standing room ticket to FELA! for $27 and it was fabulous.  The African American music is great and they dance so well (plus, the half naked bodies of the men weren't bad either!).  The standing room ticket was great - centre of the stage, behind the orchestra and front mezzanine levels.  The next night, I splashed out a little more cash for West Side Story, which was also fabulous.  The choreography and the dancing were amazing.  Goodbye New York, I will miss you! (my bank balance won't though ... it's an expensive place!)