2021 New York City – Day 2

I started the day with the free (for Marriott Titanium Members) “Continental Breakfast”. I had envisioned a cold bagel and maybe cereal, however they surprised me that it included eggs (any way), bacon or sausage, potatoes and a slice of toast (literally one). I thought it was odd to cheap out on the toast – it had to be the cheapest element of the breakfast, but it was still much better than expected.

After breakfast I took the subway to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. They had a free (short) audio guide to listen to (app is called TourPatron and use code “Sunday” or “BigBus”).

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, St. Patrick’s Cathedral The Cathedral of St. Patrick is a decorated Neo-Gothic-style Roman Catholic cathedral church in the United States and a prominent landmark of New York City.

After visiting St Patrick’s Cathedral I walked towards Central Park and made a brief stop inside St Thomas Church.

Home

Welcome to Saint Thomas Church, a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. Our mission is to worship, love and serve Our Lord Jesus Christ through the Anglican tradition and our unique choral heritage.

As I arrived at Central Park I took a leisurely stroll and stumbled upon some of the historic bridges inside the park along my way to the Belvedere Castle.

Gapstow Bridge

Gapstow Bridge is a rustic stone bridge that spans the neck of the Pond, water body in the Park’s southeast corner.

Bow Bridge

Bow Bridge, one of the most iconic features of Central Park, is renowned for its unique design and setting.

Belvedere Castle

Belvedere Castle, home to a visitor center and gift shop managed by the Central Park Conservancy, is one of the most iconic features in the Park.

I walked over to the Guggenheim to take a picture of the outside and they had an event with live music – and free admission to the museum. I tried to order free tickets on my phone, but it said they were not available. I found out that you had to be present to order the free tickets and only needed to scan a QR code at the museum. It was a pleasant surprise to go inside Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpieces for free even though most of the art was not to my liking. They did have a couple of nice Van Gogh paintings hidden away.

The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation

Visit the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Guggenheim Museum in NYC, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the renowned permanent collection and special exhibitions.

It was now late in the afternoon (well late for lunch anyways) and so after briefly watching one of the outdoor performances by the museum I found a highly rated Italian restaurant called “Lex”. The pasta was delicious and it was exactly what I needed to continue my day.

Italian Restaurant Upper East Side NYC | Lex Restaurant

Indoor, Outdoor Dining, and Delivery

After lunch I decided to take the aerial tram to Roosevelt Island in time for the sunset. There wasn’t a spectacular sunset, but it was still a pleasant journey and view along the East River. The nice thing about the tram is that it is included in the normal unlimited weekly metro card that I purchased for the subway. Near the south part of the island is the ruin of a Smallpox Hospital.

Tram | Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation of the State of New York

The Roosevelt Island Tramway provides amazing scenic views of Manhattan, running every 7-15 minutes from 59th street and Second Avenue in Manhattan to Tramway Plaza on Roosevelt Island.

On the way back to the hotel I stopped at Grand Central Terminal. And I saw my first NYC rats in the subway, sorry I didn’t take pictures of them.

Grand Central Terminal – Be Transported

A world-famous landmark in Midtown Manhattan is not simply a transportation hub – it’s also a shopping, dining, and cultural destination.