New York, New York
Trip Start
Sep 03, 2007
1
3
220
Trip End
Jun 17, 2009
New York City,
New York,
United States
Friday, September 7, 2007
Is this a culture shock or what ????????? Talk about hitting the ground running -we arrived on Monday afternoon and it feels like we haven't stopped since. After dumping our bags at the hotel we fancied some fresh (?) air and walked to nearby Grand Central Station. What a magnificent place! This original mainline station is built like a marble cathedral and is now used for the local metro lines and a subway - it makes the Manchester metrolink look like a model. There are bars and a food hall inside the main hall, which has star constellations set in the ceiling. So we sat and had a wine or two looking at the stars and talking to a group of new yorkers, one who owned a restaurant, about the merits of black puddings (no I promise I won't start getting homesick).
The touristy bits we have done so far are :
Grand Central station and Chrysler building,
A Ball Game - New York Yankees v Seattle Mariners, did the works, Bud, hot dogs and sang the song (Altogether now - "Take me out to the ....")
Empire State - yes the "Sleepless" bit,
Tour bus downtown, uptown, night tour,
Times Square,
Rode on the subway several times
OK - so where are we ?
. Braved a yellow cab ride - yes those guys are fast.
Walked Wall street, NYSE and The Bull.
Staten Island Ferry and Statue of Liberty,
Horse drawn carriage ride through Central Park,
Helicopter ride over the city and Hudson river,
Favourites - difficult, there's so much and its all enormous. I think I like the Grand central and the Chrysler building best against the Empire State. Its like the difference between Mike Tyson and Mohammed Ali, both are real big but one is also pretty and classy - you work out which is which.
Of course Norah prefers the Empire State "Sleepless" bit (but Tom wasn't around) and also the romantic horse and carriage ride ( I guess it has more to do with the company she keeps !!!).
We are getting used to the American diet and yesterday we attacked a cheesecake - you guessed it, the cheesecake won !
Grand Central Station
! It was as big as ten doorstops - we need more practice. We've figured that for a lunch in NY all you have to do is order a starter - its sufficient. main courses are only for the brave.
We found a real ale brewery down near the South Street Seaport, the Heartland brewery, overlooking the East side river and just down from the Brooklyn Bridge. Good and tasty ales but I'm not sure I could manage more than a pint of the "Smiling Pumpkin Ale - made from honey roasted pumpkins with simmered ginger, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg". Maybe its an acquired taste. Their "bathroom" has the mother of all hand dryers - I think it comes from a guy who recycles Phantom jet engines !!
Now starting backing off a bit from the rushing round and relaxing more, especially in this heat. Its been high 70's all week and today (Friday) it's a humid 82. Just like being back in the UK huh ???
Saturday afternoon we visited South Street Seaport again ( No - not just for the brewery). There were live bands and a real good scene down there. Then off to the natural history museum to see the dinosaur section. They've got a Stegosaurus, a T Rex and my idol - a Velocoraptor. The design spec on those is brilliant - sleek, fast, armed with razor claws all round and a real smart, mean attitude. If there is re-incarnation then I wanna be one of those !!!!
OK - Noy Yoik, we dun da hoil noine yairds and we're oudda hoir. Bye bye from NY.
