It's like old York, but new.

Ah fighting dinosaur skeletons, always good value for money (didn't pay or anything)
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Bailed from Philadelphia after a day and zipped up to NY licketysplit. Absolutely no bother getting from the bus station to the hostel via a real life integrated public transport system which was a real shock. Although I did go the wrong way on the tube for a bit. The hostel was dead close to central park and as I couldn't check in for a while I went for a stroll. Weather was perfect but there's only so much squirrel chasing you can do.

Got me an early start next day and went up the Empire State building which was worth the bother. There was folk at every level trying to sell audio guides on the premise that there was no information boards at the top of any kind...except the information boards at the top which told you what everything was. Tight-arse Roberts was pretty darn pleased with himself. Did the usual touristy shit, Times square, staue of liberty, Ellis Island, ghoulish gawp at the twin-towers holes etc etc. Also went into museum of modern art. Look, no matter how much I try, I still have that emporers new clothes feeling about matisse and his ilk. Basically it's shit and don't feel bad if you think the same.

Check it out - the Queen of Jordan! You would though, wouldn't you? Hear what I'm saying gents? Hmm? Hmm? They moved me on eventually.
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Funny old business hostelling, especially sharing the 12 bed dorms with an international crowd. For example, there was a russian bloke at loggerheads with a french chap with air conditioning the former who had no trouble with sneezing all over the place i.e. where I was sleeping and spitting the phlegm directly onto the carpeted floor. There was also a chap who I took to be chinese who then spoke in broadest german to a more german looking german. I suppose it makes a nice change for them to be on the inside of buildings full of bunkbeds and not outside exercising their Alsations by spotlight and asking awkward questions about why they can hear water trickling down the back of the stove.