Alaska, Canada and NYC Day 30

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Well here we are in New York City. Our room is fantastic - oh, did it tell you that last night. Long time ago... Great sleep, woke up at 0830, then got up at 0930. Shower is like a waterfall effect, and the bathroom is huge. Balcony looking over Bryant park and we even have a desk, couch and almost separate bedroom - luxury.......

I go down to the concierge while Chris still sleeps to check out washing facilities - no more jocks so desperation stage... The concierge is the one who started the car bookings (Sarah). Thank her for her efforts along with Eric who finished off the job. She is really nice and gives me details of a drop off laundry who will do the lot (wash, dry and fold) or a sit and watch coin laundry. No prizes for guessing which one won...... Yes, the sit and watch - NO WAY! Not when Sarah offers a pick up and delivery and we go out and sight see. Laundry done - tick. Ask about a few things to do and she suggests the Empire State as the weathe is so good - sun shining again (boy have we been blest with the weather).

Ok, weren't going to use the NYC passes but bugger it. Off to the Empire State Building after demolishing the birthday muffins from last night - and very nice as well. Get hassled as we get closer by the ticket sellers - no need, NYC pass covers us. Up we go, no real queues and get our tickets, pay a little extra to go right up to the top level (level 102). Into the next area and a queue but not a real problem as we are given an audio guide as part if the pass. This tells us some of the history of the building and it's recent renovations which passes the time in the queues. Up to level 80 in the lift, then we are told it would be 20 minutes to wait for the lift to level 86 or we could walk the 6 levels. Walk it is. Mini mistake, so the stairwell has no fresh air - bloody hot and lack of oxygen from a lot the others puffing up the 6 levels. Nice to finally get to the top and out into fresh air.

Views are spectacular, and the audio guide tells us where we are (numbered signs help here as north, south, etc. are stuffed for me up here). We find out about the history of parts of NYC, along with certain buldings details, etc. Very informative as we walk around the viewing platform - haggling for front row viewings.

Do the 6 locations and then into the void again and up to level 102. This time we are in an old cattle type lift - hand closed door with the internal grate type door - just like in the movies. Arrive and it is a little like the top of a lighthouse - all glassed in and not so squeezy. Steel beams run at angles through this floor and there is little room between the core and the walls, but the view is much better then at level 86. There is even one dude walking around cleaning the windows - nice touch.

Finish her and back to level 2 where it all started. One of the other attractions the NYC pass offers is a ride on the New York flight simulator (or some guff). Why not, paid for it and here so in we go. Good info about a few other sites on video as we wait, then to the next station where we are given more info about the Empire State Building and finally into the sitting area. This is meant to simulate a helicopter ride over NYC and the. Down to street level - one of those sit down, strap in and get wobbled rides - can you read my level of cynicism here.......

In we go, sure enough, bars drop over our knees and off we go to the voice of Kevin Bacon (6 degrees of separation). We meet scotty from Star Trek and the take off in our "helicopter". Interesting for a little bit then we start going off course and rocking, shaking and trying to watch an out of focus screen of where we are going - not cynicism now, just bored a little. Anyways, we finally do all the exciting bits like on land crashing into people and cars, diving into the Hudson River and crashing into a shark (hmmmmm) and finally back to the enterprise. Let me and all the other captives out - yay, release.......

Back into the street and food beckons. Walk down W34th (like the NY jargon there). Find the outdoor food area of Greeley Square. A busy little are that has lots of food stAlly's along with drink stalls as well. Find seats on a shared table with some African Americans. Chris goes and gets her food and I sit and listen to this big dude chatting up the little lady. Chris comes back with a mini hamburger and lemonade and pomegranate drink (nice). I go hunting, and decide on the pizza - fresh made and wood fired oven. Looks great and not too expensive. I juts get fresh lemonade. Sit down and eat, the big dude suggest I share - no way big fella. Very nice and a good setting watching the police cars with weir sirens, cars tooting horns and ambulances with their sirens - did I mention we were in NYC......

Decide that while the weather was so good we would do the Top of the Rock (Rockefeller building). That means we walk down 6th avenue to 50th street (we are at 34th so a few mini blocks). Easy walk, but never seen so many people trying to commit suicide crossing the streets against the lights, but more of a problem was the fast approaching taxi or truck. Didn't seem to faze either party as the pedestrians just walked and subtly avoided the cars or the cars/trucks just tried to run them down - silently. We decided that discretion (and our lives) meant we would wait a little longer and cross with the white man (not racist here - the crossing go sign is a white man who then turns rd with count down number still the lights turn red).

Finally get to our desired location, which is on the same corner as the Radio City hall building. So many things to see and take in. Anyway, we enter the rock building and get to our special queue for the pass. Get our tickets and go through security (forgot to mention that for the Empire State). atbleast it is only belts off here, not shoes......

in the lift and up. All of a sudden the lights go out and we get a video show of the construction and other bits on the Perspex roof through which you can see the internals (or is that externals) of the lift and lift shat. Waiting for Bruce Willis to jump down with blood dripping off home any minute. No such luck, arrive at our level, funnelled through the gift shop (yes they do have them here as well as Alaska and Canada). Out to the observation deck for a different view of the city. Closer to Central Park so that is interesting, and also having the Empire State Building in view is interesting having just gone up there.

They have another 2 levels that we climb and wander around. Get talking to one of the security men about the sights, etc. He starts to tell us all about the areas and What is going on - find out the Yankees are playing baseball tonight at Yankee stadium. Too late to get tickets - bugger. Also says that've should stay up there for the fireworks from Coney Island which will go off at 2100. No way. Anyway, finally drag ourselves away from him and start going down to the exit level when the phone rings - Guy and Janice calling from their New York State home - a little bit away from NYC. We are going to catch up with them on July 4 - any significance to this date anyone.......

Decide to talk to them a bit later when we all can talk rather than have everyone in the Rock hearing our conversation. Down to street level and back to the hotel. Walk in and our laundry is back - thanks Sarah. Nicely folded and packed in plastic bags. just like Christmas opening our presents - just not so good getting jocks and socks.......

Get the call from Guy and Janice and we chat for quite a while. Try to get organised for July 4 - they are coming down by train and are staying at Battery Park which is where the twin towers were situated. All arranged - well sort of - but great to chat with them.

Out to tea and decide that we will just go into the park where there are a few options to eat. Decide that the grill looks the goods and they have outdoor seating. Order dinner and rinks and Maggots rings - after we had tried to Skype earlier - she is going to Rome in a few days so wanted to call her before she left. Chatted between courses and she told us that the house had withstood the sever weather last week and that the new grass was growing nicely. All good to hear and nice to talk to her before she left Oz.

Finished dinner and came back to our room, watched a few more things happening in the park and now off to sleep. Sound familiar - too much walking, climbing and concentrating on what to do next, will need a holiday after all of this.........

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