Me on Brooklyn Bridge

New York Journal

Note

This journal was composed prior to the tragic events of Tuesday, September 11th at the World Trade Center. I had left New York two days prior to this tragedy and I am deeply effected by the thought that not four days prior I had stood on the top of the twin towers and looked out over the city (read onward for information about my visit).

Introduction

I have always wanted to visit New York. It is a world city with so much to see and do this is one of the few cities in the world that are on my list of “must see” places. From Broadway to the Guggenheim, I have wanted to see them all…

This journal was composed on my visit in the late summer of 2001 when I visited the US to visit not only New York and Philadelphia but also Toronto, to visit my family. Ostensibly, I visited to attend the annual World Science Fiction Convention in Philadelphia but I managed to squeeze far more into my trip than that. I enjoy using the excuse of the convention to travel around the world and see places that I have not seen before (and perhaps would not want to see again…).

Planning for this trip has been long and quite difficult. Back in February I began my various investigations finally to come to the day when all this would begin to be put to the test, this would be the first day of testing. The Internet has been invaluable with most of my research being done with that though I have picked up a few tour books to help me out (including CAAs invaluable guides as well as DK's Eyewitness New York which are great since they really give you a feel for the place…).

Table of Contents

Conclusions

Well, as per normal, this was not a relaxing holiday by any stretch of the imagination. I was a bit disappointed at failing at a few things near the end of my stay in New York but I think the trip was an overall success with my seeing more of Philadelphia than I expected and a lot more of New York that I could have dreamed was possible. I always make a conscious effort not to see everything when I visit places so that I have something to see when I return, in the case of both of these cities there are certainly some things that I must go back to see, in Philadelphia I have not seen the zoo nor the Science Museum both of which I understand are quite something, in New York there are many things that I would like to see, including a bit more of Chinatown, the Metropolitan Opera House and Lincoln Center (hopefully to actually see some opera as well), the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum (if only to avenge my failure at my first attempt to see it!), Wall Street and the Stock Exchange (I understand you can actually look out over the trading floor – must be fascinating), Madison Square Garden, Washington Square Park, Coney Island, Greenwich, and many, many, many other places and, restaurants, don't get me started with those…

It was great seeing my family during this trip as well though it did make the whole thing VERY busy and requiring a lot of organisation. Having to do it again I would have gone a bit further to plan what I was going to see in the various places a bit better – perhaps reading up on Philadelphia a bit more to know what actually to see and do there.

There are all sorts of could-bes and should-have-dones but I am proud of what I did accomplish and hope you have enjoyed reading about it (in GREAT detail, it seems).

My thoughts do go to the horrible events of September 11th at the World Trade Center, it still seems so unbelievable and I would like to dedicate this journal to the memory of those that died and the innocence lost.

Hotels

In New York, Steve stayed at:

  • Marriott La Guardia, 102 05 Ditmars Blvd (718) 565-8900
  • Broadway Plaza Hotel, 1155 Broadway (212) 679-7665
  • Habitat Hotel, 130 East 57th Street (212) 753-8841

In Toronto:

  • Carlingview Hotel, 221 Carlingview (416) 675-3303

In Philadelphia:

  • Marriott Philadelphia, 120-1 Market Street (215) 625-2900