Times Square

After a looong day of crosstown travelling there was finally my time to enjoy NY a little. I met midtown with Paul, who is a friend of a friend of mine from London. He also brought a friend, an 'origninal' New Yorker, that was great. We went for dinner in Times Square and I was absolutely splashed by the huge portions you get served. Salad- No problem! A bowl, that would sate a horse!

Drinks? No Problem! A half litre glas, refill ? most certainly!

everything is no Problem here! 

As long as you leave a tip!

Day Two-Finding the right place to stay

Thursday morning, 8am: I am struggeling having to hold back the sightseeing for another few days, and rather concentrate on finding a room to stay, before my internship starts on monday.

Craigslist.com the best place to find almost everything, from a bycylce to rooms. 

There are lots of posts each hour to choose from, distiguished between Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Islands. The agencys are a bit anoying, as they post the same ad every third line and all they probably offer is a non rewarded fee you have to donate.

I was kind of expecting the same amount of rent youd have to pay in London, but it is actually more expensive. However, the rooms are usually waaayyysss bigger (Box rooms, don't exist here), and living costs (travel, Food, Entertainment) is also cheaper.

I've spend a few hours searching the internet and calling up people, (its rediculous, you have to also pay if someone calls you on your mobile-bloody money-vamps)

After a few calls, I finally got two appointments the same day. Ive made my way downtown and its pretty interesting viewing apartments in a new city, coz you probably got to see places and neighbourhoods, you would not see otherwise.

I did felt a bit 'scared', when you see those big black vans, with all around toned windows and some underground hip-hop music grooming out of the slightly opened window. With a glance, you can gather some silhouettes of pretty rough looking people inside, starring at you with no expressions whatsoever.. just don't shoot please!

What is that all about? Is it real or just the media, that has ut into hour minds, some neighbourhoods might better be off avoided- for your own safety!

The guy from the apartment in  East 156th street explained to me the following:

'the neighbourhood has always been cool. Of course there is drug business, that's what keeps the area good and safe. 

They would not let anything happen here, and take good care. Their own street police, they are. If theres robbery, stabbing going on and the police will come, that will mean trouble to them. So don't worry, the area is cool!'

Well, if you say so!

Day One

Wow, the first breathe in New York City- the worlds capital, most cosmopolitan city!

Well, Actually: It Stinks!

Really, the air is sticky as hell, like a big smoke cloud that flashes your little skinhair, just like when you open the oven, after 30 min of heating...

whether its the Hudson river or the canalisation, I am not sure, but it smells like algea water, a sea that's been dissed because of pollution.

In addition to that the tonnes of emission from dirty cars and hundreds of yellow taxis cruising around like little insects.

The train downtown though is cool. Just like in the movies. Silver metallic, shiny, very distinctive! A few people sitting, looking cool just as the kind temperature in them. (London should take an example!!!)

People are indeed very friendly, helping wherever they can. You get a helping hand with the 30kg luggage up and down the stairs, and a seat offered right away!

I immediately love it! 

Departure

New York, its there here right now. After half a year of thinking and dreaming about it, planning and organising everything- the day has finally come-The Departure in London Heathrow.

I was stopped at the aiport by to police men, who asked me a few questions regarding my journey. As I still had lots of time, we started a conversation about new, york, england, germany, cross country history etc...

After a while we crossed the movie Terminal with Tom Hanks, when the conversation suddenly turned real interesting.

For everyone who did not know: The movie is based on a real story that happend at a Parisian Airport- and even better: its happening life at Heathrow!

There a about a hundred people living at the airport. They go out daytimes, some of them take a shower before, some of them don't- , stay away and come 'home' in the night.

They know the airport inside out and always find some hidden places to sleep.

The police is not allowed to kick them out, as they would be convicted for murder if something would happen to them (hmm)

Indeed there was one man who had the guds to complain to the airport: " he had been biten by flews!" -which of course where his own!

One men in his 60s, was an architect with family- that was before his nervous breakdown and he found some new friends at Heathrow, too.