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And I keep on travelling... In November, a good week only after my England trip for Echo & The Bunnymen, I'm off to the USA for a long weekend to see Bauhaus during their new reunion tour.
As I have little experience with the USA while some of you may have: does anyone know where to find the best cultural sights of NYC, and where the hotels have best price-quality value?
I'm going for a long weekend only so I'll stick to NYC itself (too little time to go into the rest of the state)
I'm not to sure about hotels as ive been staying with family but i would reccomend you go to times square in manhattan lots of things to do and see
Bauhaus are performing just off Times Sq so that is a nice coincidence! The whole square will be full of Goths that evening :cool:
Any specific sight nearby I should see? (apart from of course the Empire State Building which is a must-see)
You can go on the 'Sex and the City' bus tour! :eek: :D
Love to go to Nu Yoik one day, the people seem class. Belfast has direct flights now with Continental which is good news! :D
I was there last year, amazing place. The Natural History museum is just outside the north east corner of central park, it's not far from Time Square, plus you get to walk through Central Park, fantastic spost. St Patrick's Cathederal is in that area too, bit further south than the Empire State though. Advice for visiting the Empire State Building, go as early as possible, there's queues for everything, to get into the first elevator, to get along the corridor to the second elevator, to get out onto the observation deck, anyway, you get the idea. If you've read the da Vinci Code, the headquarters of the Opus Dei is on Lexington Avenue, again not far from the ESB. To be honest, it's crap, it looks like everything else on the street, but anyone who's read the book will be well impressed that you've seen it.
I'd actuallysuggest going to the Empire State Building at abou 10.30 at night. its open until 11 and there's no queues that night. New York is preety much a living amusement park and there is ALWAYS something to do. Whatever you do make sur you wlk the brooklyn bridge, it has the best city views you'll ever see and its free.
Hotels are ridiculously pricey in Manhatten and yo'll be doing well to find a room for a small budget but searching the internet for hostels might throw up better results. I'd make ure you have something booked before you go and as New York is preety much always full of tourists
BTW get a free NYC guide here http://www.nycvisit.com/content/index.cfm?pagePkey=11
Nightmare!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerrit
Gerritt - head up to Harlem if you have an hour or two free on Saturday or Sunday daytime (do NOT go at night !).
I haven't been in New York since 1994, but I used to live in Harlem and assuming it hasn't changed that much then a stroll along the market stalls on Martin Luther King Boulevard (125th St) on a weekend is a uniquely interesting experience. Loads of interesting African and African American crafts, books, videos etc etc. Very interesting. Take the Blue (A?) and/or the Orange subway line up to 125th Street. Or alternatively, take the red line (sorry - can't remember the letters for them all !) to Riverside and 125th. That'll take you one block from the River, where the tomb of General Ulyssess S Grant is. Have a wee duke at that, and then head westwards along 125th from there.
You may stand out ever-so-slightly as a Goth though, so may want to consider that first (when I used to go up there I would literally be the only white guy for miles).
Sophie's Soul Food Diner is also on MLK Boulevard - a famous and excellent place for some food. The Appollo theatre is also there (where all the big black acts in New York have started out). If you've ever seen the film Malcom X, the Appollo is in there quite a bit.
If you walk from West to East, after a while you'll get into Spanish Harlem, which isn't as interesting or as safe (in my recollection).
This is one trip that you won't find on any tourist map, but as long as thiongs haven't changed since I was there it'll be well worth it. (If anything's changed, I believe Harlem is more safer these days).
Manhatten hotels are pricey. One of the most reasonable is the Milford Plaza neas Times Square, a big hotel over 1000 rooms, but about $200 a night a room. If you are on a budget a hostel is the answer. There is one called The Wanderers Inn on the east side, not far from Harlem. Last year it was about $30 a night, including breakfast, for bed in a dorm. They have some double/twin rooms but you have to pay for both berths $60 a night. If you are after a hostel try www.hostelnewyork.comQuote:
Originally Posted by Gerrit
I'm just back from new york and i took one of them tours on the buses. I found it a lot better than walking and i found it interesting. Takes you to ground zero, brooklyn, empire state building, chinatown times square etc, etc. Prices are around $40 but well worth it. Takes about 2 and a half hours.