Got up around 7.45am. Coffee and biscuits in the room while we got ready. Out just after 9am. Amazed to see them relaying the crossings outside the hotel in the morning rush-hour. Took the bus up 8th Avenue to Columbus Circle. Lots of pestering by cycle rickshaw people - almost as bad as souvenir vendors at the Eiffel Tower. Took a nice slow walk up through Central Park, stopping at the cafe at the Zoo for coffee and a bowl of fresh fruit.

How to make the rush hour worse

Columbus Circle

Southern end of Central Park - we hadn't expected bare granite

Carried on up to Bethesda Terrace, then passed the Loeb Boathouse, Conservatory Water and the Alice in Wonderland statue before reaching the wonderful Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Mall

Bethesda Terrace

Loeb Boathouse

Conservatory Water

The Alice statue (with real child added)

MMoA

Went into the museum and had lunch straightaway in the American Wing - salads. After lunch spent a couple of hours going round the museum to see bits we didn’t see last time. Began to realise how absolutely huge the place is - no chance of seeing everything. Ended up going to the Roof Garden where we had a cold drink and looked at the strange bamboo installation - ‘Bambu’.

Go to the photo gallery via the link at the bottom for more pictures taken inside the museum

Came out and got the bus back down to the Trump Tower and had a quick look round the public areas. Left there and discovered that Tiffany's was next door so looked round a couple of floors of that. Next stop was the Apple Store which was interesting but very very crowded.

Anne's two favourite places in New York

Left the Apple Store and walked along 59th Street at the bottom of the park, three blocks across to Columbus Circle, recharged our Metro Cards in the subway. Decided to go back on the subway but were dismayed to find that we had to walk for miles up and down stairs to find the right platform. Trains were extremely crowded but it was a short run back to 34th.

Strolled back to hotel and up to our room and within a few minutes the promised rain arrived. It was an absolute downpour with thunder and lightning. Went to have a beer but the bar and the hotel lobby were full of people who’d dashed in to avoid the rain. Booked our airport transfer for Saturday, then sat and talked to a couple of Aussies. Eventually got a seat in the bar and had a beer.

Came back up to our room to check emails etc and found that New York had been struck by something that was verging on a hurricane - trees down in Brooklyn and at least one person killed in Queens. Weather Channel has carried nothing else all evening.

Went down to Diner - very crowded. Shortly after we’d sat down and ordered an English couple came and sat at the next table. Got chatting and discovered that they’d lived in Adelaide in the 1990s. Knew Burnside Village and all the other places. Spent a long time talking to them. Didn’t return to room until 9.45pm

The New Yorker lobby