VADOULOU

NY this morning was foggy & overcast, somewhat different from the last few days. We had a car to Newark airport  with a very pleasant driver who was Moroccan in origin. He had been in U.S. for18 years & happy with his lot. After a lot of help from United Airline staff we eventually got checked in & our bags taken from us. It is a different system in U.S. & you pay for each checked in bag as you check it in. We bucked the system by having ‘overweight’ bags but the staff were extremely helpful & somewhat apologetic about the cost. The plane left more or less on time & the flight time was 2 hrs. 

There was a car waiting for us, this time with an Eastern European driver, lacking a few language skills we think. From airport to hotel took about 45 mins & we eventually cottoned on to a 1hr time change. The hotel is lovely & all the staff very friendly & helpful. Chicago is different from my expectations, more modern & open than I had thought it would be. The weather however is much colder & there is snow forecast for tomorrow!!! We have dinner booked tonight at the Tortoise club which is literally just across the street so we won’t have far to totter. It is Mother’s Day tomorrow & there seem to be lots of events associated with this.

We have a city tour organised for tomorrow & then we will be meeting up with Crispin & Cécile, so more news to follow.

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 from the Hudson

We have had a fabulous time. The weather has been amazing,which helps of course but the city itself has been so welcoming. The people here are keen to be of service & want you to gave had a good time. It is not a cheap place even with a favourable exchange rate. Food & drink, which has been our main expenditure, comes at a cost. Nevertheless, we have had a ball. Tonight, on the river was very well done. The staff were friendly & helpful, the food was good & the trip itself very interesting. We saw everything from a different perspective & hopefully caught it all on camera/IPhone. 

Chicago & very different weather beckons tomorrow.

Well, where to begin? 

The last and only time that we were in New York was in 1989, and boy has it changed! Admittedly, we’ve travelled more since then, and therefore it’s less intimidating to us, but there’s just such a feel good vibe to the city. We’ve walked all over, been out late at night, and everyone has been so friendly and helpful. LouIse today said that she’s going to have to change her opinion of the USA if this continues!

For example, Central Park was more or less off limits last time and now it’s a must see tourist spot. And as it’s a public space, there’s no smoking, no drinking, no bbq’s, no loud music. It’s just a lovely place to be. Our hotel is next to Bryant Park, behind the NY library, and there are pétanque courts with lessons ( & the players were good!), children’s play areas, board game areas for chess & backgammon with the boards available, a little band giving waltz lessons and then a concert etc. There is a real effort to use the open spaces for everyone, and it feels so welcoming.

It also feels less “American” and more cosmopolitan. There are times when you feel that you could be in Paris or London. The traffic is horrendous, but much less aggressive than we remember, the lights are obeyed, the crossings used. And then it’s more like being in India – the shop fronts, the colour and the activity. As they say, if you’re tired of New York, then you’re tired of life.

The down sides? The “tipping” culture is truly alien to us. It’s NOT a tip, it’s a 2nd tax on everything. It is VERY clearly not discretionary. Even when you get the bill/check, there’s a “suggested” tip of 15%, 18% and 20% shown with the amount. And the credit card system here is over 20 years behind the chip &  pin system that originated in France and is now widely used. It’s cumbersome and all paper based. And New York is not cheap!

Having been to the High Line and to Ground Zero, we have to say that they have been done very sympathetically, very thoughtfully, in our view in a more European style. 

It will be fascinating to see how we feel after St Louis, as we move southwards. I’m loving it & clearly Lou is enjoying it far more than she expected. Off to Chicago tomorrow.

Ground Zero & Greenwich Village