Saturday 4th - Monday 6th November and Friday 9th - Tuesday 13th November
*** Pictures to follow ***
Just five days before we arrived in New York, Lower Manhattan and Staten Island had been hit by Hurricane Sandy.
Although we arrived in the city expecting widespread disruption, in many places there was no evidence f the biggest storm in a generation.
The New York marathon was called off during our first weekend as politicians decided officials should rightly be focused on the ongoing relief efforts rather than staffing a race.
Yet as so many runners travel from around the world to New York for the race, we were treated to the bizarre spectacle of people completing the marathon even though it had been cancelled.
When we visited Lower Manhattan right at the end of or stay - a full two weeks after the storm - there was clear evidence of the devastation that the wall of water had wreaked.
Shops were shut for repair works, subway lines remained closed and we didn't even venture as far as Staten Island.
There is not much to be said about New York that has not been said before. It's iconic skyline is etched into the mind of almost everyone as it features as the backdrop for so many films.
It is a city where space truly is at a premium. We arrived at our first hostel - New York Budget Inn - tired after the flight to discover we had booked what looked like a broom cupboard rather than a room.
There was one creaky bunkbed inside and not enough room to fully open the door. Welcome to travelling!
During out stay we queued up in Time Square in front of the famous red steps and bought tickets to see the new Spiderman musical.
For anyone visiting New York in the coming months, it really is a must see. The spectacle was years in the making and was beset by a whole raft of problems, but the final show is wonderful.
It is relatively expensive - we paid around £60 each for great seats in the third row - but it is not to be missed.
Unfortunately due to the storm, the Statue of Liberty and the Ellis Island museum where thousands of immigrants took their first steps on US soil has now been closed indefinitely.
The platform where the boats leave from is likely to have to be rebuilt. Understandably, with dozens of lives lost this is far from the first priority.
No comments:
Post a Comment