New York City

In November, a few days after returning from Malaysia, I flew to New York.  It was the first of two visits, the second being early into 2001.

My first visit coincided with Thanksgiving weekend.  I was extremely jet-lagged as Malaysia was 13 hours ahead!  Newark Airport was just a bit crowded being Thanksgiving weekend, and Andy, who was waiting at the airport to meet me,  and I waited in the same arrivals hall for the same 2 hours, before finally meeting up!  

On Thanksgiving Thursday,  everywhere was closed - even McDonalds - everywhere except a Denny's Diner! 

My first visit to New York City.  I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive - all I knew about this city was what I'd seen on television...  In reality, my biggest problem was the cold.  Nothing to be scared of, except big rats!  

On my second visit to NY, it was snowing, although probably not as cold as it had been in November.  This time, I got to walk around Central Park, explore Times Square, although it's not quite the same during the day and also took the Amtrak up to Boston for a few days.  The biggest shock was coming out of a cinema in Times Square at midnight and finding the place deserted and everything closed.

Boston

If I said it wasn't cold, I'd be lying!  It took me a few days to get my bearings, but I took one of the Trolley Tours around the city and found out all sorts of interesting historical facts.  F.A.O. Schwarz in Boston (left) is where Knuckles the Bulldog caught my attention.  I fell in love with him, and although resisted buying him the first time we met, he made me smile every time I though of him - so I just had to go back for him! 

I stayed in a hostel - with one stroppy local on my first night, and another on my second night!  I did get the impression that the place was full of miserable people - including myself!  The remaining nights, I shared with some German girls.  Although I spent 5 years learning German at school, the only words I understood were 'es ist kalt'...  

I loved Boston Common and would have visited the 'Cheers' bar nearby if I hadn't been alone!  I think 'Wonderland' beach, near to Boston Airport is the first beach I've ever walked on with snow on it!

New York State

After an unbelievably cold, miserable few days in Boston, I returned to New York for my last few days.  This time I only waited for 1 hour on the train station platform for Andy.  I knew there was a reason he kept telling me to be patient!  To experience some real-life America, he took me to a girls' basketball match at his school.  Lots of over-enthusiastic parents!

We went north into the Catskills, and visited the snow covered Ashoken Reservior and the village of Phoenicia - really picturesque and the kind of scenery you'd expect to see in the movies!  I particularly remember President Roosevelt's House and museum.  A couple of weeks ago, I was in Thailand learning about what was happening during WW2 in Asia, in recent months I've also been in Germany, Poland and Russia, and now I'm in New York learning about the war involvement on the other side of the world at that time.  It's mind-boggling!

I never did get to climb the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building, or to have coffee in the 'Central Perk' coffee bar, but there will be other statues, other sky-scrapers (K.L.) and other coffee bars...

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