Brooklyn

When we got to the subway station this morning we went down the steps and there were FOUR police officers standing down there and also had a table set up. There was a sign that said they might search any backpack, bag, etc but they just said hi and we walked on. We've been told they're trying to "clean up" this area and I guess it is a lot better than it used to be. We feel safe and nobody has bothered us.

We started today by going on the Brooklyn tour. It was sort of raining but mostly a drizzle so we still rode on the top of the bus. There are lots of interesting things here and so many famous people are from Brooklyn. The tour guide was talking about Jay-Z and asked if anyone knew how he got his name. We were sitting right behind the guide and I said the J and Z subway lines and was right! Conrad asked later how I knew that but knowing everyone he asked about was from Brooklyn and I knew the J and Z lines ran through Brooklyn I just guessed! We passed by the Botanic Garden and have plans to spend one of the pretty days there.

After the tour, we decided to head to Chinatown for lunch and a little shopping. Yes, I bought a purse while there and Conrad bought a hat. After wandering around awhile, we decided we'd seen enough and headed back towards Battery Park. We didn't want to stay around that area too long because the protesters were to be there later in the afternoon. We went to the Skyscraper Museum and enjoyed it. I was hoping for more information on NYC skyscrapers but they had some of those and a lot from other countries and some from Chicago.

The sky was looking pretty dark so decided we should head home before the sky opened up. It was a short day for us and only walked 6.33 miles today. So, I'm going to leave you with a couple pictures from the last two days. I won't tell you how many I've already taken on this trip and so many days left to go!! We're supposed to get rain tomorrow so we think we're going to clean things up a little here at the apartment and do some laundry. We've found a place around the corner.

This is the Ansonia Hotel that was built between 1899 and 1904. It is also known as the Wedding Cake House. It was a hotel and apartment building that was 17 stories high and had 300 suites. Babe Ruth and Arturo Toscanini lived here. A young Bette Midler sang here and decades later lived here. It was the site of the Chicago White Sox conspiracy to throw the 1919 World Series. (Thanks to my friend Connie for pointing this out to me! She remembers every little detail of stuff! Wish I could do that!! Thanks Connie!!!)

This is Riverside Church. We think that's where we'll go on Sunday.

Another building we saw on the tour.

I love these mirrored buildings and how they reflect other buildings.

Today I've been thinking about how many steps I've gone up or come down since we've been here. There are 28 steps from our regular stop near us. We went to one station today that when we came up I was counting and it was NINTY steps. Man, that station was really down in a hole! I didn't see many interesting shoes today but we were serenaded on our way to our first stop! Two guys got on and once the train started, one started his "boo bop" and the other one sang "In the Still of the Night". They passed their cup around but I was busy studying the subway app on my phone! They really were good though!!

Well great, just about the time we decide to go to bed, the person upstairs has cranked up the music. We were a little excited because the club behind us didn't have loud music tonight. Being so tired makes it a little easier to sleep through about anything around here! We hear lots of planes going over, sirens (one of the police precincts is about 3 blocks away), the club, cars going fast up our street and people walking past and hanging out in front of the apartment. Oh well, it's all a part of our experience.

Until tomorrow.....

Conrad and Linda