Fabulous Friday

I woke up this morning and thought to myself it’s another chilly day in NY, but there is still no snow. John and I are hoping to see snow before we head home; however, I think it’s unlikely. Aside from the gas heater in our room, we have an additional wall heater. I’m sorry about the environment, really I am, but our room is cold. After turning on both heaters, I can now happily report my toes are starting to defrost.

Despite the late nights and sometimes the wee early morning hours, I've been in a habit of waking up earlier than I need to, say around 5.30 am. But as it turns out it’s the perfect recipe for one of life’s simple pleasures and that is, a hot shower. Many of the other guests at the hostel do not wake until mid-morning, except if they have an early morning flight out of JFK. So, it does have its advantages for being an early riser after all.

After our regular caffeine fix at Starbucks (there is still no other option), we then made an early start to the morning with a stroll down to Pier 83 on West 42nd Street to catch the Circle Line two hour harbor cruise. It’s a lovely way to see the sights of the city especially on a crisp early morn. My Director recommended this tour especially for first-time visitors trying to get an idea of the layout of the city and surroundings.

The two hour cruise is spectacular, especially for photographers. All of the most emblematic buildings and NY sights from the Hudson and East River perspectives are here, and they are all covered in a well paced and pleasant cruise.

You can choose to be out in the upper deck where it’s difficult to take photos without obstructing the views of other tourists or in John’s case being protected from the chilly winds in the lower deck. The most suitable place for photographs is to stand at the stern of the boat.

Commentary included historical points and the various architectural periods of the Manhattan skyline. The tour guide was informative and funny. However, I wished he had shown more interest in the Jersey side of the Hudson and the burrows of Brooklyn, Bronx, and the Queens’s side of the East River.

Nonetheless, we cruised past many of NY’s most memorable landmarks for example, the Statue of Liberty, around the Battery, up the East River, and under the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges to the United Nations and back. Great value for money and I wished we had taken the cruise sooner.

Staying with the nautical theme Maverick and Goose (for the Top Gun fans) took a short walk down to Pier 86 on West 46 Street and visited the Intrepid, Air and Space Museum. There are many exhibits to keep you interested and over thirty restored aircraft. Some of the highlights included the British Airways Concorde, USS Growler Submarine and the film being screened in the Hanger deck about the Kamikaze which attacked the USS Intrepid.

I can’t say enough about the museum staff. They are extremely knowledgeable, helpful and pleasant. It’s one of the cleanest attractions that we have visited. If you’re a military history buff you’ll enjoy the USS Intrepid immensely. As with all previous attractions we have visited, the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum are included in the NY Pass. It was an awesome way to spend the afternoon.

On a whim tonight, John and I decided to see ‘Rain’ a Tribute to the Beatles at the Neil Simon Theatre. Rain takes you on a Beatles journey from the Ed Sullivan show through to their famous rooftop performance using different costumes and simple set designs.

In between the set changes the audience views commercials, video clips and music from the era on large television screens. The musicians and the costumes are exceptional. Although nothing comes close to the Fab Four, these lads may be the best next thing. It was another opportunity to twist and sing the night away.

Let it be...
Mark
PS: The countdown is on. Only seven days in NYC to go!