NYC pt 2

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So - day 7 already! The difference of staying with a new yorker rather than in a backpackers, is (as i am finding out) a strange feeling of being a 'new' new yorker. Am i making sense? I am certainly following the tourist trail by day, and taking in the sights and sounds as all visitors do. But i am also finding myself doing normal everyday things, like dropping of laundry, watching truly awful morning chat shows, visiting blockbusters, and having to navigate this quite daunting city solo certainly seems to help you cope with it alot quicker - i have even upgraded to the ipod survival on the subway, avoiding all contact just like tube life! Rachel works extremely hard, but also works just as hard to have a busy social life, which i am loving being a part of - i now feel like i have to find a job and an apartment!

So between my coffee and the latest time out- new things these past few days. I have to make a conscious effort to record this otherwise all will be lost and forgotten! So Columbus day - watching the CNN coverage before venturing out was highly amusing, as the gushing, glamourous lady presenting was making a very valiant effort to ensure sure mentioned her love for everything that was cliche italian. This ranged from ice cream, pizza, the colours of the flag, to her adoration of pavaroti. This was nonetheless the most vulgar expample of fake i have yet to encounter! So adorning this italian appreciation attitude, i headed out to find this parade. Before this however, i discovered Central Park. Which is as beautiful as i expected. Granted the fall makes it a stunning aray of colours, but also the unusual calm of this place whilst being closed in by skyscrapers. Pausing to enjoy one of many Jazz buskers, i noticed the number of squirrels! i thought the uk had loads, but this was crazy! Venturing through i found the parade. Needless to say it was a little disappointing, as once you have seen one marching band, they all do pretty much the same thing. But to be fair to the hundreds of teenagers who were partaking, i was at the upper end of 5th ave, and the parade was a good 3 hours old by this point, so they can be excused for a severe lack of enthusiasm! I was pleased to see the sparkly cheerleader-esk girls still had the 'tits and ass' smiles going though - good work girls!

I made friends with a very tired and grumpy cop, who took great delight in telling me how many shifts in a row he had worked and how his feet were now numb and blistered. I of course listened intently whilst trying not to stare too hard at the massive hand gun emerging from his belt. Of course I knew guns existed in the USA, but was shocked how much i didn't like it staring me in the face! Hmmmm, do UK police carry guns?? I question myself now.

Parade sadly over i made my way back through CP to find my way into town. After stumbling across a very 90's roller disco in the park (see exhibit..... in photos pt 1) i started down broadway to find times square. On this walk i found my first actual steaming grate!! Again i knew they existed, but got very excited when i saw it - what on earth is under this city to create such smoke?? After passing the truly enormous queue for The Late Show ( a good 6 hours too early!) i couldn't miss Times Square. A bizarre mix of what i would imagine Tokyo to be like, and leicester Square. I had to sit (as many do on the provided stands for sitting) and take it all in. It was very overwhelming, and alot smaller than i expected. Many a new year broadcast gave the impression of size, which doesn't exist. Somewhere between amazing and ugly, i can see how you only need to visit here once of twice, then never venture again.

After what seemed like the millionth guy tried to start a conversation (seems to be common when a solo female!) Although some of the line are highly amusing - everyone seems to be a musician or a stockbroker! Rachel emerged and we went for a beautiful burger and stout ale! Pumkin Ale - very much recommended.

Day that followed brought the delights that are 5th Avenue! the shops here are enormous! And some of the price tags to match (as i am sure i said earlier!) The street became very intense, and to escape it i stumbled across a small church, St Thomas's, in which i took refuge. It was amazing how as soon as you entered the door, all the honking and chaos of 5th disappeared. Being in this church alone was a lovely moment. US churches as very ornate, just as ours are, and this one was quite small. All to share it with was one small mexican looking gentleman in the back corner praying. Once ready, i re-entered 5th. Only to stumble across another church - St peters. This is the one which all the guide book take you to, and it showed with the constant stream of camera laiden tourists queuing to enter. I joined this queue, passed the security bouncers and entered. I was amazed at how this church, only 50 yds or so away from my previous find, was not much more impressive than st. thomas's, but heaving with horrible, loud crowds, with endless, not very quiet 'shhhhhhh's going around. Being very grateful for my special moment prior to st. peters, i was glad to leave.

Rockefeller=huge! really really big, and some quite tallented skaters below, mixed with the amusing novice gangly guys! great spectator sport. Choosing not to expore the ' top of the rock' just yet, i continued to wander. My travels took me to The international centre of photography - not very impressive at all - 2 small levels and too expensive! finally it was time to see Kylie!

Our tickets said 8pm, so we casually turned up at half past, only to find that 8pm was her actual start time - wierd! Seeing Kylie has indeed been a lifetime dream! and she lived up to every expectation. Although here in the US she is fairly new, and only knows of her 'pop princess' revival. Still she rocked the place and gave a VERY G.A.Y style show (with 20 odd ft naked showering men on screen!) Rachel was impressed at how 'camped up' the show was! To be honest, apart from pride, i had not seen such a stream of bald men in flourescent shirts in a crowd, it was very impressive for what i thought was not a gay liberal country. Stick to the major cities - aparently you're fine!

Day 6 - MORE sightseeing. Feeling rather tired, but with the sun out, i made my way deep south Manhatten, to Battery park. I was excited to get off the subway, hoping to see liberty looming above like ghostbusters 'stayed puffed', alas - it is a small thing in the distance!!! I bought my ticket for liberty, and then saw the queue! it snaked all through the park and must have been a good 3 hrs long! Being grumpy and needing coffee, i decided to pass on the waiting in the cold, and wandered into the financial district. Coffee in hand, i almost by accident stumbled across Ground zero. Quite taken aback, i sat on the pavement and started to take it in. There was a memorial wall i had not noticed, and thus followed the posters of the firefighters and service badges and wreaths. I also noticed the tribute museum, and only saw it fitting to enter. Thus followed the glass cabinets of remnants of the building and personal posessions found, projected videos of the day, and one huge wall of photos and missing posters of the victims. This was quite horrendous and i found myself leaving in floods of tears. I didn't expect that reaction - steph would have been a mess!! So to recover i shopped!

Wall street was interesting, but again full of tourists (which i am starting to hate!) and i made my way back to liberty. I was told last boat was at 3pm, as it was 2:30 ish, i entered the airport-style x ray security (yes really!) hut - with no queue may i add! The boat over to the island was ropey, it was VERY cold by now, and i felt cheated that it was not explained that unless you pre-order tickets like a week before, you cant get ANYWHERE near the statue! So once having walked around the perimeter once and finding i was not allowed anywhere else, i went back to the pier to get the boat to Ellis Island. This boat never appeared - again through lack of explanation, later boats didn't have time to visit Ellis. So now cold, tired and very unimpressed, i gave up on the sightseeing for the day. I was looking forward to Liberty thinking she would be the defining moment of new york - whereas, sitting on the pavement realising i had found ground zero topped it ten fold.

So now, its raining - and cold - museums are the only way forward for now! In italian appreciation style - Chiao!

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