Challenge 30: We'll Always Have New York

This is an update on my New York Tips page that got very little traction first time around.
Now it's updated with exciting Pics!

I imagine there are a lot of Steemians, just waiting to hop on a plane and go to that City that never sleeps.

Well take it from me, It's just as you would have imagined it and then some.
It pulses with a strange power of the "anything is possible."
Paris, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Dublin, Amsterdam, these are Cities that I have traveled to and adore.
But New York is just on another scale. It is so fucking huge.
It does literally take your breath away.
From the moment you get of that bus near Grand Central Station, you know you are in the moment. In the movie.
The place crackles with a high buzz energy I have never felt anyplace else.

Image Courtesy of Moi

The Twin Towers Memorial is a rather sobre place, as it battles with it's dual function, as memorial to a tragic event that changed the world forever and as a New York tourist attraction.
Just remember when you go there, reflect on why it's there.
And have some consideration for the people around you, who may not be there on a holiday.

Image Courtesy of Pixabay

So back to the story:

A New York City Moment by Frank Sonderborg

Its 7am on a Saturday morning, New York time and I am getting ready to go watch a Premier League game between Man Utd & Man City. I know it’s insane but such is the life of a Man Utd supporter living in New York City.

I am over visiting my son who has been working in the Big Apple the last 8yrs.

Image Courtesy of Moi

But before I continue about the match here are some Tips about traveling to New York New York;D~

Tip number one.

Even if you have filled all sorts of shite online to get you the USA and believe you are finished. You’re not.
You still need to fill out a Customs/Toll declaration.

They offered these to us on the American Airways plane. (An excellent Air Line. Great service and a collection of great Movies/Entertainment to keep anybody occupied on the long flight from Heathrow to JFK.)

But I thought we had done it all online.
Bollox, I was wrong again.

After queuing for about 30 minutes we get turned back to fill out this Customs form.

So fill it out on the plane. It will make life easier.

Tip number 2:
Get the bus from JFK to New York. It costs $18 for one way and it’s a painless experience. Have cash ready as sometimes the guy cannot accept Credit cards.
The return is from in front of the bar
PUBLIC HOUSE NEW YORK on
140 East 41st Street New York, NY 10017 – Join the queue at the bus-stop and pay your money.

Image Courtesy of Moi

Tip number 3:
Avoid taking the very two back seats on a rainy day. We did and every time the bus braked we got drenched with water from somewhere.
Lesson learned, on the way back we made sure we were up the front.
Tip the drive a couple of dollars for handling your bags. It’s the norm.

Tip number 4:
The traffic is just fucking insane in New York and while we were there, Hilary was buying shoes or handbags and the rest of the world where having a global summit and most of New York was getting a facelift. And some nutter sets of a bomb.
So cops everywhere and all the traffic was jammed in.
But it’s NYC and you just have to love it.

I felt like a Penguin trying to look up at the extreme high tower blocks and believe me I nearly fell over backwards~
If there is heavy rain the tunnels can get flooded. So either way give yourself plenty of time to get back to JFK Airport. When it’s time to go home.

Tip number 5:
Paying with credit cards can be a hit and miss as in some places, they have no chip & pin.
Like trying to buy Subway tickets in Grand Central Railway Station.

Image Courtesy of Moi

After getting the run around, as we kept asking for the Metro and kept being told the Metro is the railway. Go down stairs to the Subway. (Which is also called the Metro)
We go down to the Subway and over to one of the Ticket Machines. Every time we tried to pay by Credit card it started asking us for all kinds of Zip code information shite.
So we paid with cash. Simples!
Job done.

Tip number 6:
Tipping is nearly obligatory. Coming from a country like Denmark where no tipping is the norm to a country like the UK where you tip after getting a great service. It does feel odd having a Tax like tipping service added on to some meals.
But again, when in NYC you do what they do.
My son regularly tips 20% of the Bill/Check. And justifies it, by saying when he walks into any busy bar that knows him, he and friends will get served first.
And while we were with him he was given a lot of complimentary drinks on the house. What goes around, comes around it seems. (But remember to also Tip for the complimentary drinks.)

The work in bars and restaurants is not very well paid and they survive on those tips. So spread the love folks, if you can afford it.

Here Endth the Tip lesson.

Nightmare in Macy's
I did have a nightmare day, getting trapped in the bag department of Macy’s as my wife looked for the perfect bag.
It is one fucking enormous shopping floor.
Everywhere I went was just more bags.
So she picks out 3 bags and she just must have one of them.
I said, like a fool, “OK buy one of them then.”

And she does, well she buys one I had not even seen her look at.
Go figure?

Macy’s shoe department is the same story. Place like that drive me up the walls.

I can see the same ”Escape from Saigon, 1000yd stare,” look on fellow inmates as they get dragged around to look at even more, must have, fucking shoes.

I say enough is enough and we beat a hasty retreat back onto the mean furnace streets of New York New York.
Anywhere will do me fine, just to get away from the bags;D~

Image Courtesy of Moi

Any NY Saturday morning:
Anyway back to where we came in. 7am on a NY Saturday Premiership football morning.

Because of the time difference the game in the UK is starting at 12:30.
So for any Soccer Fanatic it has to be on a barstool in some pub in NYC at 07:30am US East coast time.

We head down to “Jack Dempsey’s” on 36 West 33rd Street. An Irish pub in the long tradition of NY Irish Pubs. It’s on a street with other Sports Bars all showing the latest Premiership games from the UK.
Most of them packed out with Punters all wearing their team’s colors.
My son has his Man Utd shirt on.
And we endure a world of ribbing from all the other supporters.

Image Courtesy of Jack Dempsey's

“Jack Dempseys” is home of the “Glasgow Celtic” supporters club, so the top floor is packed out with Da Bhoys.

Down stairs, we order the Full Monty Irish Breakfast and I get asked how I want me egg, by the Irish bartender.

I say "fried, I hope," he looks at me as if I’m a fucking moron.

Football and food are taken very serious at 7am on a NY Saturday Premiership football morning.

We eat and watch Man Utd lose a very close game.
So we are not too downhearted.

Celtic trash Rangers so ”Jack Dempseys” is rocking. Up Da Bhoys

I believe all this started with a NY bar owner opening early for some German Bayern Munich supporters and then getting over-run when the word went out that “Da Match” was on live in a bar downtown.

It was no small leap to add the Premiership games to their business model and now it does seem to be part of the tourist, must do when in NY.

Well I could cross that of my Bucket list. And fucking Macy’s Bag room as well.

Image Courtesy of Moi

Well this is just some of my thoughts on my few days in the “City That Never Sleeps.”
I may add some more. I loved the place and as that Killer Robot, Terry De Minotaur once said ”I Vil Be Bach””

image courtsey of @reneenouveau

Badge Courtsey of @elyaque