My prejudices about New York tumbled today. First I sauntered casually to the little café to have some breakfast. Then I went for a walk around the block. I put all my valuables – passport, money, cards etc into the Hotel Safe. I decided that if I didn’t get mugged on my trip around the block, then I’d walk further. Of course nothing happened. The roads are all in rectangular blocks. I’m on 8th avenue (the avenues are long) on the corner of 34th Street (the streets are short). So I set off to find 5th avenue. Knowing that’s a main road. So, 8th avenue, 7th avenue. Where I expect to find 7th avenue I find a road that doesn’t follow the pattern (name-wise or parallel): BROADWAY!! Straight into my head “Give my regards to Broadway. Remember me to Harold Square”. I glance over – a little oasis in a park withseats and flowers - HERALD SQUARE. Not Harold!! (later to complete the sequence by going to 42nd Street - “My friends are there”.
So I keep going. 6th Avenue. 5th Avenue. One the corner some people are looking up in the air, with their cameras pointing. “Uh oh” I think. Don’t go there… I look up but I can’t see the top of the building. Then I see the sign “EMPIRE STATE BUILDING”. Corner of 5th Avenue and 34th Street. (later I realize I can see it from my corner. Even later I realize that the Ramada is in fact the “New Yorker”)
Having found it – albeit accidentally I decided to go up. Nothing’s free. Actually nothing’s cheap!! But – who knows how much I’ll travel and if I’ll ever get back here. I got on the queue, paid and then not long after we had to stand in a particular spot for a photo. At first I thought this was for security – but, of course, later it was transposed onto a picture of the building. Did I buy it? Of course. For that same reason. Yet it amuses me that I’m willing to collect – pay through the teeth for – photos of my fat self, imposed on some scenic backgrounds.
Later in the day I walked to 42nd Street – the Theatre District. Then the intersection of 42nd street and Broadway – Time’s Square! Afterwards I walked to 50th street to St Patrick’s Cathedral (which had a lovely little side altar dedicated to Elizabeth Ann Seton (the first US Saint) – which was a modern contrast to the traditional altar to St Jude. I lit 4 candles there – one each for M, E, L and K. Elizabeth Seton was a mother and a teacher. That seemed appropriate.
Nearby was the Rockerfeller Centre and Square with its Greek and Egyptian motifs. Wjich is turned into an ice-skating rink at Christmas. This sounds a bit tacky but it was classy and beautiful. So, despite my prejudices, my determination NOT to like New York, I had a great day. And IUlike it, despite the skyscrapers.
