May 2007

Walked from Midtown New York yesterday to East Village. Went to a mad bar that has been in New York since 1854 & they have not changed it since. They only have two types of beer on draft - light or dark and they serve it in old half pint mugs & you get two whether you want them or not! I tried the light & the dark - both excellent. They have the beer barrels outside on the street and even still have the sawdust on the wooden floor.

Then went onto a bar where they have 300 beers from around the world. Met some great people yesterday in this bar. Met up with a Canadian guy & his wife originally from New York & a guy from Chicagco who was originally Swansea whos grandad comes from Solihull! - he now lives in Chicago with his girlfriend who he was with also. Great people, we all ended up going for a few beers & then ended up going for a curry afterwards! We had a small fahal taster also - not as hot as at home!

Shared a cab with them back to Midtown & then I went back about 11.00 to hotel & then catched the last lift up the Empire State which is only around the corner from my hotel, for some last minute photos & then went to a good bar around the corner for a night cap. Had a great last evening in a great town! But, onto another today - yes by this evening I will be rockin with the king in the south - bring on Memphis, rock & roll and the blues!!!!

Yes I know I am behind on this blog- it is now day 4 & my first update. In the city that never sleeps, you have to remember to sleep also - but it is difficult with such great nightlife. Flight from Heathrow went smoothly - have no jet lag. Hotel is just off 5th avenue 2 blocks from Empire State Building & 4 from Times Sq. On my first night went to an Irish bar & met a load of people. Then went up to Times Sq.

Day Two - went on bus tour around NY & took 175 photos - mostly of skyscrapers - I don't know what they house or anything but they are big & we don't have them in Brum! Went to a bar then in the evening has a rooftop bar- overlooks the whole of Manhattan for $9 a pint. But well worth the price for the view.
Day 3 - (yesterday) got a new memory card for my camera ! & then went around town & then went on the NY helicopter tour - amazing - flew around the Statue Of Liberty twice & then flew past Manhattan skyline - some great photos - of which I still have to find somewhere where I can upload them onto this site! Last night went to a bar in Uptown as the waitress from the rooftop bar the previous night worked there - got a free drink from her and beat people on the pool table 5-0 ( and I thought I was bad!). They were all friendly but I moved on to see more of the nightlife. Decided to make a sharp exit then, so I headed down to the West Village went to about 4 bars, all of which had live music. Went to a bar where they had karoke (did not sing!) - I thought that it was a blues bar & was dissapointed not to see any live music in this bar. Little did I know when I walked out just over an hour later that the blues bar that I was looking for was in fact above! So I went to this blues bar & saw an amazing blues band that were playing for free. The guitarist & vocalist was excellent playing a BBKING signature guitar (I know I'm a geek) he sounded like BBKING. I couldn't believe that there was only 4 people in the club & that a band of this quality was playing for free. I chatted / bored them for a bit about my trip & love of the blues. Also I met a guy who was in there at the bar who actually plays harmonica with BBKING and other blues musicians that the readers of this blog probally won't know so I will not mention them! New York is an amazing town & really friendly people, but you have to tell yourself you cannot see everything in 4 days - so you have to make the most of the time here and remember to yourself that it may be the city that never sleeps - but you have to sometime! Out around town now (12.55 in the afternoon here) & one more night in New York. Then off to Memphis tomorrow!!!!! Further updates to follow!!!!

£6.95 for a breakfast consisting of a weetabix & a thimble of orange juice that you couldn't drown an ant in for breakfast at my hotel. 4 hours of people trying to sell me things i would never normally buy, but now seem strangely essential items - a bottle of whisky, a tie, a raffle ticket to win a sports car & a passport warmer. Yes, essential items. Roll on 2.00, for lift off!