16th November- Put those walking boots back on!

We awoke to grey skies and the strong chance of rain and in fact when we left the Hotel there was rain in the air. We had a quick breakfast in the Au Bon Pan Café nearby and then went on the PATH train uptown to 33rd Street. From there we walked and walked up to Central Park by which time it was getting to lunchtime. We had noticed, back a few hundred yards, a Deli called The Stage Deli where Noel used to eat occasionally when visiting New York in the late 70’s and 80’. So in we trooped and ordered the Turkey on Rye with gravy and chips, brilliant it was but far too much food as their must have been almost half a turkey on each plate and so we had no space for the amazing cheesecake they serve.

We went back via 8^th Street and walked down to 42^nd Street, which was infamous in the late 70’s and 80’s for just about everything. In fact as soon as the lights went down it was not safe to be on the streets. Today it is so different and it is clean, there is a lot of new building and Times Square is now a pedestrian area as against a large traffic island.

We continued along 42^nd until we reached Grand Central Station where another amazing job has been done to bring what was almost a dilapidated station in to the 21^st century and there are restaurants galore, all the old furniture has been restored and it is now a hive of activity. After a short and necessary break we walked all the way down Park Avenue to East Houston street via the area called The Bowery where there are still a lot of tramps although strong efforts are being made to improve it. We found a Whole Foods store, they are great, and went inside for some rather powerful broccoli soup to attend our upcoming hunger needs.

The whole day the sky had been grey (not good for photos) and with odd spots of rain and even at 4pm it was dark and now by 6pm it looked like heavy rain might be on the way and so we found a subway station back to the WTC station and then took the PATH back to Exchange Place and the Hotel.

We have walked miles and miles today, far more than last Sunday and we were both exhausted and need baths and shower and then went to bed around 1030 as we have an early start tomorrow.