Day 15...New York New York! - 11th July

Argh my fucking feet!!!! Poor Nathans feet have been ripped to shreds too. It was another huge day of walking. We did at least 50 blocks straight plus assorted meandering, including ramble section in Central Park. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

We got up a little late and went straight to the Empire State Building. It was another steamy hot day, and the visibility was really low - quite hazy. THe line was surprisingly short - quite odd as it was 2 hours when I was there in winter with Kristin.

Up top, we could barely see Central Park, but it was good to see where everything was located, and where we had been. Nate liked that he could see down to the financial district and up to Central Park to get an idea of the size of the place. Although we were on the 86th floor (compared to 107 for Stratosphere Tower in Vegas) we were so high above the other buildings. If I was one of those worker guys back in the day, I would have freaked out. Seeing the photos of those guys building it in the 30's really showed what a feat it really was. We ate at a diner under the building, then went to our regular Internet cafe again to get some stuff done. THen we started our trek up to Central Park. And what a trek! I mean trek. We walked up Broadway and went up dozens of blocks. And it was a hot day! But our spirits were high and everything was good and we entertained each other.

The entrance to Central Park had a big fountain thing, I don't know or really care. THe start also had some construction as they're sticking a baseball diamond in there now. But the further we went up, the nicer it got. It was a real American flora fest with big old trees and willows by a lake and people in rowboats with the highrises thrusting out above the treeline. We ate some really tasty cheese and crackers and fruit and watched the turtles in the lake, and a lady put back several coronas in record time.

We then headed towards Upper Manhattan via the park and I got totally disorientated but Nate confidently led the way - successfully despite me getting more confused during a ramblers walk section. There were heaps of squirrels in that section, they're so cooool! I want one! I'd name it Sputnikle. From the park through Upper Manhattan the buildings were much more calassy, and all residential with doormen out the front and stuff. Some of the raised steps reminded us of Sesame Street. Walking around there, it definately felt like more of a local New York area (if there is such a thing). No tourist traps or hustlers or souvenir shops or vending guys like in Mid Town. Just residential buildings and trees and grocers (now THEY have been a rare sight!). We kept heading up Broadway for heaps more blocks until we realised our destination was another 30 more blocks away! So we caught a cab with a grumpy driver who read the paper while he drove, but when he figured out what our destination was he couldn't stop chuckling! It was Toms Restaurant on 2880 Broadway. You'll know its exterior well from the Seinfeld episodes! It was so cool to actually go there. Standing there felt like such an accomplishment! The inside was different (which we already knew as the show was shot in LA so all interiors were sets there) but it was kind of disappointing, but didn't take the shine off the experience at all. Nathan had had the Seinfeld song in his head all day on the way up through mid town and the park etc!

The area around Upper Manhattan looks more like Seinfeld New York more than anywhere else, with wide pavements and stores and stuff. You could almost imagine George Costanza walking down the street!

Then we caught the subway home, chilled out at the hotel and went to bed.