RTW Day 7: New York City

After a relatively painless 8 hour flight, I arrived in NYC. Customs was also easy and I found myself back on good old American soil. I love traveling, but setting foot in your own county is always nice, even if NYC is closer to London than Anchorage!

I took the subway to my hostel and felt good about having mass transport. But stepping back into the sunlight and being smothered with an oppressive, muggy heat I remembered it's the middle of the summer for some people.

The hostel was surprisingly nice, even though way overpriced for just a bed to sleep on.

I wasn't allowed to check in yet, but took a shower and stowed my luggage in a locked room with cameras. Then I took a subway to Manhattan and started my meandering journey up the city. First stop was the High Line, a park that cuts up the lower west side and is built up on an elevated train track that was never put into service.

After walking through the park I was starving, so I decided to get some pizza. On recommendation from the internets I selected Angelo's as it has history and looked good. I walked all the way across the city and had a blast people-watching, then I was rewarded with this beautiful mushroom pizza:

Next up was a walk through Central Park. Not only is it as huge as it seemed, there were hundreds of people on a Thursday afternoon and more ballparks, playgrounds and amusement parks than I could count. I walked past the Met and also through lots of arches and fountains. There was a girl singing in one plaza and her voice was as beautiful as any I've heard, and likewise a guy playing violin very well in an archway. Cool place.

After the walk I thought it would be cool to watch a show on Broadway. Instead of trying to find and choose a theater show I just went to the AMC Lincoln Square 13 and watched a cinema show. Huge theater with mezzanine levels and very nice looking. I was surprised by the quality and artistic effort put into the commercials, wow. There was also a commercial for a $9,000,000 house, go figure. After the movie everyone clapped, I don't understand that, but if it makes them feel good go for it!

Instead of taking the subway all the way back I walked down Broadway from 67th to 14th. Very fun. I forgot Times Square is on Broadway so I walked right through the middle. Packed on a Thursday night. In several places people were shooting spinning toys with bright lights way up in the air, it looked cool.

Eventually I got back to the hostel, fell asleep around midnight, and woke back up at 4 AM. The subway is eerie at 5 in the morning. Lots of strange people and rats in the tunnels, but not necessarily unsafe. Otherwise the morning was uneventful, and soon I was boarding for London. Cheers!