I am here. After a seven hour flight, extremely awful in-flight meal and a good selection of on demand video I landed at JFK on time, although I had a nightmare through Border Control & Customs. Diane & Frank were waiting for me and, I have to admit, I was very pleased to see them!
From JFK we took a drive into Manhattan - which is not as easy as it sounds. Even on a Sunday afternoon the traffic was worse than anything I have ever seen just to get on the island. We detoured passed Queens to go over the Brooklyn Bridge, the first surreal experience of my surreal trip. The bridge looks just as impressive in real life as it is on the TV & cinema. I don't know what I was expecting to feel, but when you are approaching New York from JFK the road takes you parallel to Manhattan Island and you see the skyline for the first time it is just like watching it on the cinema.
Being hungry we went to Greenwich Village for a bite to eat and - yes - the is a traditional fish & chip shop in Greenwich Village that seem to know Diane's order before she walks in! The little area within which the chippy is situated looks like it is a little England - tea shops, traditional "English" foods. After a wander around (and getting completely lost - some people rely on GPS far too much) we ate at a little Italian on the edge of the Village, good Italian fayre and a friendly welcome.
Actually, that is my one overriding impression so far - everybody is so damn polite. Granted I haven't met all 250 million+ of the buggers, but where we were people seemed to be polite.
We wandered around again as dusk was falling, past Washington Park (I am Legend), past brownstone buildings containing apartments, past lots of little cafe bars and "pubs", and we turned a corner and suddenly - BANG - there directly down the street was the top of the Empire State Building. Surreal experience number two... I just could not believe it. A building I have known since I can remember watching television, one of the most recognisable buildings in the world and I was looking at it... for real... in the flesh so to speak.
I feel like a 7 year old boy who has been locked up in a sweet shop overnight. I can't explain fully but it is a very powerful feeling.
But it is Monday morning, I been awake since 6:00am EST because my body clock is completely buggered, I can feel the hangover creeping in because Frank & I did drink quite a lot last night, much to the annoyance of Diane.
Let's just see what today's adventures will bring...
Have a nice day.
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