Day Two

Today we managed to leave earlier..... we left the hotel to 50th Street Station and caught the subway to Brooklyn.....dodgy area. We walked across the famous and very beautiful Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan. Roughly 1.8km walk - VERY COLD and windy but definitely worth it, from the bridge we could see Ellis Island and the statue of Liberty and the new 911 Memorial buildings. The bridge was build from 1869 to 1883 and it is in an amazing condition, there are numerous padlocks randomly placed along the bridge - we presume they are in honour of those locked in a relationship or those who jumped from the bridge and "unlocked their lives"...LOL

We then caught the subway to Statten Island Ferry Terminal, the ferry passed the amazing Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island - various other smaller islands before it docked at Statten Island. You then have to disembark and requeue to embark for the return journey. There are people dressed up and posing as the Statue of Liberty - Fatima "freaks" of note. Naid & Erin then decided to rather take the lift on the ferry than to stand in the queues to get down the stairs and then managed to go down one level too many which landed them in "hot water" as we could see them from the ferry but could not get to them!!! Luckily we managed to get the ferry staff to help them out and send them back safely to us!!!!!

Next was "Starbucks" for coffee's and hot chocies! amazing stuff!

Back on subway ... First day we did not have to use any cabs ... We visited Chinatown looking for bargains - what a let down definitely would not recommend this at all. Prices were not great and you are seriously harassed by the desperate street vendors and shop keepers. We then went across to Little Italy for pizza and a glass of wine! Again this could be done in midtown Manhatten but it was an enjoyable experience anyway.

The sun sets at 17h00 here in NYC so it is confusing as we left Little Italy and by the time we came out of subway it was dark and the NYC night atmosphere was back making it seem much later than 17h00.

New York is hectic, the subways are constantly full and it honestly leaves one wondering if anyone actually works here, or could there be this many tourists all at the same time. The constant noise, crowds, continues emergency sirens of ambulances or police or fire engines is mind blowing. We find the people here are unfriendly, cold and unhelpful to tourists. It gives you the impression that people live a very lonely and stressful life here. We have spent two days traveling amongst the locals and not using the usual hop on hop off buses or too many cabs etc as we wanted the girls to experience both sides!! The shopping is expensive for us poor South Africans at a rate of R8 something to the dollar.

We bid the "Big Apple" farewell tomorrow morning as we head off for Miami!!!!!