In My Life

Yesterday was a bit of a lost day because of the rain – we were in the city centre but we kept being thwarted from finding what we were looking for or being unable to go where we wanted. All of us are agreed, we don’t want to go back there again.
But today we had a plan and we did everything we wanted. We started with breakfast at our hotel (The Milburn on 76th West and Broadway), a walk across to and a tour of the NY Historical museum, followed by a walk through Central Park, and a visit to the Met (Art Museum). We didn’t row a boat or ride a bike but we got some idea of the vastness and beauty of this park.
Then we got a bus to SoHo in the East Village where Hannah visited a contributor to her magazine and did some shopping. By evening we were starving and elected to eat a huge pizza dinner at Lomardi’s (now inducted into the Pizza Hall of Fame) followed by a bowl of rice pudding and peaches from a new shop called Rice to Riches. All this was completed just in time to come home and watch the first presidential candidates debate. Romney did better than expected, but I think Obama had clearer facts and ideas. Also, when Obama spoke directly to the camera, he seemed more real in his appeal.
What has surprised us is the help we’ve received from passersby when we must have looked lost even with a map in hand. Weather wise this has been an overcast day, humid, foggy, and the subway stations have felt like ovens. But we didn’t get wet like yesterday. Our hotel room is actually a suite of two rooms, so Hannah has a separate place to sleep, and we’ve ended each night with homemade fruit salad and yoghurt.
Tomorrow we are hoping to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, visit the new Ground Zero memorial fountain, and have dinner at Bronwyn Jackson’s place in Harlem. We’ve enjoyed discovering places we’ve heard about in songs and we’ve marvelled at the enormity of this city – it diminishes the size everywhere else we’ve been. But, Chicago is cleaner and more spacious; Montreal is more livable; Portland is greener and prettier; and Los Angeles more exotic. And, our 24 hours in Havre, Montana is still the most unique of all our experiences. Goodnight.

Today we’re travelling from Montreal to New York on the Adirondack. It was this same train that took us to Montreal 9 days ago. We have passed through some spectacular scenery – especially Lake Champlain. The trees are beginning to change colour but nothing yet matches the spectacle of Tremblant’s fluorescent autumn leaves. Right now the sun is setting and we can see it flashing through the forests that border the train tracks.
When we left this morning it was raining again in Montreal so it was a good time to leave. You miss the awnings we have over our footpaths in Australia. They don’t have them in Canada or America. While we waited with our suitcases for Hannah we must have looked as though we’d been evicted once again.
One thing I didn’t mention earlier is a picture of a 4-armed goddess that was hanging above our bed at the Airbnb. I’m not superstitious but I had trouble sleeping the first two nights, but it all came good after I took it down and faced it to the wall. Obviously the owner has an eclectic religious view of things because in the bathroom there was a picture of Jesus and Mary. When I mentioned it to him in an email, he wrote back saying God was too big for one religion. This then gave me an opportunity to challenge that opinion. I hope we can continue the dialogue.
The sunset is becoming ever more brilliant as it is now reflected in the river on our right hand side.
It was good to Skype last night with Lisa, Mungo, and Matilda, and to receive return emails from Bronwyn Jackson who lives in NYC and from Dylan and Gillian with some more NY recommendations. Then, today, Cathy Byrne reminded us to go paddling or cycling in Central Park. News from home is always welcome. Good to hear you’ve had some rain. I’m a bit surprised to read the latest Newspoll results with the ALP and the coalition almost level. What brought about that sudden change?