Good bye America hello Canada

---

WARNING LONG BLOG AHEAD

Well this is a little hard to do, I’m writing this blog update on a train between New York and Niagara Falls and it’s a lot bumpier than I expected. Passing some beautiful “fall colours” though in the trees as we pass. Not completely red etc but getting there, I can see why people like this area.

Anyway our time in New York is now over and what a few days, it was amazing. Fully recommend anyone coming. Forget what you have seen on TV the city is actually very safe (I’m sure there are dodgy bits - I mean there are in Wycombe!!!). It’s been extra great as we’ve shared a lot of our time in NYC with some friends we had made at the hostel. Rachel, Rachelle, Matt all from the UK and Chris from Vancouver (hi guys). The hostel itself was ok, a larger dorm this time and some very annoying people coming in and out turning lights on etc at all hours - can’t wait to have a private room and get some sleep in Toronto. The staff were unfriendly and unhelpful; the “information desk” was a joke, so we won’t be leaving them a good review online.

As I think I mentioned in my rush the other day our first day started with a trip to Central Park. A local guy (OAP) called Bill took us to see the park and all its history. It was great and he clearly loved the area but my god did he go slow. It took us 4 hours just to do two thirds of the way down. Granted it is a big park (3/4 mile wide and 2 and ½ mile long) but he did it at a snails pace. This is when we met the guys and decided we would all go off on our own to make the most of what was left of the day. It was a beautiful sunny day and a great introduction to the park, I feel I know more about it now than many New Yorkers.

We all went to the Rockefeller centre to see the view out over the city. Wow is all I can say. It nearly brought me to tears (big pansy) at the sight of it all. Very very high up. We then went to NY library, 5th avenue, Chrysler building and then ended for dinner at Times Square. Like Piccadilly Circus on steroids. Oh and we also went to the “toys r us” on Time Square which was huge and I rode the Ferris wheel, which was inside!! (Thanks for the tip Kevin the kitten + Claire)

The next day we all went and did our own thing, Nath and I headed to the museum of sex, which was in fairness educational at the start and then just an excuse to show full on porn and talk about it artistically!!! (Nath didn’t appreciate the “artistic” side but the porn was good) The room was full of lots of guys on their own which made the experience a little sordid, but some of the stuff we saw - wow you’d never believe it. Then we went on to see the Empire State Building, well the lobby anyway and then the city library, all very impressive. After some lunch sat in front of the Flatiron Building, we met everyone else, downtown to get on the ferry to Staten Island and to see the Statue of Liberty. After being surrounded by sky scrappers she was kind of small and unimpressive. But we were all glad to find something in America than didn’t have a huge flag strapped to it!! From there we went to see ground zero and the tributes that had been laid there the week before. Don’t quite know what to say, still a very sad place and the gap that is currently being constructed on is huge, they must have been impressive structures. We then rushed back to the hostel for a guided pub crawl, catching the sun setting behind New Jersey on the way which was a stunning view. The pub crawl guide was a typically loud American guy, very clever and able to have an educated conversation (which I was surprised about) but still a little too forward for my liking. Managed to actually get a bit tipsy with only a couple of drinks because they were so expensive and I figured I should at least try to make the alcohol worth it. I should have been given an Emey however for my portrayal of “lady about to be sick distraction” when some weird guy tried to ask us for money and we needed a get away plan.

Late next morning we all headed to the local café (where they filmed Seinfeld) for a proper American breakfast. I will never forget it it was good. I had French toast bacon and maple syrup a combination that must be tried and Nath had a stack of pancakes with banana and syrup, it was so nice we actually tipped!!! We were meant to only have a short day of walking as we were so tired but again ended walking from the west to the east side to see some last minute sites. Including the huge air and space museum aboard the docked navel ship Intrepid (but didn’t go in). I was more interested in the dog park near by.

We then raced back to the hostel again to join the group for an evening tour of Brooklyn Bridge which was nice but my feet were so sore I could have given it a miss looking back. I did however make Nath do a half hour (and 2 more walked miles!!) detour into Times Square on the way back to find a Xmas tree decoration that I had so strongly decided I wanted.

Anyway now we are on the train as I said having got on it at 7am this morning and not getting off again till 5pm, never mind, I’m beginning to learn just how big this place is. Now we have a few days in Niagara and Toronto before heading back to the US.

---

Comments

[Gavin Carey]

NY
Interesting to hear about NY from a tourists point of view, been over dozens of times, but always for work, so it's been decent hotels (well....Hiltons, the same everywhere, but in NY the now "ground zero" one, never quite sure what to make of the view from the window these days, and the Times Square one - not their best) but usully get rooms on obscenely high floors, which is always nice for views/photos. Never found myself that attached to the place, always just "another big city" to me. Touristy wise, Ive seen the park, and various museums when I've had the odd spare hour, and wandered broadway, times square, but not done too much out-and-about drinking. One day i'll take trip and tag on some spare time of my own! Glad you enjoyed it. G.x