Day 7: Cloisters and a Musical Evening

What a beautiful day!

The Promenade Gardens

Tuesday was a relaxing day spent mostly at the cloister gardens before our night on Broadway. Everyone enjoyed the peaceful gardens which displayed many different flowers.

The Cloisters 

The Cloisters themselves are neatly filled with pieces of art dating back to the 1100s. Some favorites were reliquaries and the illuminated manuscripts, as well as the unicorn tapestry made famous by the Harry Potter series.

Stained Glass

Touchable Plants! (The other ones weren't.)

Promenade Close-up

High above many of the roads and far away from a great deal of city noise, the cloisters are supposed to evoke the feel of a medieval monastery.

Turtles Warming

One of the nicest afternoons ever was spent in Central Park, where we had lunch. Some of us explored a few paths leading to closer looks at the little turtles.  

On our way through, we also stopped at Strawberry Fields, a commemoration to musician John Lennon. Some were surprised that there were neither strawberries nor fields at this location. 

Bethesda Fountain

Stopping at Bethesda Fountain was a beautiful experience in more ways than one. Even though it was quite warm out, there were may places to rest. 

The terrace was occupied by a family of hymn singers that enraptured us with their soulful melodies. We talked to a few of them later and learned most were family with a few outside members. They made it clear how glad they were that we related to the music in the way they intended, compared to only hearing the notes sung or played.

Ready or not, here we are, Broadway

Broadway! Anticipation was in the air. Some were waiting to eat, while others could not wait for Les Miserables. We went to Trattoria Trecolori, an Italian Restaurant only a few block from the Imperial, the theatre we would attend soon. Not surprisingly, every one's food disappeared in record time, and we left in search of dessert.

Surpassing its expectations, Les Miz on Broadway was all and more than we hoped for. With a stunning cast, wonderful orchestra, new scene-changing technology and passionate gusto for each solo, Broadway had bestowed a piece of it on us and we were very grateful! 

Walking Stats: 11.2 MILES