Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Day 5- NY and Knitting Factories


The Brooklyn Bridge (A engineering wonder of the world apparently)



New London Fire at the Knitting Factory



Eating falafels in the parkJeanna, Dani, me)


Today I got to sleep in! Hooray! More then 5 hours sleep is so great! Then Jeanna and I drove to Hoboken (I like to call it Hobnobbin’) and took the PATH train ($1.50) into the city. We got off at the World Trade Centre Station which was under the World Trade Centre complex so now it looks like you are standing in the middle of a giant disused swimming pool. It wasn’t as eerie/moving as you think. However, on a temporary wall in the station big ‘signs’ were being put up. They were actually children’s drawings as tributes to their parents, the police and firefighters who lost their lives. A bit sad, had to leave before I welled up. It’s those types of stories that get me. Outside the station there is information about 9/11 and a timeline of that day. Apparently they are not going to put a park here as I thought. They are building a new tower called the “Freedom Tower’ which is aimed to be the tallest building in the world (1,776 feet tower plus 276 foot spire). Jeanna thinks they should paint a big target on it and I agree. I think it is disrespectful to those who lost their lives. A park would be more appropriate and rare in the financial district which would serve to remind people how fragile life is.

We walked along Wall Street and I saw the NY stock exchange (and a lot of security). We walked past the fish markets to the Brooklyn Bridge and walked to the middle. It is a very pretty bridge and the pedestrian foot way is on the upper level while the cars are on the bottom. Great views. We then met Jeanna's friend Dani, walked around 'TrIbeca' and went to the Knitting Factory (a club) to watch 'New London Fire' (Jeanna's friends). They were good! I told them if they ever tour Australia that I would show them around Melbourne. There is no smoking in clubs in NY and you can go in if you are under 21 because if you want to drink you show your ID at the door and get a stamp. Great Idea!

After, we walked through East Village, Greenwich Village to West Village. We bought falafels from a hole in the wall (voted best cheap eats) where a falafel pocket plus veg and dip is $2.oo and ate them at Washington Square Park while listening to live Jazz music by locals (these guys play every Tues night here and other nights of the week elsewhere.). That was really fun! In the park, rats were running across the path every so often and galloping in the grass, people were playing chess and park lamps were decorated with giant lampshades of different colours! Neat! Alive! We then took the PATH home.

The PATH station was still sweltering, it feels like it is raining in NY because leaking air conditioning condensation and when people take out their garbage here they literally take it out and set it on the street in garbage bags. So there is garbage all over the place! It is smelly too, a breath of fresh air is hard to find. But it has a strange appeal to it all! And I like it! Goodnight!

Quotes:

-New York...when civilization falls apart, remember, we were way ahead of you.
-
David Letterman

-No matter how many times I visit this great city I'm always struck by the same thing: a yellow taxi cab. - Scott Adams

-People say New Yorkers can't get along. Not true. I saw two New Yorkers, complete strangers, sharing a cab. One guy took the tires and the radio; the other guy took the engine -David Letterman

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey,
I think its scroogey donald trump that's building the freedom tower. If you see him, kick him in the balls for me. I would think a park would be the most conpassionate and dignified answer. They're just asking for another attack.
Crazy americans!
I sent you an email and I've downloaded msn. If you don't read it before you read this I'll make sure i'm online at 11am your time on the 1st of september. Let me know if it doesn't suit.
Ciao,
Lisa.

Mr David said...

Good point, although I'm sure that they just want to be defiant by rebuilding the tallest building in the world in spite of the attacks....

I love Dave Letterman... I'm hopefully going to go see him record his show at the Ed Sullivan Theatre when I go to NY..... Also I want to hang out in Times Square while they record the 'Today' show.

The dirty part with garbage and rats.. is that Brooklyn or Manhattan?

Love

Anonymous said...

hey love !!!

its peachie !! your peachie thats not so peachie.. everyone is at school and im home=[ yes i know "what !!! ur friends are in school and ur still on vacation ??!!" yes i know but its hard. im so sad but ive been writing in our little book thingy but i have too much its like a book and a half its horrible. can you please e-mail me at xxbeachbabyox@yahoo.com so i have urs becasue i dont have it. yes i know !!its bad. im still not over what you told me && im still in my tangeled mess w. mean ppl.. ugh im so dramatic. im so glad ur having fun and NY is somewhere ive always wanted to go..(even tho we have been b4) in the winter would be nice.ok well im so bored ill go paint my nails for the 6th time in the last 24 hrs. yes this is my life now..haha

p.s- my eye is better i go tomorrow to have it checked
p.s.s-im such a detective i found out so much dirt on ppl i just HAVE to tell you ! im going to explode
p.s.s.s-i slowed down for you like running around and yes all of that good stuff.
p.s.s.s.s-i got my earings for really cheap on e-bay !!! ahhh ! i was shaking i was so excited!

love you sooo much !!!
<33333

Anonymous said...

Very interesting!!!

I think that it is great that you have people who can show you around New York.

I does seem like a macho thing to build the tallest structure on the planet at ground zero! It becomes a new and improved target! It is kind of like when George Bush (the lessor) said "Bring it on", what a jerk!

Rats in the park. I think you better start to worry when the rats start playing chess. I heard that the rats have so much evolutionary pressure on them that the are positively becoming human in the big cites!!!!

Love Daddy

Anonymous said...

New york! New York!

Heh trust me to break out into song. NY sounds like a city anywhere else that has it good points and bad points.

I wonder how many people will actually go into the monstrosity they are planning once its done? There is an argument for "lightening doesn't strike the same palce twice" but i think think they are asking for it...

The clubs sound cool and of course i love the non smoking idea... just perfect! And you can get in even if you are underage, thats cool too!

Though i could probably live without the smell of garbage and the rats i'm sure there are worse places to be, eh?
Hugs
From EM