Welcome to the world!

Day 5 - Sunday 13 January 2008

This is going to be unbelievable ...

How can 5 days seem like so long. And not in a bad way. But in a great way. This is already feels like a life changing experience. As Julie Andrews (she was a honey in her time) sang 'let's start at the very beginning' (there's a reason I mentioned her and you'll find out more later)

American Airlines have seats for big people so Growbag they're for you - and me! Tons of leg room, older cabin crew (the service industry isn't only for the young pups over here) and very, very, very tight security. Awesome pilot who joked around on the intercom and played a train's 'choo-choo' on take off, What a genius. I worked out that you fly only a few thousand metres higher than Mount Everest. Interesting huh ...? Two celebrity spots at Heathrow for Gars' twitching album. Michelle McManus and the 'filthy journo' from when John Nettles filmed the Airport series for the Beeb.

This hostel stuff's really amazing. At least in this Hostelling International New York place. It's like a club for explorers. The shower's better than the one in my old place. The bed's more comfortable. And they do a top coffee to set up your days of discovering NYC for 60p. The club atmosphere's superb. The second night I was here they hosted the showing of an indie-pendent movie about backpacking that's showing on National Geographic channel and negotiating to get on MTV. If you want to find out more about all this backpacking stuff head to the movie's site at http://www.amapforsaturday.com/ The bonds created between travellers are really strong and you can spend your entire trip within the confines of them e.g. eating in the hostel every night. But, personally, I think you need to balance the companionship with getting out there and feeling the place you're in. We're in the Upper West Side just south of Harlem on Manhattan. A few blocks from Central Park and in a really cool neighbourhood. Not in the ultra-safe and touristy Midtown but the edgier, more real New Yorky area. Oh. And a word on the title of the movie. The Saturday reference is all about asking any backpacker what day it is. They'll always go 'errrr ...'. I'll let you work the rest out yourself of course. And for anyone who's ever holidayed isn't it just the best feeling in the world. Enjoy it next time it happens to you.

It's wild how my feelings have changed to stuff overnight. Before I decided on this hair-brained scheme I would have been a bit wary about travelling around by public transport in a place I didn't know. But immediately it's so normal to jump on the subway and buses and hop on and off them around NYC all day and all night.

And so NYC is everything I thought it would be. Big, imposing buildings dwarf you. Times Square at night dazzles you. The subway is loud and rattly. Central Park is mesmerising. The first day I walked over a hundred blocks and went straight to the top of the Empire State Building to get my Bloodhound Jones bearings. See I really did!

















As you can see although I'm wrapped up it was sunny and has been really warm. In fact it was 65F the day I arrived and everyone was in short sleeves! The top of the ESB was really quiet and not very windy. All you could really hear was the sound of trains, construction and 'will you take a photo of me please' in every language known to humankind.

I spent a whole rainy, misty day at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on my second day. This is like the Louvre, the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery all put together and placed, quite beautifully, on the East Side in Central Park. I've never seen a museum that big in my life and doubt I'll ever see one that big again (the Vatican City might be the only exception?). If anyone knows please tell me! I was on my feet from 11am-7pm (museums at night and in artificial light are just magical) and was still discovering new wings in the final minutes of my visit that I hadn't seen. In the end I had to submit to the first sensory overload feeling of this trip. For example, they've got half of Cairo in there and here's the proof!














See! While it may look like I've arrived in Egypt early I haven't. This is a tomb (later converted to a Christian church) 'saved' by the USA following an appeal from the Egyptians when the Aswan dam flooded numerous tombs. Cost them $16 million to save it mind you ...

'The Met' as I'm sure you know it's called had so many diverse pieces. From this to Picasso to David to Caravaggio (I love his work) to Asian sculptures to North American art (that was closed and dotted around sadly) to ancient Greek and Roman copies of Ancient Greek artifacts. The list goes on and on. Oh. And to donate your entrance fee you have to give your donation to a lovely old 'ma'am' who sits under a sign saying 'suggested donation $20'. I gave her the unemployed rate of $5. Nah. I'm kidding. You'd need balls of steel to do that. I very Britishly told her that I thought $20 was a bargain!

But a stand out piece was in the modern art gallery. They had Damien Hirst's 'The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living'. Which translates from arty-farty speak into 'bloody big, scary shark in a tank of formaldehyde'. I'd have taken a picture but it wasn't allowed. So check it out on Wikipedia. If you're fussed. The Met doesn't have, for a British educated lad anyway, the stand out, iconic pieces of The Louvre. But for me what it lacked in that area it made up for by volume.

Ghostbusted down in the New York public library yesterday when I posted to the comments from the previous blog. Thanks again guys. To each and everyone of you. It was amazing and really made me feel grounded again after a few days out and about. I'm loving hearing from you. I guess this blogging and emails to you back home will be, like the rest of this trip, random! Don't forget that I'd still like to hear your news (I don't want this to be me, me, me!) The normal will be needed from time to time. Though don't ask me for tips about fixing your old boiler (you did after all marry him Sara!).

And so to last night. Teamed up with a roomie, Mark from Oz, and headed to a Broadway show. For Nev's sake (you'd have loved it darling) went to see Mary Poppins just off Times Square. Superb production in a brilliantly old theatre (the Amsterdam) and a ticket for just $30. The hustle and bustle of leaving the theatre back onto the street on Broadway is a throw back to the old days and has an electric atmosphere. Had to top the night off with further proof that this is not all made up!





















Times Square is weird. It's two triangles one of which is inverted. And it's so bright it's crazy. We've a way to go to reach these standards of multi-media mind you. On the screen behind me they showed LIVE coverage of the NFL game when Green Bay ran out winners over Seattle. The people stood, watched and admired Brett Favre doing his thing again. Can you imagine Sky ever doing that at Leicester Square with a Liverpool or QPR match?!

And my $10 bucks for this internet session is coming to an end so I better wrap up. This is a great way to engage the brain and I hope I keep it up. I realise that I may be teaching previous visitors to New York (or future places) to suck eggs with my explanations of what's going on. But this is my take on it all I guess. I hope it's interesting!

It's Sunday today so it's kicking back day even in travellers land. I'm doing this post, emails next, booking onward travel stuff and reading the Sunday New York Times. But more excitement tonight! I spent some of my Christmas money from Mum and Dad on a ticket to see the Knicks take on the Detroit Pistons at the Garden. Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are having a shocker of a season but no matter. I'll cheer them on whatever. A local new Yorker suggested I've got a good ticket for the price ($60) and I can't wait ...

Have a happy Sunday everyone from Jezmond x