Em and Jon’s Wedding

It proclaimed itself the Capital of Capitals (despite the fact it’s not the capital city; maybe that’s where the problem lies. It’s not even the capital of New York State [Pop quiz - what is the capital of New York State?]). It then went on to claim on various banners that it was also the Financial capital, as well as that of shopping, food, fashion, and most bizarrely, tennis.

The station guard bloke in the subway was very helpful and made sure we got the right ticket to get to South Ferry station. He said he was born in Luton so we chatted for a bit about the motherland and hopped on the train that took us to the Statue of Liberty. We suddenly realised that we needed to be in the first five carriages in order to get off at our station and we got wrong (I am from the Fens) for going through the carriages instead of along the platform. Well they do it in the movies.

The last time I was here (1992) I actually went up the statue of Liberty and have a photo of me in her head. Unfortunately, post 9/11 you can’t do that anymore so we admired the statue from Battery Park. Whilst standing there we also got a mini airshow from what looked to be the National Guard Black Hawks - ooh scary!

A short walk away was the World Trade Center site, which has naturally become another place of interest although with a totally different emphasis. There is a temporary exhibition showing how the site will be developed; looking to the future whilst remembering it’s sad past. People generally move around the area quietly and with respect and stand for a while to look at the heart of the exhibit, which is a commemorative memorial roster of the names of those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and the terrorist bombing on February 26, 1993. Of course there was some unsavoury types hawking photographic books of the event and worst still people buying them. This was despite a notice that asks the public to respect the wishes of the families of the dead and refrain from buying anything. We were very moved by it and hope that the development of the site fulfills everyone’s hopes and wishes.

We revived ourselves with yet another coffee and made use of Starbucks wi-fi and bathrooms. Why do they call them bathrooms when there’s no bath?? I spotted an Origins shop, so left Jon to geek in peace and got myself some more miniature freebies - I now have quite a collection, almost to rival Jon’s hotel toiletries collection…

We did just a little more shopping….yes products (but only looking) and palaces of geekery. On the way back to the hotel via the subway I managed to find some public loos, which aren’t a very common sight, particularly in New York. I said thank you to the toilet attendant, who said “Hey are you English?” I said I was and he promptly went on to say how much he loved my English accent and could I talk to him just so he could listen. Initially this sort of reaction is sweet and I thought ‘Bless’. Now it’s becoming annoying because you go through the rigmarole of ‘Yes I’m English’..mm…Cambridge, about an hour away from London…oh really your great-great-grandmother was from Newport Pagnall…no I can’t say I know your cousin in Kent. However, it would be weird if I did know their brother…?