Saturday 6th October 2018 (updated)

We woke at half five, I mean we had gone to bed at eight the day before, so that amount to quite some sleep. All we wanted was a shower, breakfast and a huge city to explore. Just as well, as that is what the day had on offer.

It is impossible to stress the huge possibilities that New York has to offer, and even if we were to be here for 5 days, that was nowhere near enough time to see it all, but really, what was it we, or I, wanted to see first. The answer is a film poster, Once Upon a Time in America.

At seven in the morning, the city had yet to wake up, the streets were oddly quiet, and lined with piles of trash bags waiting to be collected. We go to the City of London regularly and are always surprised to find the streets there empty, just just 12 hours before, these streets were choked with traffic, and now there was none.Nowhere seemed to be open, but we walked south along a cobbled street until we saw the bright lights of a 24 hour day café/restaurant.

We went in and ordered lots of food; a smoothie, a huge coffee and an everything bagel with cream cheese. Service was great and swift, and soon we were eating and drinking, the coffee putting lots of energy into our legs. Which was just as well!

We cut across the main streets of Lower Manhattan, including Broadway, past City Hall, and with stunning view up and down each street, and everyone a wonderful photographic opportunity. To the south there was the Woolworth Building, enduring here even though the brand and shops are now history, at least back home. Until we came to the approach roads to the Brooklyn Bridge. Could we find the way to the footway as half the roads around it seemed to be closed?

Yes we could, up some steps and onto the footway that runs between the two carriageways of traffic, up walking on concrete until the bridge for real starts, at which point the walkway is of wood. At first it wasn’t too busy, but there were groups of folks following a guide holding an umbrella or something, and they blocked the views, or were talking selfies with their I pads. I mean, everyone’s a photographer these days. I suppose we should have come earlier in the day, before breakfast, maybe. But here we are. Selfie sticks should be banned though. And selfies.

I get shots, so of them with people in, so I try to get shots with as few folks in, then we carry on over the bridge into Brooklyn to visit an area called DUMBO, Down Under Brooklyn something Underpass. It was here I hoped to find the shot of what I thought was the Brooklyn Bridge, but turned out to be the Manhattan Bridge, and I wasn’t the only one with the idea of snapping the scene, as two photographers had set up tripods on the crossing.

Walking off the bridge we hear the sound of sirens, and I see a huge American Fire engine, I hope that it will come onto the bridge past us, but it vanishes on a road under the bridge. But that turned out to be an onramp for the bridge, and there it is in the distance, lights going and siren blaring.

Turns out it was the same engine, number 13, that was photographed in the same place on that fateful day in September 2001. I get it too as it speeds by.

We follow the path down some steps, then down beside a cobbled streets; I had no idea where the view was, even if it was here or in another borough. But then we walk round a bend and the view opens out. We had found it. On the first morning in the city.

I got my shots handheld, then we set about looking for a place to have coffee as we had already done 8,000 steps that day. We ended up having a coffee and a slice of cake, having our cake and eating it, in a corner store in DUMBO, we ate and drunk that, then I went out to take a clearer shot of the bridge, but found half of New York were there trying to get the same shot.

We flagged down a cab and told him to take us to Chinatown, I mean we could have walked, but would have tired ourselves out. We had already done over ten thousand steps, so its not as if we were being lazy. So, for eight bucks we could tried in a clapped out cab, back over the bridge back onto Manhattan.

He dumped us on the side of the road on the edge of Chinatown, not before running over the foot of a jaywalker who was quite irate. All made for more excitement.

Chinatown was a bit of a disappointment, all along main roads, and the sidewalks clogged with tat stalls and people trying to swindle us, so We walked on to Little Italy. Or tried to find it. To be honest getting oriented was becoming a little problematic.

Although there were signs pointing to Little Italy, saying where it started was impossible to say, other that we noticed after a while that the roadsigns were in English and Italian.

We wandered around some, not really looking for anything, just somewhere nice to photograph. But Jools needed the restroom, and there were no public ones, meaning having to go in a place to buy food or drink and using theirs. There was a Sicilian pizza and ice cream parlour, and went in with the idea of having ice cream,, but the pizza looked so good we had a slice each and a drink.

We wandered round some more until we came to a bar, and to rest our weary feet we went in to have a frosty one and for me to watch the college game.

A glass of Delirium followed by a pumpkin ale and I was feeling the effects, so the plan was to walk back to the hotel for a snooze, but on our return we found the room had not been made up, so I am writing this from the rooftop bar where there is no one else while the maids tackle our room.

I must write about the bar. It is for hipsters and they queue up to get in, but the prices they charge; $400 for a bottle of bog-standard whiskey that cots fifty quid back home. In fact the whole city seems to be ripping everyone off, must be the taxes, as drinks seems to cost seven bucks a pint, or ten if you have Belgian.

We went back down to our room, and as Jools took 40 winks, I watched a college football game, while outside darkness fell.

It was eight before we thought about dinner, and it was a ten minute walk to Little Italy, so that’s where we wandered. The city was a little calmer after dark, at least the traffic was, though they still knew where their horns are.

We ended up back at the bar where we had an afternoon swifter, we ordered burgers and fries and me some local IPA. We could not see the Yankees - Red Sox game, but once we had eaten we went through and sat at the bar to watch the game. Or I did. The went down easily, another IPA and another glass of Delirium.

The Yankees cruised to a 6-2 win to level the series, damn it.

We walked back to the hotel, my feet knew the way, and in my head I was singing Walk on the Side; another NY tune.