30,000 plus steps

Talk about walking the Big Apple. We enjoyed the architectural details and the variety of styles (from pared back simplicity to incredibly detailed and ornate decorations) as we explored 6^th Ave (Avenue of the Americas) on our way to the Sky Tram to Roosevelt Island. The gondola flew us over the East River and this gave us the opportunity to look at NYC from a different perspective. The ferry downstream to Brooklyn was great – and Alistair insisted on sitting on the upper deck to rubber neck the views until the cold soaked into our bones and the cabin’s warmth was too tempting.

Brooklyn was amazing. We took in DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) quarter with its old warehouses and cobbled streets. We ticked the Washington Street ‘insta’ photo opportunity of the Manhattan Bridge in the background (photo bombing many images!). A Brooklyn diner was a warming break from the wind and unrelenting minus-degree weather. The lunch fortified us for the ‘bucket list’ walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, back into NYC. The bridge is a marvel – stunning granite pylons/stanchions, a centrally elevated pedestrian boardwalk over multiple lanes of traffic and a veritable spider’s web of cables.

The municipal buildings at the NY end of the bridge are incredible – temples to civic pride and aspirational positivity. City Hall, the administration buildings and court houses are so very grand and impressive. Our first subway trip took us back to Time Square (we can see the ‘ball drop’ column from our hotel window) for a cheeky duty-free GnT before heading out to view the passing parade in the square. Some jobs are the worst – there are people in the square badgering tourists to have their photo taken whilst dressed as an Elmo, Minnie, a gorilla or superhero (the tout, not the tourist) for a ‘donation’. Other pavement pests are the HOPO (hop on, hop off) bus touts and the pedal rickshaw drivers, that elicit a constant “no, thank you” refrain.

Two days down and many kilometres of pavement has been covered. I know many more steps will be counted over the next few days.