Downtown

Another incredibly full day.....I think a list might be all I have the energy for.

Walk downtown
Helicopter ride - once in a lifetime
Staten Island Ferry - a brilliant free service that gives you an excellent view of Manhatten and the Statue of Liberty
Battery Park
World Trade Centre Memorial - much more affecting and moving than I had imagined, and incredibly beautiful
St. Paul's Chapel - equally moving and understated
Lunch in little Italy
Canal Street
Leslie + Lohman Gallery - a small but perfectly formed LGBT exhibition space
Drinks in Greenwich Village - got chatting to John who is playing Father Christmas in the a Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular; he was a lovely chap who also gave us loads of local tips and recommendations
Dinner in the meatpacking district - including smoked bacon flavoured pop corn

Bed

This is probably not the best photograph I took today ( through the window of the Staten Island Ferry) but if you look closely you can just about see at the front if the boat a mounted machine gun. We were escorted all the way to and fro across the river - I'm not sure whether this is standard procedure, I think it is a consequence of recent events......not being used to sites like this at home we found it fascinating and quite disturbing.