Boy in a Big Country: Explorations of New York City

City Sights

Near Times Square. I was supposed to wake up to do yoga here one morning, but sleep won. Times Square isn't as big as I expected and is very busy. This a good place to play the game 'try to get through without being handed anything' which is a game I am very good at.

The New York subway is full of interesting people. Aside from this sweet duo above I saw a woman carrying a doll's head covered in writing, a woman pacing up and down a carriage (which I soon left, not from fear but annoyance), and a guy performing poetry at 11PM who, after a cold reaction from the crowd (not myself) told them 'Ya'll need to lighten the hell up'. I also witnessed a brass band performing 'Problem' by Ariana Grande, got shouted at by a lady for wearing my backpack and got lost more times than I can remember or want to.

Yours truly at the Brooklyn Bridge. Half pedestrianised, half cycle path. At one point the footpath was blocked by a police car, so naturally people chose to go around it (this is not a bear hunt so we couldn't go through it) and therefore passed slightly into the cycle path. One cyclist did not like this one bit and started yelping 'BIKE PATH! BIKE PATH!' while wobbling around on his slow bike, not stopping to think 'maybe I should get off the bike for a moment'. What a nob.

Brooklyn Bridge without yours truly.

The name is right up there.

More of Grand Central. I went to the wrong train station at first (Penn Station) and I was pretty disappointed, thinking 'where is the roof!?'. I eventually found my way to the actual Grand Central Central and it is amazing. I couldn't capture the whole thing on my camera. I can't wait to visit again in the winter.

Guy singing Les Mis in the Duplex. This was just before I spilt my drink, after being told 'be careful' after almost spilling my drink. It WANTED to be spilled. The guy on the piano was the main singer and occasionally gave his vocal chords a rest (but not his fingers) while others sang. He described his singing style as 'cracked-out' which actually kind of summed it up. Nonethless he was really talented and I stuck around for about an hour, being lucky enough to hear him sing a favourite of mine, 'Wuthering Heights' by Kate Bush.

A lovely cuppa coffee.

From Central Park at night. After the New York Philharmonic Orchestra played and before the fireworks started.

The Lincoln Centre. Michael, who I'd met earlier that day, led me here and we looked around and watched some fans of the King and I waiting for the actors to come out and sign autographs. They never came... *sad face*

Ditmas Avenue, Brooklyn at dusk. This is the nice neighborhood where my uncle lives and where I stayed for my time in New York.

New York Public Library

This is a really beautiful building with lots of different rooms, many of which you are free to explore. It's also the library featured in The Day After Tomorrow.

Jake Gyllenhaal ran up and down these steps (perhaps while being pursued by wolves)

They have other exhibits too. This was an interesting exhibit about propaganda and the draft/conscription.

Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art

This museum was really great. It's a limited space so they swap out the exhibits fairly often and have no permanent collection. There are paintings, photographs, interactive exhibits (as seen below) and movies being shown (some more abstract than others is all I will say). On the way out stop by the shop next door to learn about 3D printable statues of yourself. No pressure to buy and the guy was willing to explain the whole process to me.

Swap Maggie for Dolly and we'll have a deal.

The helmet was telling me to listen to my heartbeat.

Coney Island Mermaid Parade

The Coney Island Mermaid Parade is an annual event celebrating the beginning of Summer. People dress up as mermaids, mythical sea creatures, non-mythical sea creatures and lots of stuff between and outside of the box.