Out and About, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

I have found the subway system to be very efficient for getting around the city. Everyone has been good about wearing a mask and, during the times I have ridden, ......



....it has not been particularly crowded. And the number of odd characters is much lower than I remember about the New York subway system. I thought about taking taxies or on-demand carriers but, the subway system is so iconic I just had to descend those stairways into the underground for the true New York experience.



Back on the surface, that's quite a claim: "the world's largest store," but, I'll take them at their word. It is flower festival week so I stopped by to see what I could see.......

.....and sprouted a pair of floral butterfly wings for the occasion. By the way, I can't tell you how many comments I have received on my hat - though most are from young folks who say it reminds them of their grandfathers. In any case, no one else seems to wear this style much anymore. (I bought it in a little hat shop in Seville, Spain a few years back).

A subway ride later, I was right on the edge of the Chinatown and the Little Italy neighborhoods.



The street markets are bustling with shoppers, buying fresh produce as they have for generations.



Folks are good about wearing masks, too.



And with the acculturation of smartphone cameras, no one seems to mind having his/her picture taken anymore.



It's still slightly disorienting - though I do love it - to turn a random corner and there stands the towering Empire State Building. And in this case, it's the side of Madison Square Garden in the foreground advertising a December reunion concert of Genesis - who from my generation wouldn't like to see those 70+ year old rockers get back together for one last geriatric go-around! (They're supposedly coming to Boston in December to the TD Garden on this tour, too).