The weather was looking okay this morning, very hot, overcast and humid. You got the sense a storm was brewing and it has just arrived. The Empire State Building is a block away and I’m pretty sure it is acting as a lightning rod at this point because there is some very close by electrical activity going on. Before the rain set in I did a little bit of shopping, or at least looking through shops. I went into the big Macy’s, wasn’t that much there for me, but for an avid shopper that would be a dreamland. I only bought one thing, a microphone headset from Staples (equivalent of Office Works). In an effort to improve my poker play I am going to be screen recording and doing voiceovers of some of my play. I might post some of the videos on here, but I am not sure yet. Some beginner players might be able to learn something by watching me and family and friends may get an insight into how I go about my business. I’m also going to attempt to phone home over the internet later using the headset.

On a pristine Saturday morning I decided that I’d work up a bit of a sweat going for a run in Central Park and maybe see some parts that I missed the other day. There were masses of people walking, jogging, rollerblading and bike riding along the paths and roads. The roads were seemingly closed to motor vehicle traffic, which meant there was plenty of room to spread out. There were some people out there that were taking it very seriously. It was a super humid day and you really feel it while you are in the green surrounds of the park. I love it though, nothing makes me feel as good about myself as having the adrenaline flowing and sweat pouring.

My fitness has definitely declined while I’ve been here and I didn’t realize how much until I got deep into this run. My general pace is about 12km/ph and I ran for 50 minutes, so I must have done about 10km. It was a real battle though, the course was a bit more hilly than I’m used to, I guess that could have been it, but my legs started to cramp up like they never have before. In Boston I was getting some tightness, but this was actually restricting me. I think it may be related to my back, which is out of whack from the beds I’ve been sleeping on. I’ve actually pulled up fairly well from it; I think I benefited from warming up and cooling down on the long walk to and from the park.

I went back over my list of things to do in New York that I made before I left in Australia and I had listed down the Staten Island Ferry. On further research, a lot of places said it was THE best way to see the Statue of Liberty and not only that it’s free. I caught the subway down to Lower Manhattan again, the station is inside the ferry terminal so that was easy. The terminal was packed with people, but the Ferry is massive. Everyone wants to be on the right hand side of the boat on the way to Staten Island and the left on the way back because that is the side that Lady Liberty is on. Luckily, I managed to get prime position on the right side and a close up view as we toured past.

They do have tours that run to both Ellis Island and Liberty Island, but on the subway I met a New Yorker that said it’s not worth it, the SI Ferry is the best way. As we passed you could see the masses of people crammed onto the island and I was glad with my decision. Once on Staten Island, I had a little look around, but the place is pretty uneventful and a little seedy. I’m kicking myself though because I forgot to go and view the 9/11 memorial (Staten Island lost 700 people). The ferry also used to carry cars, but doesn’t anymore. Eleven people were killed in 2003 when in high winds the ferry captain passed out (painkiller related) at the wheel coming into dock. The ferry trip took about 25 minutes each way and was very well organized. Security was pretty high, only random bag inspections though, no scanning.

Central Park was really a pleasant surprise; I guess my expectations were lowered after Boston Common. The place is huge, so big in fact that I was there for a few hours and I wouldn’t have even seen half of it. It’s quite amazing that in the middle of such a densely population something of that magnitude could exist. I wish I was staying closer by, I would be running around that place everyday if I was. The pictures tell a lot of the story, so I don’t really know what else to say.

The beginning of the Empire State Building Observatory process is riddled with waiting and lines. First there is a line to get through the revolving door that takes you into the lobby (because you can only go through one at a time), then there is a line to go through security, then to buy tickets, then to get into the elevator, then once you are on the 80^th floor another queue to take either the stairs or another elevator to the 86^th floor. That was all expected though, I did plan on getting up a little earlier, but it wasn’t to be and I am on holiday after all. I bought a ticket that allowed me to hire a walkie talkie thing that you held to your ear while you were on the observation deck and a New York cab driver character tells you about what you are looking at, it was well worth it.

It was a relatively good day to be up there, a little hazy in the distance, but I’m pretty sure that would be a regular occurrence. The observation deck wasn’t as crowded as I thought it would be, you generally didn’t have to wait long to get to a front row position. The views were second to none, obviously and it was great to get an overall perspective of Manhattan. The audio commentary was informative on landmarks, the names of bridges, the origins of certain buildings and the intricacies of all the areas of Manhattan as well as the boroughs of New York City. I wouldn’t mind seeing it all at night again, but don’t think I could be bothered going through the whole lining up thing again.