New York - The Day after Sandy

We went to New York and it was shut.

This can be the official subtitle of the day. The storm had certainly caused some damage and it was still blowing a hooley when we went to our now local breakfast haunt, The Happy Days diner. The real downside was that all the bridges and tunnels were still shut and therefore cutting us off from Manhatten.

Breakfast done and back to the hotel. Then the news that everyone was waiting for, Brooklyn Bridge had reopened. Charge! A mass exodus from the hotels started. We were lucky to pinch 2 of the first cabs heading over the water.

Now all we had to do was meet up with the other 4 travellers from Stanwick. As it happens they were quite pleased to see us.

The rest of the day was spent exploring NY. 5th Avenue, Empire State building, Central Park, Macys, Times Square. All had a common theme - they were shut! Here are a few pics.

This is SAKS 5th Avenue, one of the most iconic stores in the world. In my opinion a total over-reaction to the storm bearing in mind where they are located in NY. It just looks as though they have gone bust. No other store took these measures.

Once again a good traditional Irish Bar came to the rescue for lunchtime refreshments. This is where I will leave the story for the moment. The evening's activities shall be in a new post.

PS This is the droopy crane you may have seen on the news. Bizarrely the steak restaurant we had booked before we left the UK was right beneath this. Needless to say our reservations had been cancelled!

New York - Sandy's Day and Night

So our first day in New York full of excitement and anticipation. This is what we woke up to.

We were not going to get put off by this. We have all experience a blustery day at Skeggie in the past; this cannot be any worse. Off we set in search if traditional American diner for breakfast. Oh did we strike lucky - Happy Days diner, only one of two places open in the whole neighbourhood.

Nicely fuelled with eggs over easy on corned beef hash and unlimited corfeee. We wondered what we could do in a city that was shut, the rain going sideways and enough wind to blow the skin off Mrs CT's rice pudding. Luckily the locals are very helpful & Victor the teacher gave us a list of his favourite bars & restaurants.

A walk down to the end of the street to Brooklyn Promenade is the closest we are going to get to Manhatten & The Statue of Liberty.

Nothing else to do but head to the nearest Irish Bar to drown our sorrows. Girls drinking chocolate martinis. At least that will give us some peace this afternoon.

The boys left one hour later just as all hell let loose. Some of these photos are messing about but some are real. The wind nearly took Mr B from us and blew him down the subway.

We are in for a very bumpy ride. Hold onto everything folks - here comes Sandy.

New York City - Outbound

So the intrepid 6 set off from Stanwick to catch VS45 from Heathow to JFK. 2 drove to some friends in Essex because they didn't want to pay for parking and the other 4 went straight to Long Term T3

I even had the car cleaned inside and out for the occasion.

So far so good. Then apparent disaster. There had been an aircraft change which meant our pre booked seats had gone! As the nice lady at Upper Class check in had nothing to do we were ask to go there for new boarding passes.

Then joy! A quick exchange of coded speech between a smartly dressed young man and checkin brought a smile to her face and subsequently ours. We are to be upgraded to Upper Class, a £3,000 ticket. Whoop whoop

This meant beds instead of seats, champagne and fine dining all the way.

After lunch and many glasses of win, the situation got the better of the ladies so Steve & I made their beds and retreated to the bar. Yes beds & bar

So now we are just 40 mins from JFK with more exciting things to do and see. As for the remaining 2 in goat class, I am not sure that we will see them again!

New York, New York

So good they named it twice so they say............not so sure about next week however.

Well I hope so as 10 of us from Stanwick will be there as from tomorrow. Talk about flying into the eye of a storm. We are supposed to fly back on Thursday - what are the chances?

Allegedly due to hit on Wednesday, Sandy the Hurricane is to meet another storm rolling in from the west to create Frankenstorm! and we thought the British press were bad.

From the next picture, the outlook is bleak. Oh well just have to frequent a few more bars (and shops for the ladies).

Live for 50 years - done! Live another 50 - starts today

Today is not so much my 50th Birthday but more the start of the second 50 years that I plan to be around. There are too many things not yet done, places not yet visited and events not yet attended.

Do I feel 50? In body, yes, joints in particular. Mentally, no, I am still enjoying life in my late twenties!

Lots of cards received which I have not yet opened, apart from the above which came via email from my lovely colleagues in Germany.

At present I am on a train to London to attend NAIDEX, an exhibition for items to help all sorts of people get through life. A few of these are going to be useful over the next 10 years as my knee finally gives up.

Travelling first class of course, well it is my birthday!

Later on I think Mrs CT is taking me out to dinner somewhere in London which means I will be staying over at our London flat (just off Kennsington High St don't you know)!

Hopefully will include an obscenely large rare steak and a bottle of excellent red.

Keep reading for further updates!

Menorca 2012 Day 13 - Pomada & Rain

The clue is in the title. Pomada. The local drink made from Menorcan Gin and real lemonade. It is very refreshing and somewhat alcoholic.

Nothing else to say! (apart from I know a group of girls who would love it. Beats peach schnapps any day).

Oh and it rained (and rained and rained)!

It will be the choice of refreshment at Courtman Road for the rest of the year. We have a litre of the gin in the case. Waitrose can supply the lemonade

Menorca 2012 Day 12 - The Road to Nowhere, Socks & Intestinal Gas

Well our second Sunday arrives. So what do we usually do on a Sunday morning? (keep it clean please Mrs Beeney, I am referring to 9am and not 8am). We go on a 5 mile walk of course. As the weather has cooled slightly we decided that we would partake. So off we set on the road to nowhere across the cliff tops without maps or any real knowledge of destination.

The walking was certainly a little tougher than we are used to around Stanwick Lakes. The inclines were rocky and steep and the declines, which are tougher on the legs, the same. The scenery however was spectacular.

After 50 mins of walking and finding nothing but trees, fantastic views and the odd fellow weary traveller, we decided to head back. The estimate was that we had travelled at least 5km and including the ups and downs this would convert quite happily into 5 miles.

So back to the hotel for relaxation in the lovely spa area and onwards into siesta land. An evenings entertainment was planned. As usual I was first down to the bar (whilst Mrs CT was applying all those potions and ointments that you ladies swear by) and was met by one of those peculiar British traditions of the over 60's - sandals and long socks. Please, if anyone ever sees me doing this you have permission to shoot!

The poster for that night's entertainment also intrigued me. Flamenco or just a young lady lighting her own f@rts? (yes, so from the blog title you thought I was going to talk about my own bottom fuelled misdemeanours - no chance!).

The 3 ladies that did eventually appear we're nothing like the photograph. I demanded my money back :)

Menorca 2012 Day 11 - Mahon, Gin & Boats

Today was our one and only venture beyond the confines of Cala Galdana. Onwards towards the island's capital, Mahon. A few interesting facts-
1) the 2nd largest natural deep water port in the world. Only beaten by Pearl Habour.
2) named by the Romans as the minor island in the Balearics (Menorca) as opposed to the major island (Majorca).
3) Nelson docked his fleet here twice

Anyway, our trip was to include a visit to the gin distillery (as mentioned in a previous blog), a sail around the harbour and shopping time! So that's 2 out of the 3 on Mrs CT's approved list.

Here we are at the gin distillery where not only do they make the neat stuff to have with tonic or real lemonade (pomada) but also 17 gin based liqueurs. We were invited to taste them all and tried our best to. At this point I must tell you that is only 8.45 in the morning! Great start to the day.

Definitely a game for all the family including this 11 year old lad learning his trade early. A chugging champion of the future (what do you reckon Misses JB, LC & LR ?).

Note - I got reminded on a couple of occasions by you know who, that the boy's mother was off limits!

Next up, a one hour cruise around the harbour in the motorised catamaran, the Don Joan.........

.......or in our case not. Mrs CT does not do boats of any description since our infamous disembarkation halfway through a sunset cruise in the north east of Cyprus after she had threatened the captain that she would jump otherwise.

This proved to be the correct decision. Today the sun had done a disappearing act to be replaced by clouds and a very strong northerly wind. When our fellow passengers returned to the coach they were all complaining of frost-bite and wind burn! This included the 2 Danish girls from our hotel who I was not allowed to take a picture of.

TOP TIP #2 - Mahon is not Palma. The shopping is very disappointing.

When we returned to resort at lunch time we went on a Sangria fuelled bar crawl around town. Hence the lateness of this blog.