Well it’s been a busy few weeks since my last blog…that’s an understatement if ever I’ve made one!

Since writing, the highlight of my life has been 5 nights in New York. The first time I’ve been, I can completely understand why it’s known as "the city that never sleeps”! There were 5 of us, and just when you thought you were stopping for a rest from the brilliant sightseeing, photograph posing, eating, drinking, or generally being in awe of stuff…one of the five always seemed to come up with something else to do! Working on the principle that if we didn’t do it all there and then, off we’d all go again!

I don’t think there’s any such thing as a typical New York break – there’s sooo much to do, it’s different for everyone – but some of the highlights for me, which I’d recommend to anyone were:

The Rockefeller Centre. At 70 stories high, it’s not as tall as the Empire State, but from what I’m told by those that have done both, this is the most impressive. If you’ve ever seen the famous black and white picture of construction workers eating their lunch sat on a beam high above the city streets…this is what they were building. In fact, as you queue to take the lift – sorry, elevator - up to the viewing deck(s), there’s a photo opportunity where you sit on a beam and recreate the famous image. Once up there, it’s breathtaking! Brilliant 360 views of the city, and really friendly guides who will quite happily chat all day. I can’t imagine many buildings that I’d happily spend an hour on top of in the cold, but could go to "The Top Of The Rock" every day!

Mary Poppins on Broadway. What a great show! Faultless performances and brilliant scene changes etc…some of the effects seemed like a trick of the camera, but live on stage??!!

A ferry trip around Manhattan Island. Did the 2 hour version (you can do 3 hrs too). Kind of like a ride on the Caversham Lady, but bigger (obviously! This is America!) and with about a million things of interest that the funny guy with the mic can point out. I’d say do this early into your trip…you’ll learn a lot for when you get back on dry land! Different to the Staten Island ferry which we also caught…but that’s just like a large shuttle…with the most amazing wind rush if you stand up front. I couldn’t physically speak (first time for ev…yeh, alright). Both good fun.

Central Park. Another obvious place to recommend, but sooo worth a visit. We wandered around forever trying to find the John Lennon tribute garden, thinking “They should invest in some signposts”. It was only after we’d given up that I read the guidebook tip…”On arriving, head straight for the park info centre…there are no signposts in Central Park but you’ll be given a free map, etc”. Great, the beers are on me. Again.

When you go to Ground Zero, visit St. Paul's Chapel. You'll be glad you did.

One thing that not so many people will have done, is going to watch an English Premier League game of footy (soccer) in a bar. Here at home the Sunday lunchtime KO was between Man Utd and Liverpool. As one of us is a big Liverpool fan, he’d sussed out where all their New York fans go to watch matches on the big screens. We went by there on Saturday night to check it out, and asked if they were showing it and do they get a decent enough crowd to make it semi-exciting (well we were gonna have to make the effort to be back there at 9am NY time!). The guy said it should be pretty good…so back we came. Unfortunately, the crowd was SO decent that we couldn’t get in! Hundreds of New York scousers had done this before and knew they had to get there even earlier than us. We got directed to the nearest place, which was actually a Man U bar and we just managed to squeeze in. Electric atmosphere and quite surreal with chanting in various American/English accents. All good spirited (ish!). Liverpool lost 3-0. I learnt some new songs.

The whole trip was for my “landmark birthday” (21 obviously)…for which I also received a new camera. As soon as I figure how to download the photos, I’ve got hundreds so will post (at least some of) them here.

In the meantime…Have A Nice Day!