there. I stopped writing after a few days each time but I'm glad I wrote down a lot of things I've since forgotten. Here are those diaries. I've included them unedited as a true reflection of what I was experiencing at the time regardless of how naive some of it now seems.
A reminder to myself [of] what I've done so far.
I really don't think it's necessary to document Manchester Airport. The flight itself was reasonable except I missed the start times of the films on display, so I had to settle for the 2nd half of Talladega Nights. I finished A Season On The Brink on the plane - so I read most of it there. I find it much better to read a book than a magazine which is stop-start.
I tried to get off the plane as soon as I could so that I could beat the queues at immigration.
This made little difference as I was stopped. When the guy looked at my passport something alerted him on the screen. He didn't have the decency to tell me what it was. He called over another guy who could not share with me their suspicions. I was asked if I'd ever lived in the USA, which leads me to believe that they thought I had.
I was taken to a separate waiting room where I was twice asked to confirm my length of stay before being given the "OK" - but no explanation. For a split second I forgot about getting my suitcase. I was pretty unnerved by the affair as I thought I was going to be interviewed or that someone had copied my passport. Because they'd marked my customs card I was again taken to one side and asked the same question about length of stay.
Not the best way to make me relaxed.
I got outside to pouring rain. My Moldavian taxi driver, who said he was Russian - I know the difference! - soon became very chatty. On America he said that religion and politics should not be mixed. I made reference to the fact that he was from the former Soviet Union and that he'd know all about that. I think I over-egged the pudding.
[there was Catholic paraphernalia on the dashboard]
The journey was much quicker than it had been last time. Due to the fog and the driver's chatting I was unable to look for many sights on the way - although he did point out the projects in Harlem.
The Hostel is nice enough. Plenty of facilities and, unlike last year's Jazz On The Park, plenty of room. Although, I wish I'd got a bottom bunk. My suitcase fits in the locker. Which is nice.
I freshened up and went for a stroll. In the pouring rain. I know the area from last time but I wanted some fresh air and to stretch my legs. I walked past a bar and saw that the Liverpool game was on, stopped in and got a pint of Guinness. Due to the rain I stopped for another. When you're lacking in sleep in a strange time zone this is not the best idea. I came back to the hostel and drank coffee and water in an attempt to wake myself up. I sat on a bean bag in the lounge, watched CSI for a while before heading for some food. After going up and down Broadway about 10 blocks in the rain I settled on some kind of Cuban diner. Chicken and rice. There were bones in it but it served a purpose. Felt absurdly exhausted by this point so I came back to go to bed. It was only 9:15 but I was fucked. Of course, nobody else was going to bed at that time so the door was banged, the lights were on and some Japanese chattered for a few hours. My throat was feeling terribly dry, and had been since the immigration check. I had to get up several times during the night for a slash whilst thinking "please don't be flu".
I slept here and there but the strange time zone and noise in the room made it difficult. Someone in here snores badly.
Still programmed to GMT. I was awake very early but I forced myself to at least dose until daylight. Once some other started to get up I was very happy to lie there and wait for them to piss off.
I got up just after 7.30, showered, up and out to Tom's Restaurant. Where was the Lumberjack? Breakfast only menu! It was that early. I'm getting tired of this so I'm resorting to bullet points:
- subway downtown to South Ferry, after change twice thinking I was getting on the Express.
- Boat to Liberty Island. Got time pass to go in the pedestal. Free on Thursdays it seems!
- Enjoyed the views and being inside a woman for the first time in ages (thanks, Woody Allen).
- Ellis Island. Same as last year but I took a bit more time.
- Skyscraper museum. WTC special. Bought NYC architecture book.
- WTC arcade. Looked round and got throat lozenges.
- Uptown on a mission: The Ghostbusters fire station. Got some pix. Also saw a movie being filmed nearby but couldn't work out what it was.
- Meandered further uptown. Canal Street, Mulberry Street. Think I saw where they: a) shot Vito Corleone; b) made GF2.
- Flatiron building. Legs tired! Where was that cinema from last year? Where is the subway? Eventually got on at Times Square to bring me back here.
Have spoken a bit to a couple of roommates: a Japanese student and an Egyptian man who, without my glasses, I could have sworn was George Costanza. General chat about NYC and where we're from. I was eventually able to read my New York Times then write this.
It's 8:15 I should really head out for some food.
November 10
Last night after walking blocks and blocks I eventually settled on some shitty diner. The Italian wrap was chewy. I got it half price because the wait was so long. It was not worth the wait.
I took the subway to 72nd and walked to the cinema. 45 minutes before Borat so I patrolled the area. I deffo passed the election office in Taxi Driver but wasn't sure which one it was. Walked round the Bill Murray fountain at the Lincoln Center.
Couldn't work out out the screen for the film as the "queue" was in the wrong place to begin with. Plus, the screens seemed to have names rather than numbers.
The audience were pretty loud during the film and trailers. There were boos when Mel Gibson's name appeared on the screen for Apocalypto. Someone shouted "holler" as if she was a female Jay-Z.
It was interesting and good to see an American audience respond to Borat. They got the jokes. As New Yorkers they're not really the butt of the jokes.
Stopped for a pint of Guinness on my way home. Would have slept brilliantly were it not for the loud bastard snoring. I hope he checks out soon.
November 11
Was tired so I didn't get up til 9am. Headed to Tom's.
Took the subway down to 72nd. Saw The Dakota again and managed to get a photo of the Imagine mosaic this time. Loved going through Central Park. Saw Bethesda Fountain, the bridge, lake. All the great things. Weather is/was brilliant so the autumn colours looked great.
After and hour and a half I had to make my way back to meet Jim. E77 is much fancier than its western equivalent. Subwayed up to 110 and walked through Harlem to Cen Park.
Written 14-11-06
Later that day I waited for Jim in the cafe shop. His flight had been delayed. Simon was on the bus from JFK so he was to be [no idea what this is supposed to mean].
At least 2 hours. Jim and I went for a walk south, several blocks before talking a walk through Central Park. Simon was, understandably very tired. The three of us had a couple of drinks in a nearby Irish Bar with the notion of heading to the Mercury Lounge to see Micah P Hinson. Jim and I set off to see it. We couldn't make it in the end due to time and not remembering where the hell it was. MacDonald's for tea! We had a few drinks in Malin's bar and another nearby. Taxi home. Asked for ID! O'Conners? Water? [I think I'm asking myself if this was the night that Jim was tired and drank water].
The next day we all had brunch in Tom's (Lumberjacks all round) before heading down to Greenwich Village. We took an improvised walking tour. The Whits browsed a chess shop. Boring! I bought a few things in a record store. Being literary types we sought out Dylan Thomas's last drinking place. It could have been ours as we has more and more to drink.
That evening [I've also written "wrong day" next to this] we ate at Harry's, a respectable restaurant. We all had the New York Strip Steak. It was huge, like an animal's leg. We spoke to the woman on the next table who was a costume lady for TV and theater [sic]. She had a reference from Angela Lansbury. The three of us went to the Underground bar where we stayed til the early hours of the morning. Whisky and Coke for my cold. Unwell the next day.
The next day...
Didn't get up til 12. We walked all the way down Central Park. Round the Great Lake + running track. We then did shopping in midtown. We spent the evening in an Irish Bar named The Abbey where we also ate.
At some point on the 12 we explored SoHo and the East Village. Stopped and ate on St Marks Place. Saw CBGBs. Adidas shop. Levis store.
And that's where it ends quite prematurely. I still had a few days to go after that but didn't write them up. There's nothing of note in any emails I sent either.
Posts
1 comment:
That's a great read.
Post a Comment