We managed to fit in everything we had planned for today. We started off catching the subway to the World Trade Centre memorial. There is a lot of construction going on down there but the memorial is peaceful and lovely. The memorial consists of 2 reflecting pools sitting in the footprints of the 2 WTC towers. There are square, with waterfalls cascading down all 4 walls and into a deeper square in the middle. The names of all the people who were killed on 9/11 and the bombing of the WTC in 1993 are inscribed around the edge of the pools. They certainly won't ever be forgotten. Two of the new World Trade Centre a Towers have been completed with a third very close to completion. The new buildings are all shiny and bright but we noticed planes still flying reasonably close. I wonder if the people working in the buildings even notice. We didn't go to the museum. It would be interesting but we were short on time and there was a long queue to get in.
We got back on the subway and headed for Chinatown. Robyn wanted to replace a Rolex watch she had bought in China that had broken. It wasn't long before sellers started walking past very quietly offering jewellery, handbags & sunglasses. It is really quite funny to watch them phone someone and ask them to bring the goods from wherever they are being held. You get a quick look and then have to put it in you bag quickly & hand over the money. Rob got her watch & I got a Hermes cuff for only $50!
We got a cab to Chelsea Market which is in the Meatpacking District. The building used to be the National Biscuit Company and has lots of exposed bricks and beams. There are lots of food stalls - everything from cheese to bread to spices. One of the most popular was The Lobster Place. They must have been cheap because everyone seemed to be having lobster for lunch. We got a quesadilla and a fabulous cupcake -Big Bird for Robyn and Olaf for me. There was another hall at the end of the food area where artists were selling all kinds of handmade jewellery, t-shirts and photographs etc. It was a good lunch stop for us.
Just outside the market was the entrance to the High Line. This is an elevated park & walkway built on a disused train line. It was 2.3km long and had lots of trees, green spaces, benches to sit on, traffic viewing areas and some artwork. It was a nice way to get away from the hustle of the streets. Not long after we had started the walk, we could see a major traffic gridlock on the streets below. There were police cars everywhere with lights flashing. We assumed there had been an accident but a bit further along, we could see barricades all along the street. Robyn asked a man & he said the President had just passed through on his way to a fundraiser. He was expected to come back again in about an hour. The High Line was closed for the people coming the opposite way while the President passed under it. The man showed Rob the photos he had taken from the street of the car whizzing past.
We walked the whole length of the High Line and came down across the street from the Hudson River. We got a cab to take us up to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The museum is on board the Intrepid aircraft carrier which fought in WW2. You can go inside the boat & see how the sailors lived back then. The conditions weren't great for the junior sailors. At least the sleeping quarters were a bit better for the higher ranks.
Up on the top deck were numerous old fighter jets and helicopters. There was also the Space Shuttle Pavilion which now houses the Enterprise which is the prototype shuttle NASA built for space shuttle program. We couldn't go inside but it was still cool to see. Down on the dock was a British Airways Concorde. You could go inside that but only on a tour which was 45mins long. We just didn't have the time. There was also a submarine but we ran out of time.
We went back to the hotel after the museum for half an hour before going to the theatre. We saw The Book of Mormon which was excellent. It is very politically incorrect but funny and the music was great. There are so many other shows I need to see - Aladdin, Chicago, Kinky Boots, Motown the Musical, If/Then, Cinderella, Rock of Ages and It's Only a Play. I can't possibly leave tomorrow. I need another month here. But, the cab will be here in 6.5hrs.