Even More New York Happenings

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Geo: 40.7528, -73.9853

So where were we? Oh that's right, I was talking about my trip to New York.
So to continue the second part of this story...insert flash back moment here...
I think it was a few days earlier when we were talking with Ross, a friend of Matt's, who was talking about going to a game, we asked him what game he was going to and it was a NBA Basketball game at Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers. He told us that we might be able to get tickets, and if not there will be scalpers around. We thought it was very interesting opportunity to go and experience, so we did.
We took our time in the morning as the game wasn't starting till 1pm. So we did a little research on little places we wanted to see which weren't as great as we thought. These included the bar from How I Met Your Mother and the little soup shop from the Soup Nazi episode in Seinfeld, but they were on the way. We got to Madison Square Garden and checked to see if they had tickets first but they were sold out and so we went to the cancellation line and waited. While we waited, a few guys came to the line asking if anyone wanted to buy tickets, so we bought two for $150 each, original price $56, but it was worth it.
The problem was the seats weren't together as we later found out, but we managed to score the vacant seat next to one of the original tickets, so it was all good. It was a great atmosphere and a very close game. The best moment was when a Knicks player threw the ball from a far distance just before the buzzer at the end of the 3rd quarter and it went in, the crowd went nuts, it was brilliant.

Afterward we grabbed a bite to eat and walked a few more blocks south to a building and district named Flatrion. This is a pretty unique looking building as it V shaped which divides two intersections. It's an impressive looking building in which you don't see many like this.
Night fell and we took the subway back home.

Day five and finally we make it to downtown Manhattan. It was freezing and cold, not just in the morning but for the whole day. Not nice when we got on the ferry to Staten Island for the views of the Statue of Liberty.
We took the train in to the city and first stop was Ground Zero, from the September 11 attacks.
It's a wired feeling to think that this kind of thing happened in the city. I couldn't begin to think bout the damage and chaos that happened there. There isn't any memorial there as they are building the new building which will include the new memorial, and I have heard that they plan to open the new memorial on the 10th year anniversary, which is only 9 months away and seeing the plans I can't really see it being done but you never know.
They are also including two new buildings but they won't be done before the anniversary.
We then walked to Wall Street, there are some nice buildings around and security and metal detectors to enter, but the public can't enter.
I was surprised at how empty it felt in the city work wise. Also on Wall street is the Trump Building, but no sighting of Donald.

A further short walk and you find yourself at the ferry terminal for the free ferry to Staten Island, the ferry goes past the Statue of Liberty, it's not a real close up but you can still see it, trying to get a photo of you with it in the background is pretty much pointless because it is so far away for a proper shot. You also get good views of Manhattan City.
The annoying thing was trying to find room to get some photos of us because obviously everyone wants to do the same thing, a little less were outside as it was freezing, but still a challenge, I can just imagine it in Summer.
We were looking at going to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, but the ticket counter was closed for the day, it seems that you have to get in early if you want to go, or pre-book it, especially in Summer.
So from the bottom of Manhattan we caught the train into Times Square, this was our proper visit to the Square and it's pretty amazing, so many colours and shops of all kinds including the Hard Rock Cafe, M&M shop, Disney shop. Many musicals are seen here, it also has Madame Tussauds. It is touristy obviously, many people waiting in a line to go up some stairs for the perfect photo of Times Square and looking towards where the New Years ball drops.
So we visited the M&M store and Disney store, took a few photos and then headed to Madame Tussauds Gallery. I think it was about $34 plus Tax ( Oh god another annoyance, I will explain after). Madame Tussauds is through 5 levels and you start from the top and make your way down, there are many different people portrayed and I must say the detail is pretty phenomenal.

So Just another rant about the differences between what I am use to in Australia, but the tax in America, and Canada. When you see a price for maybe food or merchandise or even to see Madame Tussauds, they will show the price, but it is not the proper price, because they don't include or show the tax added on to that price. A few times you would see something and think it was $5 as shown, but no, it will end up being $5.60. I have no problem with the tax, I have a problem with not showing the total amount.
I don't see the logic in not including the tax in the total amount. Pft....Americans!
So yeah, Times Square is definitely a place to see.

The next morning we caught up with Radek and Emi for a late breakfast just before they had to head back home, it was further North so we were able to walk through another part of Central Park and follow the path around the Jacquiline Kennedy lake. Parts of the path around the lake were either frozen or muddy, but it's really nice and I am sure more picturesque in Summer.
We also visited the Guggenheim Museum, well just went to see the building it's self which is a really odd design of a spiral. We cut back in to Central Park and saw the small John Lennon Memorial at the Strawberry Fields, people were putting coins on top of the peace symbol, but why coins, I kept thinking what will happen to the coins, probably some homeless man will grab it.
We hadn't been to Midtown or Soho or West/East village yet, and we had a reservation to a comedy night in the East village, at the East Village Comedy Club, we were recommended it by Ross, so we checked it out. But it wasn't anything special. Like Anna said, all they talked about was Jews, Black People and Sex.
But before that we walked around a little bit of the East Village in which we I have heard good things about and I can say that it was pretty nice, a different feel, this is where the tattoo shops and cultural shops are, more suited to my generation, less big buildings I thought and a more open feel.

Sadly Anna's time was at an end, the following day we did nothing, the only thing we did was catch the train and bus to La Guardia airport for Anna to catch her flight back to London, I came back and bummed around. But I had to get up early the next morning to catch the bus to Toronto, and it was nice to have a day off. We had been out everyday, walking a lot and I still hadn't recovered fully from my 3 day travel ordeal.
But I will be back for another half day or so, if I feel up to it I may visit China Town and Little Italy or Soho ect, time will tell, if I do it will be added to this blog.

So off to Canada I go..

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