a big bite

tuesday, august 10th

00.15
i came back to the hotel from starbucks, and typed out my previous post. i rested until my mum arrived - how strange to meet in a different country! i may have expressed similar sentiment in 2006 :P

we went right back to starbucks after she unpacked so that we could sort out some emails before they closed [i can't get used to the idea that coffee shops in new york close relatively early]. from there we waltzed up to times square, stopping and gawking at various places (especially bryant park - huge crowd watching a movie) and chatting non-stop.

we picked up a sandwich and some drinks, then strolled back past grand central - very impressive at night.

now that i'm post-shower, i'm contemplating crashing.

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wednesday, august 11th

almost 2am
i have learned a lesson in humility today - these new yorkers are made of tough stuff. not only physically - i'm broken and exhausted and spent most of the ride seriously straining and the second half with my legs and ankles in agony* - but also mentally. we rode through harlem and the bronx and some of the kids didn't take too kindly to white folk passing through their territory.

thrown bottles can be hazardous to one's health.

* when my right thigh locked up in the middle of the bronx, i was informed that i could carry my blades and take the subway back to manhattan barefoot in the middle of the night. uh, huh...

after a bath (i *really* needed it) and force-feeding myself a good post-workout dinner, i'm ready to document the day and sleep like a baby.

...
we thought we'd gotten an early start this morning, but it definitely wasn't early enough. i found myself agitated for most of it. that mild irritation / stress was not helped by the metro machines giving me a hard time, completing the deal by charging my account $27 without producing a card.

i was pissed. that *HAD* to happen to me, right? right.

we got to the staten island ferry, but couldn't make heads or tails of it. we walked to the ellis island ferry, but we weren't prepared to wait three hours for the ride.

instead, we visited the horse nation exhibit at the national museum of the american indian, which was quite interesting. we stopped for breakfast at some arbitrary place on broad street, then walked wall street to south.

"bodies" was on show at the museum - *well* worth the entrance fee. that's one hell of an exhibit!

we sought a beard trimmer on the way back to the subway, but had reservations about what we found. i returned it to the shelf, and we continued to 72nd to visit the skate shop.

almost as soon as we got off the subway, we found a mom & pop's hardware store that sells the ideal trimmer - score! we found the skate shop without any problems, and after trying on no less than four pairs of blades i was ready to rent.

we went on a really funky mission to find a reflective band for the night riding, which brought us to a place called the shake shack - awesome food, good prices and excellent vibe!

we walked and talked through central park - incredible! - before emerging next to the apple store. that store sees a lot of people.
my mom got to see the ipad in action, and then it was time (past time) to head back to the hotel, stopping at the h&m for socks on the way because my mother was horrified when i exposed my holey ones while trying on blades :P

i thought i'd have time for a cup of coffee before leaving to meet the group, but i was so busy trimming my beard and having a quick shower that that didn't happen.

...
full respect to the city of new york - blading in the street is legit, and it feels safe. also, most of the roads (bar harlem and most of the bronx) are smooth ^_^

gliding down madison, through harlem and washington heights and then over what i suspect was one of the northern-most bridges, down past the yankee stadium and along the grand concourse most of the way back to whichever re-entry point to manhattan let us roll over into 5th avenue, and down that until i eventually got back home: that was one hell of a way to meet and greet the city!

the people in the group are really decent folk, and as much as it pained me i am *really* glad that i didn't choose the easier social group (so-called because unlike tonight, one can breathe enough to chat).

i feel like i earned a merit badge tonight.

---
13.45

we woke up early this morning to subway switch to the ferry, and spent the rest of it being fascinated by the giant green lady* and touring the immigration museum (stay away from the canteen!). now siesta, then busy again...

* one of the guys in the group shared an amusing experience: he was standing in the crown when it was opened, and couldn't help himself:
"hey guys! we're in a woman's head! can you hear that? can you hear what she's thinking?
'i wonder if wearing green makes me look fat?'" - apparently some of the other visitors weren't too impressed :P

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11-ish (not concentrating, too tired)
we learned about buses today, after dropping off laundry and returning the blades. i learned about godiva chocolate before we went through the picasso exhibit at the metropolitan museum of art - *DAMN*. i found most of it absolutely stunning.
rodin's works are fantastic too, and we milled about until closing time.

the mime show outside was fairly amusing.

we strolled to the park, walking past a girl i think was in the preparation for the officer's course with me - i didn't really feel the need to speak to her. i think we passed each other again much later: weird.

the tickets were $10 more than i'd expected, but i was fortunate enough to bump into someone willing to part with one for half price - sweet! the concert was AWESOME. it was fantastic being there with my mum (who lasted three hours), and we both thoroughly enjoyed mixing with the crowd - so that's where all the new york hippies went? groovy!

the music was absolutely amazing! jackie green and gov't mule are now both officially on my list of favourites.

my legs were sore, though, and we were both exhausted. we left after experiencing the most beautiful and touching rendition of working class hero. we walked up and down the streets on the way home until we eventually stopped in at a "gourmet deli" (not the best deli ever) after i was accosted by an aspiring musician (or con artist, we'll see).

i definitely need to sleep.