Up early as usual, checked out, and on the bus. It was my last day in New York so I did not have any huge plans. The bus fought its way through the traffic and into the city. I was on my feet and following my maps. Subway. Why, oh why?
I found the station, I mean, it wasn't that hard... I mean, it too great feats of, well, something and it was grueling and, whatever, I found the subway. I looked at my map and I knew which lines I needed to take. To me, all of the lines look like they go the same way so when a train came I hopped on. This, perhaps, was not the best move. I looked at the little indicator bar as to where we were going and it was some place that I had never heard of. Crap. So, the next, and first, stop came and I got off of the train. Luckily I was still on that main train corridor and I had not gotten too lost yet. I waited for the train that I was "supposed" to take and then got on... again.
This time it was the right train, and as I looked at the indicator bar thingy it told me so. Uptown and away until I got to the stop for the Museum of Natural History. The subway station is actually inside the museum which was rather convenient for me as it was just about impossible to get lost.
Museum of Natural History
I was off of the subway and into the museum. At this point I had identified a trend in New York museums, and that is that they are all enormous. That in mind I started looking for... anything. It was a good thing that I had no other things to do that day because I found myself looking at stuffed animals (like... real animals... but stuffed) and neanderthal bones. I was looking at the formation of the earth, and geology, and gemstones (oh how I love gemstones, anyone who has known me since I was a child can attest), and meteorites. The meteorites were actually fascinating. They had one in the museum that was a little smaller than a Volkswagen (the old ones not the new) and to support it there was a structure going down out of the museum and into the bedrock. It looked about how I thought it should, as a melted piece of space rock, but man was it cool.
Yep... thats a blue whale alright... uh... how did they get it in here?
They say this happens in real life... but no one has ever seen it... ever...
Stampede!
Alright, so it has been highlighted that I am a geek... back to how those who know me can attest. Anyways, I was deeply fascinated by the look at the homo sapien and the neanderthal. This will spurn a short story, when I get the time, regarding the overlap of these two species. It seems to be pretty clear that we killed them out, like just about everything else on the planet (including ourselves), and that seems to be worth writing about. Almost as if we were the species to win, but would it have been better if we weren't? Everyone has their own opinions on that I am sure, but I for one, do not necessarily like the direction this world of ours is headed.
Wow, that was a mild tangent. Back to the plot. I spent a few hours in the museum and then had exhausted my ability to internalize dead stuff and rocks. I went back out into the world, and into Central Park. It was right across the street so that was rather convenient. I had seen the lake with the row boats earlier, but I wanted to see the other lake that I saw from Rockefeller Center. I was much closer now so I was able to walk up to it. The breeze hit the water and cooled off and it reminded me of home. I will be able to return one day.
The Big Lake in Central Park
Renewal
The flowers were out and I got a few photos and then had to make my way back. It was afternoon and I only had a few hours left. I made it to another subway station, and miraculously did not get lost as I headed back downtown. I stopped at Columbus Circle and then continued on foot.
Triumph
I found a nice "hole in the wall" pizza joint and sat down for a relaxing meal.
For Mell
Walking. 8th Ave. Times Square. Reading the New York Times in Times Square, then 42nd St, and the bus.
Waiting. Exhausted. I heard the war stories of other travelers.
The bus arrived and we boarded with a deadened enthusiasm.
Adios New York
A long ride home filled with "Step Brothers" and "Up" and very little sleep.
The bus arrived at 7:00ish am. By fluke timing of the city bus I made it home by 7:30ish am. In bed by 7:31ish am.
Up at 11 am.
Class at Noon.
Overall, it was a great trip. The price was right and the memories will last a lifetime. I did not see everything in New York, after all it is a big city, but I am young, and I have time.
Till then New York.
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