Along the Broadway...

Back on track...

As a follow up to the NYC trip, here are some of the following days and adventures...
Tuesday, 28, 9:00 AM
Ring a ling aaaaaahh no just my ringing alarm, yes indeed short nights make long days. Waking up at my friend's boyfriends parents' apartment, some chat, a shower and breakfast....
After a few times, I called my friend back after studying the map and making my plans to visit the Big A. So new back up plan, another roommate who couldn't get his flight was still in NYC and I just had to pick up the keys to his girlfriends' apartment. In order to do so, get out from the building, turn right, cross the streets then left and wait at the M15 stop. Take the M 15 until 96th street, then take the M96 or 97 and go to amsterdam and broadway (4 stops after having crossed central park) then go to specific address, pick the keys up and then take the SUBWAY 2 or 3 downtown and HOME.
Therefore I left this place and these really nice people for the continuing story of Bungalow Bill oh no that's not right for Coleeny on the other side not of the Atlantic this time but the border ;)
As I did so, I met really nice people, had to give money to someone because I did not have time (yet) to buy a metrocard and went along the way. I started chatting with my bus neighbor and finally ended up getting the keys.
I then took the subway back home, walked down the streets, got to the apartments and by magic the three keys functioned and could finally settle.
I had a tea, a few moments of rest and then back on the pavements. So what was the plan this day??????
Well wandering around, familiarizing with the city its different side EAST/WEST and especially Times Square. I spent a while there taking pictures, feeling the NY atmosphere, visiting shops, getting advertisements about the shows... Then back walking in the streets, first toward the Chrysler building and then I realized mmmmmmm maybe I should start going some fancy place or crucial place: THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.

Getting there, we were warned 1:30 line before getting in... OK it's ok.... Well some hours later (something like 2:30) we were finally at the top ===========> wouah that's amazing, all these flashing lights, the stories about the buildings, the view, the immensity of the city (the city that never ends??? that never sleeps???) It was one of the best experience.
And not to be showing off, i took the special elevator (JK) went closer to heaven (if that exists) and reached 102, for another glimpse of what is NY. Reaching its peak (thanks to two kiddos who made the elevator functioning (not really but dreams are made of illusions) I was there with coconut and we both enjoyed the view offered. Take your time... because life is too short ;)

After a while I hit back the ground (no worries I did not jump, it's just figuratively speaking) and was back to reality... I just had a quiet night yeah still tired from all these upcoming crazy adventures along the trip and went back home (the line killed me too!!!!!!!!)

Wednesday early morning...
I took the subway, and stopped at Clark street and headed towards Brooklyn bridge wouah wouah wouah, Empire State of Mind playing on the I pod and yes I'm definitely in NYC. Took some snapshots, some shots of coconut (the famous monkey traveling all over every places it can go) and moved forward to other sightseeing... This one was moving and weird. Not necessarily for me or I don't how I feel about it but ground zero is weird... Now it's a construction field, and not having seen those towers for real I did not realize what was missing, I just knew but was nut affectionately attached. I was grieving but still did not quite catch the feeling... Ground zero is really another place...

After that I made my way towards Wall Street and their guardians armed as if we were all about to rob the place like this sure, my camera is in fact really dangerous it takes pictures of the architecture and security facilities JK, no this is a place you may want to see but not the most exhilarating!!!!!!!
Anyways after having been walking all over this part of town I headed back to the west side and was willing to go to the AMNH (American Museum of Natural History). AHAHAHA funny story I thought i'd take one of the A or C ( I don't remember the letters for these ones and would get off at 81st mmm It would have been a good plan only if the subway or train had stopped there ;)
So I took another one back and stopped at columbus circle which actually was cool because then I could just walk through Central Park and then reach  81st.

After this little walk I got in the museum and took my times to visit... Took my time to visit, visit and visit and visit... Yes there are a lot of things to see there sure is!!!!

After having been walking all day long just went back outside and hit the streets again just to wander around in NYC and times square (I would have gone to a show if: not alone and if I had find a not-too-expensive show) Anyways good times!!!!!!!!! I went toward the UN's building and just saw it from the outside yeah I was to late for the last visit hours (mmm like 3 hours, you sure you don't want to let me in... ;) Therefore I headed back to downtown (by that i mean 42nd Street and 5th). As I was there I went to the Grand Central Terminal (and not station, which is the name of the post office at the corner). I stayed there for a while taking pictures of people in transit (stuff I love) and read the history of the ceiling (being a reversed picture of the stars of our astrological constellation of something called like this) in fact you can see the different sign (like Aries, Taurus...) on the ceiling. Funny facts, first its upside down or not in the right way, then there's a whole in the ceiling that was not repaired because (I can't remember the date) but at some point they had a missile show there and had to make a whole for it so fit in there). There are stories about the clocks (the one in the middle and the one outside, designed for the outside one by a collaborative work with french artists). There's also a secret well guarded about how everything functions or how the train works there (it's a secret place that is not known....) This is it for Grand Central (there's also a nice market there ;)

Finally I headed back home and decided to conclude my day by a walk on Brooklyn Bridge by night ;)

These are not the so-much funny stories of visiting NYC but more are coming soon.

Up to now,

Coleeeeeny =======> OUT

Brooklyn Bridge, early morning

It deserved a High 5 or high V

Coconut

Ground Zero

Coconut in central park

The AMNH

Coconut at the AMNH

UN's building

Grand Central Terminal

In transit

In transit

SUBWAY

Brooklyn Bridge by night

The Empire State of Mind, The Big A

Sunday night, a long way to go, a freezing night in this bloody cold. Questions in my mind, answers dropped all over the road and on the way. Greyhound, Guelph 9.20 PM. All day long, I was looking at the weather forecast: plane/no plane???
Which decision is good?
Ultimately the One I made (ultimately it always happens to be the one you make that ends up being the good one). They always turn out to be the best. Anyways. There were a lot of doubts about this trip (but a lot of hope and faith in things to help sort things out). I was supposed to go to Buffalo and first realized I was going to Toronto and then Buffalo. Well it was not as clear as that, the drivers were really confusing some saying that they did not cross the border others saying that they were going to Buffalo but not the airport. Therefore, in Toronto I had two choices ahead, because of the weather and the high probabilities of being stranded in Buffalo:
1. Easy choice = going back home and losing the chance to have f****** awesome and legendary memories
2. Get on the bus, get this crazy trip done, figuring out how to get from one point to the other.

2nd choice validated. Even though that second choice was made, I still had to undergo all the trips adventures/misadventures. So first stop, custom, at the border. I was just waking up, half-heard what the driver said, heard something about some luggage, realized I had to get off the bus. Took some of my stuff and got out. As sleepy as I was I didn't get everything as the driver had said and had left my backpack inside the bus. I saw my luggage out, took it and went inside the customs office. Then, one of the officer came in, vigorously and threateningly asked: "Whose that bag" Mmm without even turning, no second doubt: "Oh, it's mine". The custom officer responding me as politely as a broomstick: "Didn't you hear that all luggage and bags had to be brought inside". I: "mmm no, I was sleepy". He then replied: "Do you have anything to declare (twice)"; "aaaah no some food and my laptop".
And there we were, I saw the guy, emptying my bag maybe mostly on a quest for some adventurous discoveries à la 24, but it turned out that I'm no drug dealer, no serial killer (or maybe, JK), no terrorist or whatever (maybe crazy). (He even X-rayed my mac to see if I didn't inadvertently set a bomb in it ;).
An then back in the bus a few minutes.
Buffalo Terminal.
From there, I had called a friend from my friend who lives there because I didn't know what to do of myself ;) I had heard that the airport did not take anyone, and was a bit afraid of what would happen...
Anyways I took a cab (all of this happening of course at 2.00 am in the morning) to the airport and slept there (AWESOME EXPERIENCE, A MUST DO) waiting for some answers and updates. I was waiting for the first counter to open and at something like 6 or 7 went there and asked the women what is possible in the world of flying realities. Not much, JFK was closed and was maybe supposed to reopen in the afternoon. I was therefore put on the waiting list (one which is as long as my intestines and even more ;) After a few times, I went back to the counter because the 4 PM flights were still canceled and an obnoxious and aggressive woman "welcomed" me "there are no planes today, nothing is flying today".
I was like yeah well I still need to figure out what I can do so can you please get the F*** out of my way so I can actually talk to the person at the counter. I had to figure if I would cancel/postpone or whatever.
I ended up at the counter and after the women introduced me to the reduced possibilities and high probabilities not to get a flight I decided to cancel them.
Ok, then wandering around, I found the greyhound desk (kind of) and asked about schedules or whatever. People were there and were supposed to take a bus to NY except that the Bus was not showing up and that they had heard they were completely full. Out of the blue I decided to get back to the terminal. Climb on the first bus to go downtown oooppss I only have a $20 bill and asked the driver, can you wait I'll get the change. He just said well get in (AWESOME)
After a long ride across Buffalo we got to the terminal where I bought my round trip for NY.

A long ride, with french people (mmm Lucky me (I'm being sarcastic there)) who didn't get of what the driver said so I had to translate everything with them (and here I'm prejudiced because they are from Paris). After 8 hours and 2 stops, Manhattan, NY, Port Authority Bus terminal 42nd and 8th Avenue.

Once there, I had to find a cab for Long Island, because long story short I had to pick up the keys for the place where I'd be staying! I was still with the french guys and we shared a cab (lucky me one of the driver agreed to take me up to Lond Island). I was chatting with my cab driver along the way and we talked about NY and the weather. He then got pissed because we had to get to a place (and cab drivers only know Manhattan by heart) and he didn't get the directions. We stopped and my friends came over. According to the driver they did not know how to explain the directions, from my point of view he just did not want to listen because I had the directions and I told him where to turn (which he did not). Anyways, got the keys, drove back to Brooklyn, street completely blocked by the snow = I had to finish walking there. I arrived at the place, nice building, get in, climbs the stairs and ................................................................. try to open the door. I'm saying try because I opened the only lock that was supposed to be locked but the door would not open. Yes indeed I was missing one of the keys for the door. Well it's ok, I'm just tired I can just sleep there... No, JK called my friend and we tried to figure out a back up plan.
Back up plan: go to the girl's boyfriend's parents in the upper east side (72nd/1st Avenue). I took a cab and got there: that is one of a fancy place. Awesome people (just to remind you it's something like 2.30 am in the morning), I got there and finally went to bed.

To conclude for this day =  A HELL OF A CRAZY AWESOME TRIP

The following story of NY will come soon


Coleeeeny out =========>

Baby-Sitter and Coconut ;)

Step up

NYC by night

Coconut at the Empire State Building (of Mind)