Boston/NYC - Day Four

Jonatha drove us to the station and we managed to park nearby.Caught our train to NYC at 11:05 and waved bye bye to Jonathan and to Boston (Syl was at work ).
The 4 hour journey went by quite fast as we gazed out of the roomy carraige window at the passing scene- along the coast of Mass. and Conneticut.Passed fishing villages and holiday homes and yellow sandy beaches. We ate some interesting chunky sandwiches that Hazel bought at the station food court. The tuna and salad was nice but the goats cheese and slimey mushroom was rather disgusting!

Rhode Isalnd , Newport and New Rochelle. Names to conjure with. Jonathan said the journey would be rather dull but to us it all seemed fascinating.
Eventually we arrived at Penn. Station which was an underground hell hole and incredibly hot and sticky. Thankfully above ground it seemed much fresher and we hailed our first yellow NYC taxi to the hotel on 57th street.
The Holiday Inn turned out to be huge and we had a great room on the 15th floor though the view was just of another sky scaper opposite. We had a king size bed that about 5 people could sleep in. No bed for Archie though and we had to order a fold up one which was delivered later.

After unpacking we ventured out to Columbus Circle nearby and Central Park for an afternoon stroll. What a fantastic oasis in the middle of the city. It was packed full of people doing all kinds of running , walking, jogging, skateboading, buggy pushing, you name it- they were doing it! Playing baseball, having picnics, walking the dog (where do they keep all these big dogs?). It was good to get away from the noisy hub-bub of the streets.
Some great busker including Lenny Hoops who you can see in the YouTube stream at the side.
He was handing out hula hoops and teaching children and grown ups to hula hoop and then played the bongos, gong, shakers and trumpet. We bought a CD and DVD off him both of which are excellent.
Watched some baseball pitching and catching while a tramp nearby picked his scabs surrounded by his bags.
We moved to a safer spot when we realised he had Tourette's Syndrome. Stood on the same big boulders that the Beatles stood on for a photo shoot on their first historic visit to New York in the 60's.
Lots of people in rickshaws and horse drawn buggies. The strong smell of horse's douvres pervading the air.

We walked quite way and so it took ages to traipse back to the shops and resturants to find something to eat. Eventually found a cheap Italina Cafe that some pizza and pasta. I had a sickly tomato slop which was very oily.Hazel and Archie plumped for the Tuna Melts which came with crisps and half a gherking for some reason!
Not a great choice but it got better. back to the hotel for showers and watch some crappy TV prgrammes. 200 channels and nothing on! I shall never be rude about British TV ever again! Our favourite was the cartoon Network and Flapjack which was hilarious.