Day 42 - New York, New York, USA

Day 42 – 20th July 2005 -5:00 GMT

Decided we would head to Coney Island in Brooklyn, so Jill and I got the subway which took around 90 minutes, and ended up in an area which looked like a run down version of Blackpool, but once we had passed the rusting fairground rides we got onto the boardwalk and found miles of golden sand and a beach full of people having fun.


Coney Island Boardwalk 


Coney Island Beach 


Coney Island Beach 

We walked along the boardwalk and along the Pier stopping for food and drinks on the way, we then walked back along the sand which was so hot you could only stand still for a few seconds.


Me on the Beach, Coney Island 

The temperature is still in the mid to high 30’s. We caught a subway back to central manhatten and then walked around central park,


Me in Central Park 


Central Park 


Me in Central Park 

looking at the lakes and the John Lennon Memorial Gardens, Strawberry Fields. Then headed back to the hostel where we had to do our washing. We headed out again around 7.30pm and caught the subway to Time Square and walked to the Rockafella centre


The Rockafella Centre 

and then into Central Station, then caught another tube to Spring Street and walked through little Italy where we stopped for dinner. We then caught a tube back to Time Square


Time Square 

and then back to the hostel.

Day 41 - New York, New York, USA

Day 41 – 19th July 2005 -5:00 GMT

Had Breakfast at the hostel then caught the subway down to 34th, we alked to the Empire State Building and joined the queue for the top. We queued for about an hour before we got to the top and then spent 45 minutes up there admiring the view and taking photo’s. Unfortunately due to the smog the visibuilty was only a mile or so.


Manhatten 


Manhatten 


View of Lower Manhatten 

We then had a walk around Macy’s on 7th Avenue which is the world’s largest store, then got back on the subway up to Washington Square and went to Greenwich Village and got a bite to eat. Then back on the subway again and we went up to Columbus where we met a friend of ours Nancy Horowitz who Jill and I had met the previous November in Paris. Nancy was a perfect guide and told us all about the areas of central park that we had walked through including the sheeps meadow,


Central Park Fountain 

we went back to Nancy’s apartment on 76th East where we had a chat then took her dog out with us for a walk along the river.


Jill and I With Nancy Horowitz and Nathan the Dog 

We said goodbye to Nancy and walked along 86th East and across central park


Central Park 

and back upto out hostel on 103rd West. We rested for about half an hour and then headed out again catching the subway to Greenwich Village where we found a vietnamese resturant, the food was fantastic. We then walked to CBGB’s the music venue


CBGB's 

and then back through Greenwich village, we stopped for a drink in a pub which had a Rythmn and Blues band playing, they were great but the beer was very expensive, so we left and caught the subway back to the hostel just after midnight.

Day 40 - New York, New York, USA

Day 40 – 18th July 2005 -5:00 GMT

First thing we had to do this morning is move the car as they sweep each street on different day, so drove round for 30 minutes trying to find somewhere to park and ended up waiting in our car for an additional 30 minutes until we were allowed to park on the street again. Got the subway downtown to Fulton Street where we got a bite to eat and visited the site of the world trade centre,


The World Trade Centre Site 


Sculpture From the Twin Towers 

They are now going to build a 1776ft high building here called the freedom tower. We then walked over to battery park and took a circle line ferry trip around the harbour,


Me on the Circle Line Ferry 

It took us up the coast of Manhatten then past New Jersey, Ellis Island, Liberty Island,


The Statue Of Liberty 

Governor’s Island and then under the Brooklyn Bridge and back to port, It was brilliantly narrated.


Downtown Manhatten 


Manhatten 

We then walked up Broadway


1 Broadway 

and along Wall Street looking at Trinity Church and the New York Stock Exchange,


New York Stock Exchange 

We then walked around the Federal Reserve Bank and down to South Street Port we stopped at a pub for a drink and Jill and I tried the sampler, which is 10 5oz glasses of all their special beers.


Me with my Beer Samples 

When we got up to go the lady’s at the bar next to us offered to buy us another drink so we stayed for one more. We then looked around the shopping mall and the Brooklyn Bridge. Then we went out to dinner and caught the subway back to the hostel.