Meltin'
Trip Start
Feb 27, 2009
1
73
Trip End
Sep 13, 2009
New York City, New York
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Alright - enough already with the e-mails hounding me to write more blogs - well of the 100 members on this I've actually had 2 such requests. You's are nathin' but a shower of B*%st%Rds - the lot of ya. I have arrived in Seattle (even though this blog is about New York) and my so called friends here keep asking me how my trip has been to which my response is "Can't you read?". I will be testing all you Oirish on the content of each entry upon my return. Less than a 95% pass rate will result in elimination from my huge circle of friends....OK joking rant over....
So goodbyes to Buenos Aires - couple of hours in the airport and I board the ever magnificent American Airlines flight to Miami where I've a brief stopover (6 hours) before heading on to New York - the capital city of...well....the World....quite frankly. For even though it isn't really the capital of anything it is all times gigantic and brash but at the same time contains small and quaint neighborhoods, it is the capital of capitalism yet a cultural haven, it is hot and humid yet its people emit cool and confident - there is something in New York for everyone and I defy anyone to come here and get bored or not enjoy the place - for surely this city has something for everyone.
American Airlines is not the way any person should be welcomed to any country let alone the US. The planes are old and rickety - just like the air hostesses. Their manner is brash and unpleasant (watching a 30 something with two kids being asked politely to take his seat so we could taxi from the gate was interesting - asked politely meaning getting roared at by something which resembled a mix between Roseanne Barr and Heidi Klum). My flight from New York to Seattle - a 6 hour flight might I add was delayed 4 hours and then the cabin crew blamed another airline for people missing their connecting flights. A 6 hour journey where you have no entertainment or free anything except for soft drinks and water. So when I was asked what i would like I said a diet coke and a glass of water - to which the stewardess replied - so which one sir? To which I replied "BOTH". In a tone that got the message across. The guy beside me sniggered. American Airlines is terrible - don't fly them - spend the extra $50 to fly someone decent - and just let them go out of business where they belong.
Second rant over.....
So what of New York - well I was shattered on the Friday evening that I arrived there having been travelling for some time and was staying in mid town hotel - America was getting off to a very bad start, I had to change rooms 3 times upon check in due to the standards being - well - not entirely up to scratch - but thanks to my methods of persuasion I was eventually upgraded - won't go into yet another story of my fondness for complaining.
Lionin'
Everything was back on track when I chatted with the magnificent concierge in the hotel who practically sorted out my entire day for me. I told her I needed a hair cut - the current state of my appearance being entirely due to the lack of ability to translate to stylists (for want of a better word) in South America. She sent me round the corner stating "if they could do her hair they could do anyones". Taking one look at her, I begged to differ. However off I went to get the bop chop and I knew I was in good hands when the one in charge of the task was a 60 year old asian from the Phillipines, camp as Christmas, long hair and probably something of Gok Wan in his 60s.
After the hair cut I was delighted to get out of the 100 degree heat and humidity into the super efficient sub way system. The sub way in New York is I've learned better than the other big underground systems the world over - there is no big massive journeys underground - at most you drop down two levels - the subways run under the streets - in the block system and is super easy to navigate and more importantly - the trains are air conditioned. I hopped off at Chelsea an wandered the streets to the High Line - an old over ground rail system which has been transformed into a pedestrianised eco stroll with views of the famous Hudson River and the surrounding trendy up and coming Meat Packers district. I got a smoothie to help me through the heat and walked through the Village and over to Union Square which was hosting a Saturday market before heading back up to Central Park to lay on the grass and finish off the wonderful "To Kill a Mocking Bird". Central park of course is an oasis of calm and repose in this crazyily lively city - especially on a hot Saturday like today.
That evening I was back at the hotel and Concierge lady suggested a good pizza joint I could eat at before heading to take in a show on Broadway. Again she didn't disappoint - I ate at bar come restaurant with fine New York pizza - the bar ladywas somewhat shocked that I finished it. She herself was playing Michael Jackson tunes to which a large Jackson fan with an ass the size of a bus bopped along and sang along to. Eating Pizza in broadway with a wacky crazy lady - surely this is what New York is all about.
The show of choice was The Lion King - one the runaway successes on broadway and the West End in London and given I love the film it was an easy choice. I felt a bit like a paedophile however when I noticed it was mostly families and so did what any paedophile should - went and got a drink to make myself stand out even more. Thankfully I was sat beside a couple of German tourists of the adult variety and didn't appear a threat to any of the kids in the audience. Disconcertingly drinks were not allowed in the auditorium - unless in an official Lion King cup with straw. So I weigh up the coolness of drinking from said vessel against need for beer - need for beer won out and shameless lack of cool appearance did not.
The show was amazing - great singing, great back drops, great effects and great laughs. Go see it.
Half Marathonin' and old friendin'
Up on Saturday, I headed out to meet an old friend in Central park which was nearby the hotel - an old friend Jenny Williams from Seattle who'd since moved to New York for love. Aaaawwwww..This morning she was doing the half marathon in Manhattan which I decided was crazy and irresponsible in this heat - even more insane when I discovered she turned back at the finish line and did another 6 miles as she is in training for the full marathon - she did 18 miles in 2 hrs and 7 seconds!!! In 100 degree heat. She was well up for a reward so. She had researched a great neighbourhood brunch cafe called Isabellas on the Upper West Side - it was amazing. People were spilling on to the street waiting for a table. We waited 15 minutes and I was rewarded with a champagne cocktails, a breakfast burrito served with Kaiser Rolls and raspberry butter. Truly delicious. And the conversation and catch up with Jenny and her husband Billy was fantastic - in fact the last time we'd all been in NYC together some 7 years earlier, that turned out to be the weekend of all weekends - none of which I can divulge to you lot - what happened in Manhattan 6 years ago stays in Manhattan........
I was seduced by Central Park the day before and so chilled out in the park again for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
Immigratin'
Monday morning was spent doing something I've always wanted to do for some time. I headed off to tip of Manhattan island in order to visit Ellis Island a place that has fascinated me given where I'm from and the amount of people who've made the trek across the Atlantic in the less good times to find at minimum work and at most to live the dream. I got off the subway at the World Trade Center stop at 8.30 in the morning and walked up to the street with about 4 other people from a near empty train - surely a scene that would not be imagined possible pre 09/11. I do chuckle to myself though as my friend Aidan has always reminded me that since I'm somewhat tall i should avoid standing beside another tall person post 9/11 in case it reminds people of the twin towers and brings back harrowing memories of that infamous day. I take his advice and try to latch on to small people everywhere.
The site itself is now a busy construction site with busy New York business people walking the surrounding pavements ot their work places. It is blocked off except when a construction truck enters the site.
Down at Battery Park, I buy my tickets to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island circle ferry line. I've not much interest in Liberty Island and that oh so famous of statues but pop off the first boat of the day to walk around the island for 20 minutes. It is entirely rampaged by tourists even at this early hour and although not of much interest and the ultimate cliche in any visit to NYC, it is undoubtedly impressive and the view back to Manhattan with the Statue itself in the foreground is indeed something special.
Pittsburgin'
Back on the boat, the 10 minute journey to Ellis Island reveals one of the most astounding pieces of American tourist babble yet - even in their own country, Americans can dumbfound you. There are two large Pittsburgh Walmart loving permed hair 40 something women on the boat and as we approach Ellis Island, one says to the other "Hey Jeanie I wonder how great grandpops and nana would have got to Pittsburgh - I assume they had to pass through here and then took the underground train or somethin"....Of course they did - they took a subway all the way to Pittsburgh from Ellis Island at the turn of the century.
The self guided tour of the Ellis Island immigration building is really something else and up there with the one of Alcatraz in vying to be the best I've ever been to. It's incredibly interesting and full of amazing stories off the health checks, the immigration questioning and one very poignant piece of audio where a russian emigrant tells of meeting her father at the other side of the immigration spot - seeing him for the first time in years and crying as she tells the story. The immigration hall is largely untouched and much as it was back in the early 1900s. There is also a statue of Annie Moore something or other - the first person processed through Ellis Island - an Irish woman of course.
The rest of the day in New York I went to find some sushi and was sat beside a couple of women who were wearing MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) employee tags and in deep discussion - I couldn't resist but to eavesdrop. The discussion went as follows ...."Did you see his latest - I loved it - LOVED IT - the ways the frog's testicles were exagarated and its tenticles were all vaporised..I just LOVED it..."
So there you go New York in all its glory and hopefully you can all identify in some way as most of you have been there.
I am now in Seattle as you know which is largely a tale of baby sitting and finding old friends and places - there will be a trip to Vancouver this weekend and so you will get two more entries before I sign off this for good.
Back in Ireland on 13th September folks - all great, all good. Will see you then.
On my iPod
Manhattan Skyline - a-ha
New York - Ryan Adams
Mad World - Tears for Fears
The Circle of Life - Elton John / Cast of the Lion King
