Today we wake up with a gray and gloomy time, perhaps the last, according to weather forecast that signal good weather from tomorrow.
We take the opportunity, then, to visit another museum, among those who had already planned to see why included in the CityPass. This is the
Metropolitan Museum of Art , better known as Met.
This museum is one of the important museums of the world, with a collection of huge objects and works of art.
Its main office is located in the Upper East Side , next to Central Park , in a majestic building along what is called the Museum Mile, Museum Mile or the .
Not all tourists know, however, that the Met also a branch called Cloister, located quite far from downtown, in the Inwood neighborhood near all'estremitù north of Manhattan .
Our tickets include free admission to both the Met that the Cloister for visits on the same day and we intend to exploit to the full.
So at 8.30 we take the express subway line and in about forty minutes we are at the intersection of Fort Washington Avenue and 190mA streets, nearly opposite the Fort Tryon Park , A beautiful flower park that houses inside the museum building.
The reason why we chose to visit this branch of the Met and not simply, as many tourists see only the headquarters, is its location and the atypical nature of the place. The name
Cloisters , cloisters in Italian, is in fact to indicate the building that houses the museum, a reconstruction of the '30s that recalls the typical European convent buildings and incorporating within it the original old pieces French and English monasteries.
The place is surprisingly charming, on a small hill in the center of the park overlooking the banks of the Hudson River.
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| A Cloister |
a shame that the rain started again in late fall, it would be nice to take a walk around.
arrive almost an hour of opening, we are the first visitors and we have rooms for us all! At the ticket
we are given a badge which will be useful later to enter without queuing at the Met . Exposures of
Cloisters concern, of course, the medieval art. In the various rooms we can see tapestries, paintings, works mostly in character religious. The
ambientzione is great, arched passages, tunnels of stone, a Roman chapel and five different chostri, including one that we already know: that of Saint-Michel de Cuxa .
It 's amazing how did we carried about with whole pieces of churches and we have to ask "For what? They were not better where they were?".
meantime, however, the effect is beautiful and seems to be somewhere in France rather than in the chaotic Manhattan !
part of the museum is also a garden where you can see different varieties of flowers and herbs. Despite
works of art in itself, does not awaken in us especially interest (perhaps coming from Europe because we're used to something else) the set is still very attractive, suitable for those looking for something different to visit.
out of there, cross the park, stopping occasionally to photograph the ever-squirrels, and we take the subway down the height of ' American Museum of Natural History .
And 'We want to cross Central Park to get to the Metropolitan Museum from behind.
We do not know if it is simple imbranataggine ours, but we note that direct us in this great new park Yorker is not for nothing easier! There are no maps on the trails (or at least we have not seen) and even signs, hinting at the East Side.
eventually managed to reach the Met, just when we were afraid of going around in circles.
just eat hot dogs at a banquet in front of the building and then we throw ourselves into the throng of tourists who flock to the museum. Let
the usual strict control of backpacks (which we place in the wardrobe) and, thanks to our badge, we go without even a second of waiting.
The museum is huge, impossible, therefore, entirely one-day visit without risking an overdose of art.
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| Temple Dendur |
spread, in fact, on two floors and comprises about twenty-eight and ten temporary permanti collections and exhibits works of different historical periods and from many different cultures.
To fully enjoy and see it is better to select some good ones. We
, map in hand, we have chosen, first of all, see the section on the ninth-century European painting on the second floor.
The collection is vast and includes many pictures, mainly French painters of the Romanticism and Impressionism. Entire rooms are devoted to our favorite artists: Degas, Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gaugin. As usual, it's exciting to review works that live up to that time had seen only on art books. Tourists ggirano between the rooms are many, but the museum is so vast that you can be quietly alone with the "Iris" by Van Gogh for a few minutes.
After this we go to admire the collection European painting, including, among others, paintings by Mantegna, Rubens, Tiepolo and Rembrandt.
On the second floor, visit the gallery devoted to 'Asian Art works, mainly sculptures, coming from India, Nepal, Tibet and Indonesia and enter the' unusual and special room dedicated to Tools music. Here, in a small room, houses a number of ancient and rare instruments from different regions of the world.
We complete our visit on the second floor through the hall of 'Chinese Art to admire the' Astor Court, modeled on a garden re-created a garden in the city of Suzhou. Everything is very well maintained, clean and quiet. The accuracy of reproduction is amazing.
At this point we descend to the ground floor where, among the many collections there, we want to see one devoted to Egyptians.
At that time the area is even more crowded because it is just past the entrance and the first place where visitors go.
The section was set up in high style with many statues and artefacts.
It 's definitely a very interesting collection, but, in our opinion, does not beat that of' American Museum of Natural History , where the atmosphere is very special.
great, however, is the rebuilding of the Temple of Dendur placed in a bright room whose window looks out onto Central Park .
At this point, the fatigue starts to bite, but it is a sin leaving it without looking at other collections. We decided to walk around the halls dwelling on the parts that attract our attention more.
The museum is really amazing, the spaces are wider than when we had imagined and the setting of the various collections is cured in every detail.
does have a downside. The hike along the salt is not so immediate and of a collection and the other is not always easy to go back to the main room. Moreover, the map that is provided is not very explanatory, shows the sections, but the numbers of single rooms (unlike MoMa ) so ... you can get lost easily. Fortunately, there is always someone in the security service ready to help the poor lost! Leaving the
Met around 15.30 ..... incredible peeps are a little sun!
We decide to spend the remaining hours of the morning on 5th Avenue to do some shopping.
Our first goal is FAO Schwarz, toy store as well as the immense dream for every child.
E 'literally a wonderland with giant stuffed animals, cars, clothes to become Princess, Spiderman, Harry Potter ....
There's even a corner dedicated to the Muppets, where Mark goes into raptures!
Wonderful! It 'full of sound and color! Luckily there are girls .... We left my heart!
Unfortunately, all this multitude of toys can not find what I'm looking for: a poor model of American trucks. The smallest size is 50 x 30 that I can not even try and fit in your suitcase!
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| FAO Schwarz |
Let's get out of there and enter the Apple Store near undisputed realm of electronics.
Its entry is recognized from afar because they are accessed from a square glass and metal that bears the famous logo of the apple. Obviously there's a
great coming and going. The shop is a large open space furnished with long tables, where Apple products are on display fully available to customers that they can try before you buy. Approaching is not easy, given the crowds, but in the end we feel un'iphone, more for curiosity than genuine interest.
After the Apple Store is the time of Bloomingdale's the historic New York shopping destination.
As you enter you are immediately struck by a strong mix of fragrances and dozens of contracts that you trying to prove the ultimate essence and the cream of the revolutionary moment. The dribbling and head departments of clothing where you can find also designer clothes at reduced prices compared to Italy.
We would have expected more confusion, however, the store, great, is pretty quiet.
Marco, however, it considers it too posh to shop and so we allow ourselves to resume 5th Avenue we travel a short distance and then we move into the underground cn Times Square.
We are always looking for some Converse collection of Doctor Seuss why we come in virtually all sporting goods stores or shoes that we encounter on our path until you come to our next destination Macy's .
This is another of the legendary New York department stores. Bit of everything in there in twenty: clothing, footwear, housewares, beauty products ...
Here, unlike Bloomingdale's is running a lot of people and shops.
Again the thousand notes of perfumes stun us, as we try to ignore the many jobs that try to make us try their products.
As we have seen in the shop in Boston, from Macy's merchandise is on display in a very confusing and not easy to find what you want. Eventually, however, buy some Polo Ralph Laurent, several pieces of Hilfinger and Lewis, all brands are sold here at very affordable prices.
The contract we need the cash, un'afroamericana a little crazy, we recommend that you leave the goods there and go to the information desk to get to the Visitors Card, a card that entitles you to 10% discount on purchases . Back over half warehouse, we get over the department in apnea perfumes and after requesting information we can find the bench. Unlike the card we have in Boston and that lasted only three seasons, this is valid for months.
return to pay for our purchases and then leave.
Not far from there is a Foot Locker that we have not yet visited. We are always looking for Converse, maybe this is the right shop.
In fact ... we do not find the collection Dr.Seuss, but there are those "I love" Jade had included in his wishlist. Take them immediately, even if a larger number. In the ward next door, then tracked down the ones shaped like a ladybug perfect for little Matilda who will be born soon .... perfect! After all this we turn finally found something!
now too late to go to Pier83 and make a sunset cruise, so we look for a place to eat dinner before going to the Duane Street to put our packages.
propose a Deli on 6th Avenue, the place seems clean and there are no tables to eat. Marco agrees and we enter. E 'run by Chinese dishes and have a very oriental impression. We pay a flat fee that includes a can and six different dishes. But we limit ourselves to two, mostly because the vegetables do not inspire us and make chicken and rice cooked in different ways it seems a little ridiculous. We look funny, tell us that we have too little food, and although he assures them, whispering and giggling in their own language. Already the Chinese are very nice to me, even if they do so .... We add a sweet (U.S.), which is charged separately and then quickly eat our dinner.
Back at the hotel we rest a bit and then we take the metro to go to Rockefeller Center and go to Top of the Rock .
When at home we planned to see the sights in New York, had discarded the idea of \u200b\u200bgetting on this famous terrace, preferring those of the Empire State Building. Then, after hearing the views of different travelers returning from New York, we decided that we would have gone if we had found the time and if there was a time there came also want to make this experience.
What has changed your mind?
First of all, the fact that he had so many bad days and gray. We needed to see something that we pulled a little on the morale and the sight of of New York and night lit skyscrapers is what it takes!
The price of tickets ($ 21) is a bit expensive, but in the end it's worth it.
Upon entering we immediately accepted and addressed to the speakers.
The environment is spacious and elegant. At the entrance we are struck first of all the amazing chandelier made from Svarovsky.
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| Panorama from Top of the Rock |
The route is marked by a red carpet and is closed by cordons. There is no queue at that time. Let us tickets, then we follow a new path Which brings us before a big screen where they project a video that tells the story of the skyscraper, do the usual ritual photos to immortalize the event and finally take us to the elevator that will take us right up to the seventieth floor.
10.30 and there are many many people.
The elevator is already in itself a spectacle, both the rate at which salt, both for sound and lights that are projected inside. The roof, then, is trasperente and looking up you see the goal that is fast approaching. Well ... a true American!
The view is wonderful, everything you see around the skyscrapers of Manhattan illuminated between which stands proud, the 'Empire State Building . The terrace of Top of the Rock is not completely linear and is composed of two layers. The first has two large balconies protected by tall glass and separated from each other by an internal lounge where you can still get a good view. Obviously the presence of the glass does not make it very easy to shoot the photographs in spite of one or the other there is a small space. It 'definitely better go to the next level only protected by railings.
Watching this city from the top is really exciting. It 's amazing to know how to transform every moment, as appia different depending on the angle from which to observe.
we pause for a long time, enjoying the view and making a lot of photos. The air is cool, but pleasant. We decide to get off when it comes a rather noisy party.
I almost repent for not having bought the house from Sunrise Sunset Combo Ticket which entitles you to go up two times, day and evening.
go down again using the incredible speed elevator accompanied by the ubiquitous controllers.
Our tour ends in the shop where there are the usual souvenir theme.
do not take anything, we have already made the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
We go out, leaving behind the pomp of the Rockefeller Center and head towards the subway, passing along the 47th street, the heart of Diamond District. Here there is almost an endless line of shops and stores that only sell diamonds. Unfortunately, the windows are closed and darkened. Mark, of course, is breathing a sigh of relief and mentally if the marks as a place to avoid in the coming days ...
now we got to the metro, take the first train that takes us tired, but satisfied with the hotel.
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