Back in Babylon

I spent my first day back in the US hanging out with my friend Michael, who has previously appeared on this blog here, here, and here. As he had just arrived from California, we stored his suitcase in my room while we went out to explore the city. Although I have been to New York many times (most often in connection with voting and obtaining visas), there are many places I regret never visiting. Since Michael had no preferences as to what to do and see, I got carte blanche to make up for some of these omissions.

We started the day on a spiritual note, visiting Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and the Episcopal Saint Thomas Church. The former struck us with its sheer vastness and atmospheric stained-glass windows. The latter had a sprawling organ, which we heard being played as we entered. We also tried to visit the Central Synagogue, but found it closed due to the pandemic.

The only exigent item on my itinerary was to buy a phone plan for my upcoming road trip, the two requirements being that it be unlimited and by a different operator to Kelly’s. What I thought would be a brief stop at the Verizon store turned into an hour-long ordeal. First, we found out my phone was blocked, so I had to buy a new one. This turned out to be easier said than done, as the cheap phones were nowhere to be found (and one of them being found, it refused to work), and the cabinets with protective cases were also a mess. Nevertheless, the assistant’s doggedness saved the day.

After eating lunch at a branch of the widely beloved Xi’an Famous Foods, we returned to the hotel. Michael’s powernap turned into a hibernation, from which he only emerged after four o’clock. Since most sites were closing, we decided to make a tour of some of New York’s parks: having seen Bryant Park in the morning, we went down to Madison Square Park, Union Square Park, and Washington Square Park, after which we continued to the western bank of Manhattan. Our little tour ended at the World Trade Centre metro station, from whence we returned to the hotel, and I saw Michael off later that evening.

The view of a skyscraper from Bryant Park
Saint Patrick's
The Rockefeller Center
The front of Saint Patrick's
The inside of Saint Patrick's
The pulpit at Saint Patrick's
Inside Saint Thomas
The Chrysler Building
The view of a shy Empire State Building from my room
The Metropolitan Life Clock Tower above Madison Square Park 
The New York Life Building as seen from Madison Square Park
Some kind of message but what it means I dare not say
A view across Union Square
The W New York Union Square building
A magical portal as seen through the branches of the trees at Union Square Park
The Empire State Building
Washington Square Arch
The same
The same again
Another cryptic religious message
The One World Trade Center
The same
The same but from the waterfront
And one more picture of this majestic building
Our selfie

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