So this week have covered most tourist sights comprehensively!
More photos will follow of the statue of liberty- we took the free Statton island ferry which passes close to it.
Also visited the Guggenhiem, Brooklyn bridge and the Highline, a new park on a disused elevated railway.
And walked A LOT.
Weather keeps flipping between ridiculously hot and then raining for days.
Saw Federer vs Tsonga in the US Open quarter finals, some great tennis to see from up high in the awesomely gigantic stadium, after a nervy rain delay.
Some brilliant rallies but Tsonga kept choking when it mattered.
Here are some other thoughts.
Jumping between islands on the rain swollen lake of a pavement.
People watching is more fun than sightseeing.
Preachers on the subway, day of reckoning stuff
9/11 anniversary fever, half (not meaning to be disrespectful, but cringe inducing corporate memorial tribute bandwagon and half paranoia being spread on the news. no-one in happy hour seems concerned!
another view: its hysteria. yes. but they just want everybody in the city time safe. hmmm. Some people get really angry about the "conspiracy theorists" but there are so many things that don't add up about it...
CRAP modern art. stones and metal? call me a philistine but that's hardly creative genius.
need to book trains earlier before prices go up!
Republican president candidate debate. I fear for the world. the country is run by corporate interests. they all demanded more privatisation... more control to be given to the industries they come from...
Appetizers. Not the entree size starters I imagined, but huge plate full of shareable bar snacks. I may never buy a main course again, especially if I can keep finding half priced happy hours!
So i finally bought a new camera after months of procrastination.
My "old" compact sony one had developed an annoying motor shake which was ruining photo opportunities such as that wild bear, and the empire state building.
This forced my indecisive hand and i now have a Panasonic G3 with two different lenses. It's like a slimmed down SLR, with almost the same quality and all the controls that allow creative control (when i've spent 3 days working it out).
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmcg3/
This also accelerates my need to get rid of some stuff out of my rucksack, as it takes up space. And to be fair i have been very restrained about buying lots of other nice things! Fortunately Adam is on hand to take some clothes back to the UK.
Thanks Adam!
Secondly i'm reading as fast as i can to get rid of a couple of books, i think 8 is about 6 to many to be carrying around.
My "old" compact sony one had developed an annoying motor shake which was ruining photo opportunities such as that wild bear, and the empire state building.
This forced my indecisive hand and i now have a Panasonic G3 with two different lenses. It's like a slimmed down SLR, with almost the same quality and all the controls that allow creative control (when i've spent 3 days working it out).
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmcg3/
This also accelerates my need to get rid of some stuff out of my rucksack, as it takes up space. And to be fair i have been very restrained about buying lots of other nice things! Fortunately Adam is on hand to take some clothes back to the UK.
Thanks Adam!
Secondly i'm reading as fast as i can to get rid of a couple of books, i think 8 is about 6 to many to be carrying around.
lots to write about New York so this is just a placeholder. Also more photos...
Stayed one night in Long Island, rich leafy suburb out of the city.
Stayed three nights couchsurfing at an apartment where they constantly host people from around the world, some of whom come to stay one night and never leave! very cool.
Stayed one night on an inflatable mattress via airbnb. Like couchsurfing but monetised. But still good, gives you more of a feel for living in a place when you stay in someones house and meet locals.
Saw all the big tourist sights. Impressive but crowded. New York can be intense, it's so brash and in your face with the towering buildings, flashing billboards, touts and tourists.
However, we spent the other half of each day wandering around neighbourhoods on foot - the east village, greenwich, soho all amazing artistic communities, loads of galleries, independent shops, cafes and bars. Seems like a nice place to live, but the rents are extortionate!!!
Also wandered around Harlem and Brooklyn after dark which wasn't bad at all. Williamsburg in Brooklyn is really nice.
more to add...
Stayed one night in Long Island, rich leafy suburb out of the city.
Stayed three nights couchsurfing at an apartment where they constantly host people from around the world, some of whom come to stay one night and never leave! very cool.
Stayed one night on an inflatable mattress via airbnb. Like couchsurfing but monetised. But still good, gives you more of a feel for living in a place when you stay in someones house and meet locals.
Saw all the big tourist sights. Impressive but crowded. New York can be intense, it's so brash and in your face with the towering buildings, flashing billboards, touts and tourists.
However, we spent the other half of each day wandering around neighbourhoods on foot - the east village, greenwich, soho all amazing artistic communities, loads of galleries, independent shops, cafes and bars. Seems like a nice place to live, but the rents are extortionate!!!
Also wandered around Harlem and Brooklyn after dark which wasn't bad at all. Williamsburg in Brooklyn is really nice.
more to add...