And down came the rain......
It's raining.... A LOT!
We were acting as Erwin's groupies as we headed downtown to the East Village to watch him play at Side Walk Cafe. Ushered into a dark back room (with a 2 drink minimum), we took our seats. Unfortunately Erwin was number 38 and due to play at 1am. After a mixed bunch of performers we made our excuses and left at about 11pm. Erwin returned at 2.30ish with a gig booked for next week!!
We left The Gershwin loaded up like pack horses and headed for pastures new, downtown at The Chelsea International Hostel with hopes of bigger and better things....until we got there. This time we're in a female dorm, sharing with a Canadian called Melanie. The first night did not go well. Kat was visited by some small six-legged friends in the early hours which prompted her to bed hop! After a resless night for both of us, we awoke to the glorious sound of heavy rain.
We parted with $7 to purchase a 'Fun Pass' on the subway and off to Brooklyn we went. The large volumes of precipitation prevented us from exploring Williamsburg to its full potential so we hopped back on the subway to the Botanical Gardens. With the help of an abandoned, broken umbrella we struggled against the heavy winds, then decided, once again, to retreat back to the subway and head to Starbucks for a nice hot beverage.
The 'Fun Pass' was not so fun after all.....
New York, New York
"Start spreading the news...". We've arrived in the big apple...aka the city that never sleeps.
"New York....greatest city in the world" (Joey, guy in Charley O's, 13/01/06).
We arrived on Tuesday after being frisked at Heathrow by a lovely 'young' lady, we were tended to by 'Miss air hostess 2006', and then arrived at the Gershwin hostel in Gramercy, Manhattan.
We're sharing a room with 'Reuben' or as he prefers to be known, 'Irvin', the folk singer slash songwriter from Denmark (he he he!). We have another elusive roommate, who after sleeping in the same room as him for 3 days, we only saw him with the lights on, yesterday. Ross the antipodean is his name (but he works in Bracknell!)
On the first day we walked uptown through Central Park where we played on the swings and then got lost on the upper west side, only to find sanctuary in a McDonalds.
On the second day we walked downtown along Broadway, walking through SoHo and Chinatown to the Staten Island ferry. Note to everyone...DON'T get off at Staten Island, it is a ghetto. It was a really nice day with good views of the 'lady' and Manhattan.
Yesterday we managed Grand Central Station, the New York Public Library, the UN building only to then end up in a bar, being chatted to (and bought drinks by) two 50 yr old hunks called John and Joey.
Today its raining cats and dogs so we walked to Greenwich village, stopping by the Friends building, and then sitting in a Starbucks for ages, people watching;
a) a girl being dumped including tears
b) a man who laughed at nothing and talked to himself
c) an old guy who walked around for about 10 minutes without finding anywhere to sit
d) an artist guy doing some amazing drawings and clothing designs in a sketchbook
e) and why are Starbucks toilets the most minging????
