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Trip Start Jul 24, 2007 Trip End Nov 11, 2007 Next
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  New York City, New York, United States
Thursday, July 26, 2007

So I arrived safe and sound in the most diverse city I've ever been to before.
After a tumultous encounter with the New York City subway and a few jumps off at the wrong stops I managed to find my hostel which is right in the heart of black harlem!
My adventures never amounted to much when I arrived. I took root on the balcony together with my Harry Potter book and a pack of Marlborough lights and enjoyed the view of the neighbouring condominium which is about 10 feet from the hostel to read my book.
The closet thing to conversation with any of the other inmates (the whole hostel is surrounded by a fence with barbed wire on top and a gate that is locked more often than its open) was with an intalian guy called Andrea who spoke about as much english as I do Italian and so the little communciation we did have was via his translator and his laptop onto which he was downloading the lyrics to every song Queen have ever written in the hope of learning more english - I guess speaking like Freddy Mercury is desierable in Italy! Lack of sleep (and eventually the will to live) led me to my dangerously unguarded top bunk bed at 7.30pm in which I slept like a baby.

The whole purpose of coming to New York was to see and experience some of the things that I never did last time I was here, so armed with my back pack and a map I headed downtown to do the things on my list (buy a bus ticket, SIM card, Jeans and some vests - its soooo hot here!)

I succeeded in the majority of the things I wanted to do and also managed to buy myself a ticket to see Mary Poppins on Broadway which whilst a little extravagant was absolutely fantastic! So I've walked like a million miles already and my feet are absolutely killing me! added to that is that something has bitten me (yes already!) and my feet are currently attached to my body without the aid of visible ankles! Hopefully the antihistamines will work quickly!

I visited Battery Park and although tempted as I was to go over to Liberty Island again the queue was so big it made my decision for me.

Memorial

I wandered through wall street which you couldn't actually get anywhere near last time I came here and up fifth avenue towards ground zero and the site of the former twin towers. I was really surprised that it looks like nothing has changed at the site in the last 3 years. They are still clearing the site 6 years on and nothing has changed really except that all the letters and memorials have been moved to a museum. I think they really need to move on with this now - it was devestating for everyone but 6 years later I think something new should have happened.

I wandered up to Grand Central station which I though was a little disappointing and really dark (my pictures came out rubbish) its one of those places that looks much better on TV than it does in real life! although the outside 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.

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

Iron Building	Little Italy	1-Little Italy	Grand Central Station
Macy's - world's biggest department store	Some crazy exhibition in the middle of a park	NYPD - they are everywhere- well their cars are	Ground Zero
Lady Liberty from Battery Park	Cops ride in style in NYC	Times Square	Manhatten NYC
1-Manhatten NYC	Biggest wall of chocolate in the world!!	Broadway, Times Square, New York

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