We're about a third of the way through the holiday, just over halfway through our bank accounts and we've only seen a quarter of what New York has to offer. There's just too much to see and do in this city!
Since the last update we've started to split up a bit more as a group (it's not as dramatic as it sounds) and go on our own adventures. Dave mostly ends up in China Town or anywhere that sells Orangina, I'm drawn to giant buildings and the ongoing search for a Taco Bell, Dearbhla's constantly trying to catch up with Mark (she's having fun though...everyone likes chasing right?!) who's on a one man mission to eat New York and Cony Ro Ro (that Conors forced nickname thanks one of our new German friends) spends most of his time hungover and getting us excited about baseball games that aren't on!
Thanks to last night I have to go back through my video camera to piece together what we got up to the last few days...
Since we watch nothing but American TV at home we had to go visit the home of 30 Rock (situated conveniently at 30 Rockefeller Plaza). We took the 'Top of the Rock' tour which placed us 67 floors above New York with a great view of most of the city. After we got down we wandered around the overly fancy 5th Avenue where we got a bit freaked out as we realised we were being watched! Perched on the corner of at least twelve massive buildings were dark 'I Am Legend-ish' figures overlooking the street. On closer inspection they were just statues and not a gang of mutants or some kind of collective suicide attempt! Either way...strange!
Later on that night we went out for drinks in the best bar I've ever been in, crazy stuff all over the walls (there was a photo montage of a chicken wing eating competition...inevitably the last
picture was sick in a toilet). They served food till 2am, it was cheap, tasty and huge...corndogs are confusingly delicious, but the best thing was the drinks, $1 all night! Success!!
The next day we just lazed about in the hostel And watched the match I think. It's too hard to keep track of things what with all the stuff we're doing, combined with the semi-permanent brain damage sustained from $1 drinks.
The next day was my little adventure. We were aimlessly riding the subway and no one really knew what we were going to do. So I stood up and just got off at a stop by myself...it wasn't a conscious decision to go it alone, but no one followed me...pricks!
The first thing I did was make my way to Madison Square Garden. It was all closed up though because of the LeBron James announcement. I saw the Chrysler Building in the distance and figured it was a 10 minute walk away......40 minutes later I was in the lobby! Unfortunately that's all you can do, stand in the lobby! After that a found the HBO headquarters, same situation as the Chrysler Building there. After those two let downs I was determined to do something good so I went to the Empire State Building. Two hours of queues and 87 floors later I was on the top. Well worth it! I had a complete 360 degree view of all of Manhattan, it was amazing. It was eerily silent at the top even though it was packed...no one talked. The rest of that day was spent trying to find Taco Bell (when I found it it was closed) and eventually going to Wendys for 'The Baconator', it has to be seen to be believed. As far as I know the rest of the lads had to put up with Marks new found love of basketball/LeBron James and got some sweet $1 pizza in Time Square.
And finally Friday...yesterday. We finally went to the Natural History Museum after days of threats. It was great, but I have to go back because I couldn't find the dinosaurs which is saying something about the size of this place. That's pretty much all we did during the day...besides Mark, but he'll tell you all about that in his own post. Needless to say it sounded disgustingly (because I did get to to it) great!
While Mark was off on his adventure, Derv went to Central Park to read...but was eventually scared out of there by a not so friendly looking group of people trying to sit all over her (not literally)!
As for the rest of us (Me, Dave and Conor), we went to a pub called Tap A Keg! This is how that went: casual drinking, got talking to some America people, they bought us the biggest shots I've ever had (it was like drinking Whiskey out of a Nutella jar), a bit of pool, more free drinks from the bar woman, talcum powder everywhere (don't ask...), horrible food which Dave later lamped all our room because it was too salty, I got Iced, everyone passed out! Success!
Right, that should do it for now, I'll upload pictures when they fix the computers in here!
Later,
Kieran.
