A very belated happy new year to you all. I hope you all had a nice time celebrating the dawn of 2016 and I wish you all a wonderful, happy and healthy year. I hope it brings you all peace and everything that you dream of.
Hubby and I have had an amazing few days. On Dec 28th we packed a bag each and set off for Gatwick airport where we caught a flight to JFK airport in New York! This was to be our first time in the city having only been to Florida on previous visits to the States. To say that we had a wonderful time would be an understatement. I really have difficulty finding the words to express the feelings that I experienced while I was there.
We were met at the airport by a pre booked driver who took us to our hotel in Times Square....yes, Times Square! Our payment card was declined by the driver but we thought little of it and went to reception to book in only to find that we had been dropped at the wrong hotel. We had to find our way along Broadway and across Times Square with our luggage and little clue of where we were going at 10pm but we did it. When we went to book in at reception we were told that our room booking had been cancelled due to an issue with our credit card. I was not a happy bunny. Where on earth were we going to find a room for 3 nights at such short notice...in Times Square....two days before New Years Eve?! Anyway, a room was found and we settled down for sleep before going to meet up with friends the following morning for breakfast. However, we went to the bar before bed where I had 2 gin and tonics and no recollection of anything else that night. I felt fine but I think the travelling and the stress contributed to my hazy recollection of the evening. On the plus side, I slept well!
The next morning we met with our friends who we were going to spend the next 2 days with before they flew home and we went on to Brooklyn. They had sussed out a great diner where we could get breakfast which was opposite Grand Central station so that's where we headed to.
It was the best!
We enjoyed a super breakfast and had a chat before visiting the station and then heading via the subway to The World Trade Centre memorial and museum. The weather was dull and overcast and it seemed as if everyone in New York had headed for the museum to get out of the drizzle. There were queues everywhere but no system so people were getting a little disgruntled at the lack of organisation. We decided to give the museum a miss but spend time at the memorial site which was very moving and everything that I expected it to be.
Then we walked down to the river and along to catch a ferry across to The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I couldn't quite get over seeing the statue in 'real life'! As for Ellis Island...I had no idea what it was about until I got there and I thought it was quite staggering. The records and information stored there about immigration over the years was incredible and I could have stayed there all day.
That evening we caught a cab to a club called Cafe Wha! which was recommended to us. I had put us on the 'guest list' so that we were guaranteed a seat but had no idea what to expect. The cab dropped us off but we were a little early so we were taken down to a club where we had a drink before heading back to Cafe Wha! where it was their funk and soul night.
We had to queue for a while before being allowed in and we went downstairs to a bar that was heaving with people. The ceiling was low and the walls and ceilings were painted black. The atmosphere was electric. We were sat in a booth and ordered food and drink. Then more and more people came in and our table of 4 became a table of 8. The place was packed to bursting point it seemed.
The house band took to the stage and they really were great. Their voices were superb and everyone was loving it. It's a sign of my age I think that I found the club claustrophobic. We were so tightly packed in there that I just felt a desperate need to get out which was a shame. Our food, when it came, was ok but one of us ordered fish which was not cooked properly when it arrived and was inedible. By the time we were able to get hold of the waiter to tell him we were all a bit past it. It had been a long day so we left at the interval and made our way back to the hotel.
Bright and early the next morning we met up with our friends again and headed off to the diner for breakfast where I had Brioche toast with bacon which was divine.
We set off for 5th Avenue and Central Park but came across a very large gathering of NYPD officers who were waiting for a funeral procession to come past. The funeral was of a NYPD officer who was serving in Afghanistan and who was killed by a suicide bomber earlier in the month. Police were coming from every direction and block after block was being shut to traffic so that the procession could take place without interruption. We waited for about an hour in the end and I am so glad that we did. To see such a show of strength and courage from the police in that city in particular was very powerful.
As the procession came closer to the church where the service was to be held we heard and then saw a band which was coming slowly up the avenue towards us. The band consisted only of drummers who played out a slow beat on their drums as they made their way past the crowd and the row upon row of police who were standing to attention as the hearse drew closer. Behind the drummers came what must have been at least 100 police motorbikes driving along with their lights flashing....
Then it was on to Central Park where were walked to the Dakota building where John Lennon was shot. I was disappointed to find that it was completely covered in scaffolding. We went back into the park and to Strawberry Fields where the Imagine memorial is. I was very, very moved by just being there and I have no idea why. I just felt that I was always meant to have visited that place. Being there made me cry.
We then set off to find a carriage ride which proved to be not as straightforward as you might imagine but which we all really enjoyed and then had a snack at the ice rink.
In the afternoon we went to see The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City. I had heard great reports but had no idea what to expect. I am here to tell you that it was quite brilliant! I don't have any pictures that do it any justice as photos and filming were not allowed but I don't think I have ever seen a production quite so perfect and magical. Suffice to say I was moved to tears again and completely overwhelmed by the experience.
After the show we went for dinner at a steak house called Uncle Jack's. It was fab and we loved it and it was decorated so beautifully for Christmas. That's all I can say about it. We just loved it.
That evening we walked back along 5th Avenue (I think!) and stopped and saw the fantastic light and music display at Saks which I had never heard of but which was amazing....
We had to say goodbye to our pals that night as they had an early flight home the next mornng. We, however, had an early morning trip to the Top of The Rock, the very top of the Rockefeller Plaza. We were amazingly lucky with the weather and the views from up there were spectacular.
After that we made our way back through an already packed Times Square. People were already queuing for entry to the pens where they would stand for 8 hours with a million other people to see in the New Year. I'm afraid it wouldn't be my idea of a fun night and I was relieved that we were leaving the city and the crowds that day and heading for Brooklyn for a night.
We were headed to Brooklyn for our last night to see Jimmy Buffett and his support act Huey Lewis and the News in the New Year's Eve gig. Hubby is a big Jimmy Buffett fan and he had been looking forward to the show for a long time. We checked into our hotel which was a little rough and ready and then made our way to the venue close by via a Mexican bar where we grabbed a pre show beer.
The show was great fun and we had a good night. Lots of singing along and dancing and no drunks to be seen. We saw in the New Year with part of the gig being shown live across USA as part of the televised celebrations and there were balloons and ticker tape aplenty.
We had a late flight home booked the following day which meant that we had most of our last day to have a look around Brooklyn. We walked to the bridge and I took far too many photos as usual.
We did attempt to get to Staten Island but were not able to get there due to a power out and a stalled train on the subway at the very station that we wanted to get to and so we gathered our belongings and made our way to JFK via the subway. We got there with a lot of time to spare and then found that our flight was delayed by 3 and a half hours so we had a very long wait but once on the plane our flight was good and we landed back in wet and windy Great Britain and were back at home by lunchtime.
What an experience we had! I will never forget it. So many memories. Great times with good friends. Sights and iconic images that I never thought that I would actually see were there in front of us.
Happy New Year folks!
xxxxxxx
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