I love NYC

Today is day three in NYC and boy was it a doozy! I woke up pretty early around 7:30am and started out for a day full of adventure.

 I didn't have an agenda for the day really but I had made a list of places I wanted to see last night while I was googling all the free things to do here. I wanted to make a point to walk most of the way rather then take the subway or the buses to save on some money. My legs by the way are killing me from all the walking yesterday and the intensive boot camp class where over 500 squats were involved. Regardless I did end up making it back to Time Square on 40th st from 94th st. I ventured around in the daylight and saw again all the lights, billboards, and advertisements. It amazes me how much security there is, but I guess its to be expected. I decided to make a loup down 42nd st to 5th avenue where The NYC Library (built in 1911) is and I am so glad I did. Not only is it beautiful, but its the largest all marble building in the world, and it was holding an exhibit on the Three Religions of Abraham, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

I am way interested in that type of stuff so I was stoked when it was FREE! I have always been way fascinated by the fact that all three of said religions can be directed back to the same stories, the same text, the same ideas and virtually the same belief. (which is what the exhibit was pointing out). There here old copies of the Qu'an, Bible, and the Torah. Even some on scrolls and cloth parchment. I love the use of the old script seen in all three religions and how each has significant language to express ideologies yet the morals and concepts are identical. After wondering the library I set off to see the Chrysler building and Grand Central Station. The Grand Central Station which was built in 1913 was beautiful! The ceiling of the main hall is one of O'Ryans belt in the sky along with Capricorn and Taurus. I took a warm up break to get lunch with Uri a friend from University and he suggested some tips on ways to get around and down to ground zero as well as how I am going to get my butt to Newark for my flight to London. I have been using Starbucks as a warm up base all day since they provide free internet as well. So at this point in my day its 1pm and I decided that, well I have plenty of time to get the job I set out to do done. 

That is I began my long walk down to ground zero. It was obvious that I was going from grid streets to old more chaotic streets. The change in layout, the change in cleanliness and modernization shifts were apparent. I was able to walk straight down 5th ave till I got to Washington Square. A beautiful park with a huge arc inside it. This is where the map I was using came in so handy because not only do the streets not act like normal grid streets but it seems that its common for names of streets to change mid block so one second I think I am on 7th avenue when really I am not on Valcheck or some similar nonsense. Regardless it was another mile or so to ground Zero.

 This is the financial district of Manhattan and you can tell that everyone seemed to have a place to go and something to do. I was the only one with my head up in the sky (or rather my head up in the skyscrapers). I was slightly disappointed by ground Zero and I plan on going back to it sometime tomorrow because maybe I missed something, I also didn't go into the visitor center. The disappointing part was that there was an 11 foot fence around all the construction with just pictures of what it looks like and did look like 10 years ago. So at this point I just started to wonder, I had no more agenda of things to look at so I literally just started walking in a direction. I ended up really deep in Korea Town and then back out by Washington Square again. I met up with Maya again at the end of the day, we walked around Soho and came across an Inside Park. 

This was the craziest idea, it had fake grass, fake leaves, fake trees and fake lights that were supposed to make you feel happier after sitting by them. After touring Little Italy and trying to make our way to Chinatown, we were absolutely malled by the Little Italy people and became cold and angry quickly so back home we ventured where my legs decided to make the final decision for me and stay in with tea and a movie. Wonderful decision btw because I was able to video chat with my love Shane. End of NYC day three.