We arrived in New York yesterday evening. We stayed at a hotel near the airport on the first night - there had been a snow blizzard the day before we arrived, so there has been snow everywhere. It caused a fair number of delays with planes and trains etc, so we were lucky we arrived after they'd cleared the runway of snow. But the snow looks great - we love it. Its very light and fluffly, at least until traffic has run over it - then its grey mush.
We caught the subway (the 'A' as they call the particular line) into town this morning and moved to the hotel in Manhattan that Kerryn may have shown you on the list. It's basic, but its neat, clean and heated. When we go outside, Kerryn and I have been wearing thermal underware + clothes + jumper + jacket + scarf + gloves + beenie and have still been cold. Kerryn said I looked like 'a stupid elf' because of the way I'd arranged the beenie on my head. She pulled it down and folded the rim properly for me.
We've briefly seen one edge of Central Park, Times Square, Macy's department store, JC Penneys dept store, K Mart dept store, and countless other stores. We been touted by an African American beggar. He wanted $10 - Kerryn gave him $1 and he complained. I told him 'you get what you get mate and thats it'. He left us alone after that, but a family that had walked past and seen it happen warned us to avoid these beggars (very logical) because they can grab your wallet and run off with it. Fortunately that hasn't happened and we're wiser to it now.
Have listened to a grumpy old lady talk to her grumpy old husband in a strong New York accent; while we had lunch in one of those booth type restaurants like you see on Seinfeld. 'What family do you want to talk about, since you don't want to talk about mine?' she asked. 'I don't want to talk about any family,' he replied. 'You never want to talk. I'm sick of you. I come in here to spend time with you and you're wanting to start an arguement,' she replied. 'I'm trying to respond to your dialogue,' he said. 'No you're not - your spoiling for a fight. I've had enough - I'm not staying here for this - I'm leaving,' she announced. She put on her coat and stalked out, after muttering something about people what happens when people actually care about each other. He stayed there until he'd finished his meal, and then left without a sound. I wonder if they'll be sleeping under the same roof tonight?
We got sick of getting our feet wet in the partly melted grey mush snow at each street corner, so we went out shopping - I got a pair of waterproof shoes and she got boots. Both were very cheap compared to prices at home. Part of the way through, I sat (slumped) down onto a chair in Macy's as Kerryn circled around looking for her boots. An aged, respectable looking African American sat down next to me and we sympathised about the nature of wives when they enter department stores. It should be noted that Macy's is the largest department store in the world (so they say), and there is an enormous level of choice available.
'There's nothing that suits me here - let's go,' said Kerryn upon her return. 'What - you're telling me you can't find what you want in the largest department store in the world?' I laughed. 'There's nothing I like that actually feels comfortable for my feet,' she replied. We found some eventually, in a small store just near our hotel on West 77th Street.
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