Hiking is out for us when the icy conditions hit the mountains. Walking in New York City for fitness is in. We met our AMC group at the Staten Island Ferry Depot and walked to The Vietnam War Memorial. On this wall are inscribed texts of letters written by our troops.
Next we walked to the haunting Merchant Marine Memorial, just in front of the lines for the Ellis Island Ferry, created from a photo taken by a Nazi sailor on the U-Boat that had hit and sunk the Merchant ship. 
(song link) A swing inland showed many new downtown architectural sights.
On our approach to the World Financial Center Winter Garden, we passed this Memorial to NYC's 911 heroes.
Why is there a grove of palms in the Winter Garden lobby? Hint: it has to do with the holdings of the owners of the building. 
There is an amazing can exhibit to walk through on the second floor. Here's where our outing turned into an art walk.
These literary gates flank the now deserted marina. This is part of a Frank O'Hara quote: 
... and this one is Walt Whitman's:
Another inland swing... 
and we reached the Irish Hunger Memorial garden—located on the corner of 290 Vesey and North End Avenue. These fossils have been embedded in the entrance walkway. 
Here is a slab from the Berlin Wall the city of Berlin donated to Battery Park City in 2004. And here's a link to another location midtown.
This must have been the western side. 
Back along the Hudson River Park, we came upon this flamboyant sculpture garden. Where ever you go in New York City, there's art work of one type or another.
... such as all these wonderful creations of Tom Otterness. 
Again we ducked a few blocks in to see this bluestone wall at Teardrop Park. Just inside is a giant slide and rocks to climb for lucky neighborhood kids.
Back along the river, we saw these new Meyers "green buidings." Count on saving energy when these babies are finished.
We turned inland here at Charles Lane, the oldest cobblestone street in the city! 
Here is Westbeth, residences and studio spaces for artists. The Merce Cunningham Dance Company studio is within the Westbeth complex.
And wow! Here on West 11th Street, we came upon Palazzo Chupi, home of Julian Schnabel. Can it be that these apartments go for $20,000,000 and up? Did Richard Gere sell his?
The Highline on Washington Street... Link to 1930s tracks running right through buildings
going right through the buildings. 
We ended our walk here at 23rd Street with the Gehry building zigging into view. 
Time to check the old pedometer to see if we've walked our 10,000 steps for the day.Click on Map of Downtown NYC to see our route: We walked North along the Hudson River from Battery Park City (lower left) thru Tribeca and the West Village to 14th St.
