Dakota Building, John Lennon Memorial, New York

RandallFlagg

On hols in New York and was in Central Park yesterday, we walked around to the Dakota Building where John Lennon lived and the memorial across the road in the park.

There was a guy quietly playing Lennon songs on an acoustic guitar near the memorial, and the whole experience was quite moving.

http://i.imgur.com/Kykbiihh.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/KJPg0deh.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/rPtv9Umh.jpg

axisus

All sounds very pleasant. I'd love to visit New York but I never will.

DesVegas

I went there in 2010 for me mum's 60th. Stood on the spot he was shot etc but i thought Strawberry Feilds nearby was rather small.

Still New York was a great town, everything so recognisable. Loved Little Italy and the Brooklyn Bridge the best

richardhomer

I went to pay homage when I was there in the late nineties.

I agree it's a very moving experience.

RandallFlagg

axisus said:

All sounds very pleasant. I'd love to visit New York but I never will.

Why 'never'?

RandallFlagg

It's been on my bucket list and feel really lucky to have been able to cross that one off. Walk across Brooklyn Bridge and walk The Highline are coming up over next couple of days

Jalapeno

There's always fresh flowers there .....

stickyfiddle

It's a lovely place. Obviously lots of people taking photos but rarely anyone being a twat, which is very nice these days.

boogieman

Watched the Michael Portillo railways program last night, it was all about NY. It looks amazing and is definitely on the bucket list. 

blueskunk

Love to go. Just listening to John now as it happens. 

bazxkr

Did a week there Xmas shopping in Dec 14. Love NYC but it was damned cold. You've picked a more sensible time to go LOL Highline is worth the walk....you have to do the 'Top of the Rock' for the view and do the official 9/11 tour. You get a guide who was actually in the building/involved on the day so real experiences. One of the most harrowing hours of my life. The Lennon thing is sad...so much talent just blown away. No music when I went there just the flowers and people. Nice that he still revered and loved after all these years. Enjoy.

stickyfiddle

bazxkr said:

...the official 9/11 tour. You get a guide who was actually in the building/involved on the day so real experiences. One of the most harrowing hours of my life.

I really don't understand why people want to go there. The memorial where the towers stood is beautiful, aside from the selfie brigade, but the museum seems aimed largely at grief-tourism and morbid curiosity. Makes me feel weird.

RandallFlagg

bazxkr said:

Did a week there Xmas shopping in Dec 14. Love NYC but it was damned cold. You've picked a more sensible time to go LOL Highline is worth the walk....you have to do the 'Top of the Rock' for the view and do the official 9/11 tour. You get a guide who was actually in the building/involved on the day so real experiences. One of the most harrowing hours of my life. The Lennon thing is sad...so much talent just blown away. No music when I went there just the flowers and people. Nice that he still revered and loved after all these years. Enjoy.

Yep, walking the Highline tomorrow, Top of the Rock today, did 9/11 memorial yesterday.

took this pic from a boat trip, from the East River

http://i.imgur.com/KpyfOLQh.jpg

sev112

Flying there on wed next week with mrs sev112 and little miss sev112

weve got the New York pass, but I am a tad worried that we'll just be knackered from walking around for 3 days solid . Am sure it will be great though

then off to Boston for a few days and cape cod

if anyone has any great suggestions for off the wall things to do, would be grateful

RandallFlagg

We looked into the NY Pass but when I priced up the individual attractions on our list there was no advantage.

I recommend the following for NY:

The night bus tour
Circle line cruise, the landmarks one which is 1.5 hrs, there's a bar and food onboard
Philly cheese steak off the street vendors
Top of the Rock for views
Tavern on the Green in central park (expensive but the best food we have eaten while here)
Uber to get around (we were going to use the subway but with temperatures between 30-36c walking has been draining so an Uber XL to and from where we want to be has been great, it's cheapish too for the four of us
Times Square - just for the sheer spectacle of the lights, noise and volume of people

And for Boston, the Freedom Trail walk.

take a rucksack and fill with bottles of water! It took a day or so to acclimatise to the heat and tipping water over ourselves while out walking has become a necessity to cool down.

try and get out earlyish and do your activities, 3-5pm is the hottest time of day, not something we've been good at doing!

We're heading up to Niagara Falls on Saturday for some wind down time after the bustle of NY

Jalapeno

Best view of the Statue of Liberty is from the (free) Staten Island Ferry.  Battery Park is a nice place to sit and watch the world go by, with a cooling breeze (near the Manahattan side of the ferry)

stickyfiddle

RandallFlagg said:

We're heading up to Niagara Falls on Saturday for some wind down time after the bustle of NY

Nice! Make sure you do the tunnels. The boat is fun and you get soaked, but the view from the tunnels is awesome.

RandallFlagg

Agree that on Battery Park. The circle line boat trip gave us closer and better views of Statue of Liberty that the Staten Island Ferry though

oh, and you'll need more money that you think, food and drink is very expensive.

beers are typically $8 a go, and even McDonalds is noticably more expensive than UK

Jalapeno

Use Delis rather than chains for eats

boogieman

Saw another episode of the Michael Portillo program this evening. Upstate New York looks great too: Buffalo, Rochester, Palmyra, Niagra.