New York – Part Three

Everywhere you look in New York you see buildings that seem to go up and up and never stop. Its easy, when surrounded by man made giants, to overlook the natural giants that have been there all the time.

In the heart of maybe the greatest city in the world, there is approximately 1.32 square miles of green grass, trees and lakes. We started our last full day in New York’s Central Park. Fortunately, there was no sign of clouds or David Blaine, the sun split the sky. First stop – The zoo! yes, 22 and 23 years old we may be, but there was still something awesome about polar bears up close. It seems even animals from across the world gather in New York.

We walked around the park for hours, and could have walked for hours more. It is simply vast. My favourite thing about it though was just before we left. Standing beside a baseball diamond, we got a good view. A very good view.

trees and skylines

It really felt like you were in the heart of the city. True, the name Central Park kind of gives that away, but its when you look around that you really feel  it. Buildings on every side of you. New York is, frankly, mental. This seems to be the place to relax. Everything in the city is reaching higher all the time, from people to buildings, but here its fine just to be on the ground.

Now, I’m totally going to advertise for TGI Fridays here. I had a steak. I had an awesome steak. We wanted something typically american for our last meal in american, and nothing said “USA!” quite like a large steak and pint of beer. We had no idea what to do after dinner, however. We thought as far as “go on the roof of the hotel” and then maybe move on. When we got there however, we met some guys from Toronto.

Every year, they do a guys trip somewhere, and this year was NY’s turn. They all had weekend names, and it took till the end of the night to learn their real ones. We talked most to a guy called Glenn (took a few hours to find that out). Turns out he has family in Aberdeen and has been to Scotland a few times.  I cant get over that actually. I go to a city with more people than my own country and find a canadian talking about the price of fish suppers. One of his friends, “charlie” had a few things in common with us too. Charlie had been to Japan for three years teaching – something people who know me will know I intend to do too. Craig got talking to him too, and it turns out they’re in the same profession.

We hung out with the guys for most of the night, went to dinner with them to an italian place where we were given a particularly potent shot called either Raffa or Rappa. Anyway, it is not an experience I’d wish on any man, woman or murderer. Steer clear. After dinner, most of the boys went down to the meat packing district, but Glenn decided to come with craig and I for a drink before heading back to the hotel. He told us about his life, his wife and children, what he does for a living, and how much he hates it when people think Canada is run by America. He tutored us in how to properly mimic a Canadian accent, and did a pretty good scottish one himself.

On getting back to the hotel, we decided on one last drink on the roof. It was around 12am at this point, and we’d been walking all day. Just started a bottle of beer, and I’m talking. I realise that craig isnt talking back,and find him on the right side of unconcious, still clutching his untouched beer, bottle upright. We were tired, and needed sleep. We said our goodnights to the city, and it said goodnight in return. It was gonna stay up for a while.

Goodnight