New York New York and Boston

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Kat and I arrived on the Sunday lunch time just over a week after the wedding in New York. This must have been one of the most long anticipated honeymoons ever so we were really looking forward to arriving. We went straight to our hotel, well I say straight as it took us ages to negotiate the subway from JFK to our hotel on Long Island. Still we arrived eventually, the hotel in the middle of some warehouses, not the best area but had an amazing view over Manhattan, right next to the Queenboro Bridge.

We went straight out once we had checked in to the hotel. We were pretty tired and a little jet lagged so we took it easy the first day. We went for a wander through Times Square and Central Park before heading into a proper American deli, just off Broadway. I (Tom) definitely wasn´t disappointed by my first American burger and we left the restaurant satisfied and really really full. That was my first American food ticked off the list. I would have added cheesecake too that night but there was no chance I could fit it in.

The following day (after not a brilliant night´s sleep, the hotel had a nightclub right above our room, but we were too tired to care) we headed out onto the Circle line boat, which does a full tour of Manhattan showing the Statue of Liberty, Empire State etc. That was really interesting and a good way to see the island. The weather had been amazing too so far. After the boat tour we heading up the Rockefeller Centre tower, apparently a better view than the Empire State Building. It didn´t fail as the view from 60 odd floors, not to mention the glass ceilinged elevator that fires you up the building, was amazing. There was no queue to get up and from the top you got views out over Central Park and both the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building. On our way home we popped into Grand Central for a quick look, pretty amazing building, especially if you compare it to some of our stations (Birmingham New Street!!).

Next day we went for a wander through China Town and Little Italy. Bizarre, as because they neighbour each other you walk straight from Italy to China and the change is absolute in a few steps. We then headed off to see Wall Street and to Ground Zero which now has some big buildings starting to be built, apparently the towers will be completed in just two years! That night we also went for a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, amazing view at night.

Our last day in New York and we had Yankees tickets. Neither of us knew much about baseball but we were looking forward to it. The stadium is absolutely huge and an amazing sight once you´re inside it. We both tried to follow what was going on but we struggled at times but still the atmosphere and just being there was fun. After a couple of hours (and a hot dog, American food number 3 after a pastrami sandwich earlier) and just one home run we decided to pack it in with still about a third of the game left, it couldn´t entertain us anymore. We headed back into New York and took a rowing boat out on the lake for an hour, very civilised and we didn´t argue once!

Next day we caught the bus to Boston which was all going swimmingly until the bus hit a piece of metal on the freeway and blew a front tyre. So we had to wait for about an hour or so and eventually it was fixed and we were on our way. Once settled into our hotel and slightly relieved after the hecticness of New York that Boston was so much more relaxed we headed out to see the Cheers bar and some food. Next day we went and got a trolley bus tour round Boston which entertained us for a few hours. Boston´s got some really nice architecture and has a really good vibe to it. We then took a ferry tour of the harbour which wasn´t the most fascinating, particularly with the tour guide´s monotone voice but nice to see Boston from the water.

The following day we picked up a hire car and headed north to Maine. We didn´t know where we were going in particular but thought we´d just drive along the coast and see a bit of small town USA and some of the sea. Our first stop was York Beach, a little quaint one horse seaside town where we had some lunch and watched them making salt water taffy (some horrible candy that´s advertised everywhere). It was a little too cold for the beach but there seemed to be quite a lot of people braving it. We headed back up the road until we reached a place called Ogunquit, bigger with more going on. We found somewhere to stay, more by the name than anything as it was called the West Highland Inn which of course reminded Kat of home. It turned out that it was the most quaint, chintzy place ever with dozens of pictures and ornaments of West Highland terriers everywhere, obviously where it got its name. Still we got a really nice room and the owners were really kind. We just had to try and overlook all the floral curtains and lace and the sick inducing Doggy Guest Book for dogs to leave their impressions of the guesthouse. We spent a nice afternoon and night in the town and walked the beach in the morning, nice to just relax. The following day we headed back to Boston and ultimately New York for our flight to Costa Rica after a sleepless night at the airport. Not before I´d scored another American food, doughnuts!

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Comments

[Elaine]

Always thinking with your stomach!
Why do you and Drew always rate places/trips/days/anything important by the food you get there!!!! Sounds like you had a great time in USA, love the picture of the catering cart! x

[Eley]

westies
I can't believe you went all that way to stay in the West Highland Inn! Sounds hilarious! x