My solo tour started from Grand Central Terminal at 8:30 AM. I was at Madame Tussaud’s at 9 but had to wait until 10 for the museum to actually open. I had a blast there and took dozens of pictures of wax statues of people I admire; think Gandhi, Malcolm X, Hugh Grant, Lenny Kravitz, Bob Marley, Scott Fitzgerald, Oprah, Morgan Freeman…
While the statues were very well finished, they still looked pretty statue-like. I was really surprised though by some of the people represented there. I mean I had no idea Hugh Grant was that figuresque, or Shakira that not-so-chubby, or that Julia Roberts was as bald as I always said she was. I took tons of pictures that I cannot possibly upload and make available (at least not for free!) but here’s a quick glance at my “The Faces” gallery:
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| From New York |
(clicking on New York will take you to my Picasa album where I keep all the shareable pictures of this trip)
After Madame Tussaud’s I went to Bryant Park and sat there for a while. Then I walked towards Greenwich Village and I really walked a lot, I think for a couple of hours. I reached Union Square and saw so many fruit and vegetable stands just like we have in simple places in Amman.
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I finally got to Astor Place and then saw Minetta and The Cage, where there was a game of basketball going on and a crowd of men cheering and yelling. I stopped for a minute and watched the game, then realized that the weather was too hot and moved on to find myself glancing up some tall NYU buildings.
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I walked on until I got to Washington Square Park, in the heart of Greenwich Village. There was a Jamaican drummer and an exotic performer with him, and groups of students discussing things and walking their dogs. I sat there for a while to rest.
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Now the reason why I wanted to go to Greenwich Village is that I really liked the place when I went on a bus tour in the city. It is so original and beautiful and real. It’s bustling with energy and life and it’s really inspirational. I will buy me a place there one day…
After Washington Square Park, I decided it was time for lunch. I saw a McDonald’s and I was almost going to go in but then figured that I’m there so I should try something new. I normally never experiment with food, it’s the only thing I don’t experiment with really, but the setting was as I said inspirational and I thought what the heck and went to the first place I saw.
As I walked in, a young man held the door open for me and asked me what I was up to. I took the iPod earplugs out of my ears and “Wha? Oh, the shirt!” — I remembered that people actually read what the shirt said and secretly cursed myself ten times and mumbled ‘nerd’ under my breath. He even asked if I was a spy, at which point I put the earplugs back in my ears and walked to the farthest table.
The place I had lunch in, French Roast, is owned by a Cuban man. I am obviously guessing here but he had a fine Cuban air to him, or I imagined it all. I could see he was riding the waiters’ backs all the time. The food was OK, the best part was when I first came in, sweaty and hot and disgusted by the weather, and the non-English speaking waitress poured me a big glass of very cold water. I also really liked it when I discovered that the restaurant was recommended in the life-saving and very valuable city guide I had with me.
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French Roast looked out on the Jefferson Market Library, which was a really beautiful building to look at. At that, Greenwich Village is so gorgeous and it has a lot of beautiful buildings and small tacky shops that sell antiques and old clothes and costumes and all sorts of other things I never knew I needed so badly.
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After lunch, I decided I wanted to go back up 6th Avenue and go home. That meant two hours of walking back up to where I started off, and so I walked. On my way up I bought gorgeous necklaces and earrings from a cheap accessory stand operated by an African guy.
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Then I came to Manhattan Mall and decided to go in and find a place to sit down. I went in and bought rings and other things and completely forgot to sit down.
Eventually, I arrived at Grand Central ten minutes before my train. I dragged myself inside and just closed my eyes. Twenty minutes later, I dragged myself out of the train and headed home. That ended the most amazing day I’ve had in a really really long time. Next time I will go to East Village :)
It sure has changed, judging by your photographs! I used to work in a bicycle shop on the corner of Bleeker & Morton when I was in high school, but I don’t recall the village being so neat and clean looking! An interesting place, that’s for sure. I lived on the Upper West Side at the time, but I recall how popular lofts were in the Village, even back then.<br /><br />Hmmm… I notice you only said "gay" in the title! :D<br /><br />What were your impressions of Washington Square Park? It used to be notoriously bad (drugs, etc) but maybe that got an over-haul as well?<br /><br />The more I hear and see of NYC these days, the more I’m thinking New York owes Julianni, big time.<br />
Concerning the wax figures, I think it’s the shinyness that is blowing the illusion. If they could find a way to reduce the sheen on the skin, it might help with the illusion of realism.
The East Village and Lower East Side Manhatten were definitely my favorite thing in NYC. <br /><br />Have you been to the Strand yet?? You will love it, you’ll drown in books there for hours.<br /><br />I’d also recommend you see the Stomp show at the Orpheum theatre… Sunday night tickets are for half the price :)<br />
Gay as in happy, and…well…also "gay." I went into Washington Square Park from the West side and it seemed alright to me. I didn’t see anything upsetting or unusual but the guide I had on me did mention that the park has improved a lot.<br /><br />Dave, I totally agree. Those were my thoughts exactly. Using a camera with flash turns the figures into human-like glitter.<br /><br />Lina, I knew you would say that! I also really liked East Village during the tour and I was determined to go back there, but after Greenwich Village because I liked that one even more. I think I’ll find some really exciting things over there when I go. <br /><br />I haven’t been to Strand and yet I have already compiled a collection of books to take home with me. The problem with books is that they’re heavy, or maybe I only fall for the heavy ones — I don’t know. I will definitely go to Strand though!<br />