An Englishman in New York

Finally. Wondered if I would ever get here.

All the cliches are true. Yellow taxis and endless car horns, sidewalk characters and hosing down the shop fronts, old men in flat caps, the bustle of the city centre and the suburban shanty towns of sub-Amityville architecture on the drive from JFK, the zig zagging ever present fire escapes reminiscent of Rear Window -

This America is as it portrays itself in the movies. Wisecracking, dirty, edgy, fun, brash and colourful. And with rollerbladers en masse in Times Square, for some reason.

Met up with Josie (whose 26 hour flight from Bangkok via Dubai made our little 8 hour jump across the pond seem insignificant) and went to Ellen's Stardust Diner. Ok food and brilliant foot tapping entertainment from the singing waiters. Their roll of honour is that no less than fourteen have graduated to Broadway including one who is the female lead in Sister Act and the other male lead in Mama Mia.

Tired now - 3am on my body clock and been up since 4.45 am ... American Football in Central Park tomorrow ...

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