Five boroughs of fun

Today I managed to triple the number of boroughs in New York city I have been to (from 1 to 3). Firstly I walked down town and found Washington Square park, and totally against what I have been told my whole life I have to report there wasn’t any improvised singer/ songwriters there (sorry to report mum). I then saw a coffee shop that actually had an espresso machine. I thought that this place has been famous for coffee shops for better part of half a contrary so this should be good. What was I thinking it really seams that no American can make a decent cup of coffee (my theory is the beans where over roistered) I did see a cart today promising ‘the best coffee in town’ which is one of the least impressive boasts I have ever seen in this town.

I then walked over the Brooklyn bridge, this has to be one of the great symphonies of art and engineering in the world. It is quite simply the most stunning built structures I have ever seen. It did lead me an interesting question of all of the truly great buildings I have seen here in NY all of them were built between 1870 and 1940. So why is it that with all of the money and drive in this town has there not been anything great done in the last 70 years, other city around the world still seam able to do it but not this one. I don’t have the answers but I think this is a important question.

Brooklyn has a very different fell to Manhattan. Put simply it seams to be built around the car rather than mixed used, you come in and you have a whole series of 8 lane roads making it hard to get around.

They say (well someone ones said to me so ‘they’ must say) that “there are only two free things in New York, firstly the air you breath and secondly the Staten Island ferry.” (I hope they don’t say this to Donald Trump as I am sure he will try and change both of these things). The ferry is about a 20-30 minute ride south from the bottom of Manhattan out into the bay. It is one of the best rides you will ever see with the statue going past the skyline, but the locals really do seam not to notice. As for Staten Island itself, my lonely planet describes it as “A suburban appendage with an inferiority complex” it is sort of Hamilton on the Hudson (OK so it is not actually on the Hudson but don’t let facts get in the way of my metaphor) Basically it is close to the city with amazing views but really doesn’t look like a rich area, I am still not sure I get this city. Anyway it was a nice change to get out of the hectic hart of the city into something like a human sized area. Off to Queens tomorrow (to watch the tennis) so that will make it 4 from 5 boroughs which I am sure is much more than most people do in this town.