Hilton Garden Inn Staten Island New York City

... Park.

From the Frick I made my way down to 34th St to make my way to my own mecca... B&H photo and video. It's floor upon floor of photographic supplies. I haven't seen the range of darkroom supplies for years, since Vanbar in Sydney in the 1990s! I loved the Hasidic Jew shop assistants and managers walking around with their peyes (sp?), it was the feeling of having stepped into a completely different world and particularly so different to Australia except ...

... different to anywhere I guess but such a perfect example it’s hard not to feel it jumping out at you every time you see a huge glass skyscraper or your asked for change.

Elena Is arriving tonight, let the tourist trap visits commence!

So far I have refrained from the following:

Ordering QUAFFIE in the style of an old Jewish lady

Deliberately walking in to a cab before slamming both palms on the bonnet and shouting IM WALKIN HERE!

... nity, and at that moment the woman next to me proceeded to stand, then sit, then stand again. H** puzzled mind alt**nated h** body between these two realities for a short while long**, and then without warning to even h** friend, she shot up and pow**-walked to the front of the bus, and out on to the street.
The engine was cranking up at this point, and the bus was getting ready to leave. Then I heard a knock at the window (of the seat in front of me), and suddenly ...

... apartment at 8th and 31st St. We were less than a block from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden. Full kitchen, internet access, nice TV/DVD/stereo system, balcony - everything we needed! Only $225 per night. Since we had eaten dinner at the airport, we just watched some TV, looked over plans for the next day and went to bed early. Yes...in bed by 10:30 on a Friday night in NYC...we're old!

... earned pint followed in the micro-brewery next door before heading along 5th Avenue for a look at the shops and then a walk back to the hotel via Madison Square Garden. Saturday was definitely a quieter day outside but all the tourists were out in force in lower Manhatten! We got on the subway down to the piers and took a Staten Island Ferry across the water to take a closer look at the Statue of Liberty (which seems smaller than we thought). Once back in the Financial District ...

... sorry mum!) on the slot machines - $1 at a time - i think we gained about as much as we lost! Our flight to NY was delayed so we finally got into JFK at 9pm last night and made it to our Hostel about 11pm. Unfortunately they have split our reseveration which means we have to change rooms tonight! Off to see the sights of NY today - going to Phantom of the Opera at 2pm. Empire state etc.

... and it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire'. The comedy works on so many levels if you think about it. It was absolute gold; the crowd loved it. We ended up staying for a few hours and it was a great night of entertainment with a few unofficial anthems played for the international audience as well; Down Under for the Aussies, 500 Miles for the Scots etc. So after liberal San Fran it was off to considerably more conservative Washington DC ...

... of the building is quite impressive. I also found the library and sat on the steps imagining the massive tidal wave coming toward me like in the day after tomorrow - didn't quite happen for me though! I also spent quite a bit of time in Central Park which has been nice just walking and reading and watching the kids play, and trying to keep off my feet! I'm off to Niagara falls on Friday night on the greyhound bus so hopefully that'll be an experience in itself.

... We headed off about 10 pm or so....most too a taxi but we decided to make use of our underground passes! Got pretty soaked in the process though!!! So we're kind of glad we are heading back to the UK. So got back to the hotel and packed. 05.06 - This time we both woke up on time! Jumped in a huge car that took as to the airport. Very nice and chatty driver! ;) We were at the airport really early again...so no luck with Duty free, as most shops were closed! I ...

... e Little Italy, attraversando la famosa Mulberry Street, piena di ristoranti italiani con relativi imbonitori esterni che attirano clienti promettendo “la pasta pił buona del mondo” o “la vera pizza di Napoli”.
Di nuovo in metropolitana fino alla 33th dove, poco distante, ci aspetta l’imponenza dell’Empire State Building (www.esbnyc.com), tornato purtroppo da sei anni ad essere il grattacielo pił alto di New York.
Alcuni salgono ...