After a flight of 8.5 hours, due to strong headwinds, we finally made it to Newark. The queue for imigration looked daunting as usual but as it turned out only took 59 minutes :( After being photographed, giving fingerprints from both hands and a sample of bodily fluids, I was finally allowed into the good ol' US of A. Guys you really do need to relax a little.
The next, and final part of our journey would be by the iconic Yellow Cab. 5 litres of V8 gas guzzling inefficiency matched with a driver of undoubted skill bordering on lunacy. The speed he attained down 10th Avenue in and out of 5 lanes of traffic was truly admirable if not a little pant wetting scary!
The one real problem.........like most NYC cabs it STANK. An industrial dose of Febreeze would not of overcome the contents of the cloth seats and carpets. As for Fittapaldi at the wheel, I am sure that a lunch of fish tacos with chilli garlic sauce was not the best idea.
Anyway, we arrived at Novotel Times Square in one piece. A beautiful modern creation in a great location with stunning views. Our room on the 32nd floor kept the noise of the city at bay.
No time to waste, NYC beckoned. After checking out the location of our diner for tomorrow's breakfast, we wandered down Broadway into Times Square. Early Friday evening for the locals, 11pm for us in reality. The place was unsurprisingly heaving. We have come on this venture with a list of "must dos". One from Mrs CT is dinner at Bubba Gumps, a shrimp restaurant chain loosely based on the exploits of Forrest Gump from the film of the same name. Whilst the food is of okay quality, the theme, service and surroundings is A1.
Now full of shrimp and sauce and Brooklyn Lager the hotel beckoned. Mrs CT straight to bed, I to sample the bar which is to become my local for the next 4 nights. Great view down to Times Sq and some interesting bar compatriots. The New Yorkers will talk about anything and everything very loudly. Have some shame girls!
The one slight annoyance, due to their numbers and noise volume was the presence on their last night, of 200 sixteen year old girls from a Latin country which turned out later to be Brazil, on a school educational trip. If only I was 30 years younger! (Mrs CT please don't take offence, you are a beautiful English rose). Guys I have no pictures as it would not have been right to get my camera out and start snapping pics of a large group of long haired, tanned, jean filling schoolgirls! All I can say is that the World Cup this year should be good viewing.
Off to bed. Shopping tomorrow!! Laters.
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