Days 20-24: New York

Bottom of the Rock
see all photos »

New York city - yeah baby!

So much to do, see, love and tell you about.  Sports first:

New York New York, so good I typed it twice (yes, poor pun I know)

Yankees vs Red Sox (Boston) for the 2nd of the three consecutive day series.  Yankees struggling to keep up trailing 2-4 after 6 innings when in the 7th innings the Red Sox score 7 in one innings, finishing off the game (for those of you who don't know much about baseball 7 is a reasonable score for a total 9 innings game - ie it was an "ass kicking").   Despite clearly having picked the wrong team to follow we still had a lot of fun up in the bleachers watching the game, the fans and the police removing disgruntled fans!  Even bought myself a NYY cap.

Brooklyn Bridge
see all photos »

US Open timing worked out well getting to see Andy Murray's 2nd round match and brother Jamie in the doubles for a few games (as well as a few other matches) - particularly good as I'd booked the day earlier than I'd meant to.  Murray made hard work of the frenchman (Llodra) but got through in a close 4 sets, which was just as well as I was starting to go crispy in the sun but wasn't about to leave the 3rd row, centre seats we'd got in the Grandstand court.  Very cool wandering around all the courts, at what I now know to be "the worlds most attended annual sports event".

Grand Central Station & Chrysler Building
see all photos »

Tourist New York - sights, buildings and parks

Spent many many hours wandering around (and stewing at times in) Manhattan, even venturing out across the Brooklyn Bridge to get temporarily lost in Brooklyn, although definitely worth it though to look back over the downtown skyline.

- Views from Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center - did the Top of the Rock by day and the ESB later that same night - outstanding views from both and whilst the ESB is more iconic you can't actually see the building properly unless you go up the Rock.  Brilliant.

City Hall
see all photos »

- Meandered through Central Park, looked at most of the surrounding museums from the outside (did do the NYC historical society).  Out of interest has anyone ever seen the Obelisk (aka Cleopatra's Needle), as we'd swear its not where the map says it is and as a several hundred ft tall it should stand out in a park!

- Took the boat out to Liberty Island (where the Statue of Liberty is) and Ellis Island (immigration gateway of old)

View from Empire State Building
see all photos »

- Window shopped along Fifth Avenue, many times as our hotel was on Fifth just a block away from the ESB.  No toys for me from the Apple Store or FAO Schwartz toy store, where they have the stand on piano from the movie Big, but then no diamonds from Tiffany's for Jane either.

- Marveled at Grand Central Station whilst trying to picture a gunfight ensuing whilst a pram bounced down the stairs - at the same time explaining to Jane and Aneesh  (old work mate who we met one night off his train at Grand Central) the relevance of The Untouchables and Sir Sean's oscar winning role.

NYC Public Library
see all photos »

- Dumbfounded by Times Square (its not even close to being a square of any kind - fools), kind of a crazy Blackpool esque neon light show, but it works!

- and many many more sights (mostly buildings - really really love the architecture of Downtown and Mid-town, very Gotham City in places)

Along the way we also had time to meet a few friendly faces to catch up with and to handily prove to be local guides to good food and drink

- Aneesh (as mentioned above and not really much of a guide actually having only just got here)

Statue of Liberty
see all photos »

- Pete and Alex (and 10 week old Ava) - friends we know from before their time in NYC through the Hong Kong gang

- Susan - Jane's cousin Susan who swapped Hamilton for this 5 years ago (no comment)

Anyway suffice to say we both really loved New York and could have happily stayed for longer, never got round to seeing a Broadway show or many of the neighbourhoods - I suppose we'll have to come back (next time round the world!).

However, its now one continent down and off to South America where I'll struggle with the lingo and we'll put Jane's evening classes to the test - at least it should be a little cooler though.