The bus ride from Niagra was another uneventful greyhound trip! The highlight was the grumpy/ pessimistic bus driver who assured us a number of times we would be at least an hour late. Also when the bus left a passenger at the lunch stop, Burger King, was amusing, mainly because it wasn't us that got left behind! As it turns out the driver was wrong and we arrived in New York about 15 minutes early, around 5.30pm.
After being abused by the customer service guy for the metro, we transferred to the train and found our way to Harlem and the Wanderers Inn Hostel on 113th street. The hostel is clean and reasonably small (70 beds). We haven't seen any rats, which is a common problem in NY apparently, although the 3 cats living in the basement could also help with this. While the hostel doesn't help out as much as other places we have stayed with things like tours or giving info on events happening around the city, but we managed to do this ourselves. The only downside to the hostel is the small living and cooking areas, only two people can cook at a time and the free breakfast which starts at 8.30am seems to be under-catered for on some mornings.
After checking in we went for a short walk through Central Park and sat for a bit on the Great Hill lawns. On the way back to the hostel we half looked for somewhere to eat, but no surprise, couldn't find anything so we grabbed some groceries and had a veggie fix.
After being abused by the customer service guy for the metro, we transferred to the train and found our way to Harlem and the Wanderers Inn Hostel on 113th street. The hostel is clean and reasonably small (70 beds). We haven't seen any rats, which is a common problem in NY apparently, although the 3 cats living in the basement could also help with this. While the hostel doesn't help out as much as other places we have stayed with things like tours or giving info on events happening around the city, but we managed to do this ourselves. The only downside to the hostel is the small living and cooking areas, only two people can cook at a time and the free breakfast which starts at 8.30am seems to be under-catered for on some mornings.
After checking in we went for a short walk through Central Park and sat for a bit on the Great Hill lawns. On the way back to the hostel we half looked for somewhere to eat, but no surprise, couldn't find anything so we grabbed some groceries and had a veggie fix.
Our first day in New York just happened to be 4th July which was good timing. After having breakfast with our roommates who we met last night (Patrick, Anja, Martin & Johanna), we headed to Central Park. We just wandered around for a bit before finding a park info kiosk. They were very friendly and helped us out with events happening in the park for the week. We also got a few other tips on things to see and do. We then headed to Times Square to have a look around and also find out about Yankees and Broadway tickets. Times Square is chaotic in a fun kind of way. Big billboards and TV screens everywhere and so, so many people.
The Yankee’s were nice enough to offer us some cheap seats for $90 each, so we decided against these. We headed back to the hostel to meet up with Patrick and Anja, our new friends from Austria. We were going to go down to the Hudson River to watch the 4th July fireworks. We stopped for a burger on the way and then made it to within about 5 blocks from the river, this was as close as we could get, it was literally shoulder-to-shoulder, people everywhere. It was a really good illustration of how many people there are here in New York. Despite hearing a local complain that the fireworks only lasted for 30 minutes this year, we were very impressed with the show. After the fireworks we headed to Times Square for a beer with Patrick and Anja, a good way to escape the crowds on the street and in the subway.
Sunday (our second full day) we considered doing a hop on hop off city bus tour, to get a better feel for the city, taking the subway all the time means you miss a lot of the city sights. These turned out to be about $50pp for the cheapest one, so we skipped this idea and took a similar route on the public buses ($27 for a weekly ticket). After spending the morning in Central Park we rode down to the Rockefeller Center. By chance there was a large market in the area, taking up about 20 blocks along 5th avenue. 
We then did a bit of an architecture tour seeing the Trump, Sony, Chrysler buildings as well as the amazing Grand Central Station. Next we headed to the Flatiron district and had a coffee and a rest in Madison Sq Park next to the Flatiron Building. 
Back on the bus we went through SOHO, Greenwich and Little Italy where we stopped and had a nice pasta for dinner. A spur of the moment idea saw us decide to go to the Empire State Building for the sunset. It was a bit rushed and the two big lines (one for tickets and one for the lift) took a long time. We did finally make it to the top, in time for sunset. There were way too many people up there on the narrow viewing platforms, was difficult to move or get a decent view. By coincidence Christine bumped (literally) into a friend from high school at the top, David Kemp. Finally we ended the day with a chocolate sundae at Times Square.
The Yankee’s were nice enough to offer us some cheap seats for $90 each, so we decided against these. We headed back to the hostel to meet up with Patrick and Anja, our new friends from Austria. We were going to go down to the Hudson River to watch the 4th July fireworks. We stopped for a burger on the way and then made it to within about 5 blocks from the river, this was as close as we could get, it was literally shoulder-to-shoulder, people everywhere. It was a really good illustration of how many people there are here in New York. Despite hearing a local complain that the fireworks only lasted for 30 minutes this year, we were very impressed with the show. After the fireworks we headed to Times Square for a beer with Patrick and Anja, a good way to escape the crowds on the street and in the subway.
Sunday (our second full day) we considered doing a hop on hop off city bus tour, to get a better feel for the city, taking the subway all the time means you miss a lot of the city sights. These turned out to be about $50pp for the cheapest one, so we skipped this idea and took a similar route on the public buses ($27 for a weekly ticket). After spending the morning in Central Park we rode down to the Rockefeller Center. By chance there was a large market in the area, taking up about 20 blocks along 5th avenue. We then did a bit of an architecture tour seeing the Trump, Sony, Chrysler buildings as well as the amazing Grand Central Station. Next we headed to the Flatiron district and had a coffee and a rest in Madison Sq Park next to the Flatiron Building. 
Back on the bus we went through SOHO, Greenwich and Little Italy where we stopped and had a nice pasta for dinner. A spur of the moment idea saw us decide to go to the Empire State Building for the sunset. It was a bit rushed and the two big lines (one for tickets and one for the lift) took a long time. We did finally make it to the top, in time for sunset. There were way too many people up there on the narrow viewing platforms, was difficult to move or get a decent view. By coincidence Christine bumped (literally) into a friend from high school at the top, David Kemp. Finally we ended the day with a chocolate sundae at Times Square.
Next morning (Monday) we were a bit tired but still made it downstairs in time for bagels and coffee. We then had a pretty easy day in Central Park. We just love Central Park, it is amazing such a huge park could be so close to the center of one of the biggest cities in the world. We started around 81st street and quickly saw the line for the free Shakespeare in the park tickets. We had been told that the show was very good and also free. We joined the very long line at midday and waited for about an hour, which wasn’t so bad as the line was through Central Park, so it was a bit like sitting in the park anyway. Shortly after they started giving out the tickets at 1pm, they were sold out, and we were still a very long way back in the line. They told us that the last person to get a ticket joined the line at 6.30am, what a scam!
Christine was most upset at missing out on the tickets, but like any tantrum, an ice cream soon helped her forget about it! We ate them by a lake with rowboats on it and then explored the ramble, a forest like section of the park, designed to get people lost in the wilderness. We wandered over the great lawn and to a few monuments, sculptures and the Bethesda Fountain. The rest of the afternoon we spent a bit of time in the library on the internet (the library is an amazing building with marble floors and painted ceilings) and we checked the NY Mets for tickets, more helpful than the Yankees but still a bit expensive. We cooked chicken pesto pasta for dinner and did a bit of washing… woo hoo!
Tuesday we spent the day in Brooklyn. The morning started with a leisurely stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge. This didn’t take too long and gave nice views of Brooklyn and Manhattan. After crossing the bridge we continued along to the promenade, with a stop in a park along the way for a snack. The promenade is a nice little area with shops and café’s although we didn’t make it down to the waterfront. Instead we headed to Coney Island for Nathan’s famous hot dogs. They weren’t as big as we expected, not very healthy but very tasty! While we ate our lunch a huge thunderstorm rolled in, ending our plan of an afternoon on the beach or in the botanic gardens. Once the rain had stopped and we had finished our lunch we had a quick look at the beach, but the sand was still very wet.
On the way home we stopped off and walked along the Hudson River until sunset, we then headed back to the hostel and cooked some noodles.
On the way home we stopped off and walked along the Hudson River until sunset, we then headed back to the hostel and cooked some noodles.
Wednesday was the start of the cultural part of the week, we started the day with a visit to the Metropolitan Art Museum (MET). The ‘suggested’ admission fee for the two of us was $40, so we paid a fair compromise, $2. 
The first section of the MET was an Egyptian theme, which was totally amazing. It had an actual reconstructed tomb from Egypt as well as many sculptures, art works and coffins. We also saw American, Greek and Modern Art with a break for lunch in Central Park. Christine forgot her glasses this morning, so after lunch, Damien being such a noble Gentleman returned to the hostel to get them while Christine continued exploring the MET.
Once the MET closed we headed to Times Square and bought some half-price tickets to a Broadway show at the TKTS booth. Getting a bit peekish we thought we would grab a quick coffee and doughnut. Well, we walked so far, and asked so many people, but couldn’t find a Dunkin Doughnut anywhere in the middle of NY. Of course after we settled for a second rate French bakery we found about 3 doughnut shops!The show, Toxic Avenger, was a comedy/ rock musical. It was really good, it was based on a 60’s film where a guy is thrown into a toxic drum, only to become a mutant out to clean up the world. There were only five actors in it, playing about ten characters, it was really well done. After the show we went to Yum Yum Thai that we had been recommended. It was yum-yum!!!
The first section of the MET was an Egyptian theme, which was totally amazing. It had an actual reconstructed tomb from Egypt as well as many sculptures, art works and coffins. We also saw American, Greek and Modern Art with a break for lunch in Central Park. Christine forgot her glasses this morning, so after lunch, Damien being such a noble Gentleman returned to the hostel to get them while Christine continued exploring the MET.Once the MET closed we headed to Times Square and bought some half-price tickets to a Broadway show at the TKTS booth. Getting a bit peekish we thought we would grab a quick coffee and doughnut. Well, we walked so far, and asked so many people, but couldn’t find a Dunkin Doughnut anywhere in the middle of NY. Of course after we settled for a second rate French bakery we found about 3 doughnut shops!The show, Toxic Avenger, was a comedy/ rock musical. It was really good, it was based on a 60’s film where a guy is thrown into a toxic drum, only to become a mutant out to clean up the world. There were only five actors in it, playing about ten characters, it was really well done. After the show we went to Yum Yum Thai that we had been recommended. It was yum-yum!!!
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