Whoah. The Bourne Identity is directed by the guy who did Swingers and Go. Keen.
URL: Opinions: BALINT VAZSONYI: A shield or a sword?
MP3: some techno remix of the Tetris music
Quote: "Daddy. I've given this some thought. I really want to be normal." -Oubliette, Marvel Boy
NEW YORK TRIP: DAY THREE
Sunday breakfast was at the Bagel Cafe (www.hotandcrusty.com.) A tasty chocolate croissant, which made up for the fact that we got painfully hot coffee instead of milk. Ah well. Quick walk to the subway, where I saw a guy carrying a Mordheim box. Whoo! Unfortunately, I couldn't think of anything to say to him that didn't sound like a pick-up line ("So, what army do you play?") Off the subway, only slightly lost in the latino section of town, but our keen directional instincts lead the way to...
The Cloisters is an awesome museum, probably my favorite of the trip. In addition to a recreation of actual medieval cloisters, it houses a great many works of art, and a wonderful set of tapestries (including the famous 'unicorn tapestries.') They have a nice herb garden as well, and enough stuff to keep you busy all day.
Getting back to the city, however, became an adventure. The bad kind. We decide to hop the bus south, to avoid the not-short walk back to the subway. Getting on the bus, we realized we had neither transfers, nor the money in coin that we needed (I had the bills, just not the coins. The bus driver said it was OK for us to ride this time for free. Yay him!
Troubles didn't end there, however. After a nice, long time on the bus, the driver announces that they won't be traveling the regular route (which goes right in front of the Met, our destination) due to the Puerto Rico Parade today.
Mind you, this explains all the people we saw the night before, carrying what I thought were Texas republic flags.
Off the bus, and a quick cab ride goes not to the Met, where we originally asked to go, but instead to the Natural History museum. No problem, we think, we will just hike across Central Park.
Today being one of the hotter and sunnier days of the weekend, Central Park was already thick with sunbathers, people walking dogs, and lots and lots of Puerto Rico paraders. We stop at a vendor cat and get hot dogs and orange soda. NOTE: people in NYC don't know how to form an orderly line, nor how to wait patiently for their turn. Very annoying. I did get to take a picture of the castle in central Park, however, which is neat.
One cop we ask tells us yes, we can still get to the Met, to just take the 90th St. exit from the park. Hokay. Walking up there, we're passing the Met, so we ask that cop if we can just get to the Met through there. He informs us 'we won't make it by the time it closes' (which is in an hour and a half.) Grr. We would if you would be helpful.
So we head out through the 90th St. exit, and the crowds are very, uh, crowded by this point, with Puerto Rico paraders. We give a half-hearted attempt at making it towards the Met, but quickly learn it's not going to be possible. Stupid parade. No Met for us. We take refuge (after some discussion and walking) in the 3 Guys Cafe, where I enjoy a tasty but HUGE salad.
After a nice lunch, the parade is over, the Met is closed, and the streets are still crowded, so we grab a cab to go back to the hotel for a nap. Grabbing a cab takes a while (I will have her do it next time.) The cabbie takes some crazy route first through traffic, then through the Park, and then, apparently, in the opposite direction of the hotel. Once he gets a couple blocks away and takes the wrong turn, we get out, and hoof it the rest of the way back. Nap, best idea of the afternoon.
Wake up, no idea what to do again, so back to Times Square. Red Queen is enamored with the tasty pastry display in the window of the Roxy Deli. Despite our best attempts, we decide against eating at the WWE World restaurant, and instead pick O'Lunney's which was a fortunate choice. If you got to NYC, go here. *Very* tasty Irish meals.
Hotel. Sleep.
NEW YORK TRIP: DAY FOUR
The ride how was very, very fast. Those 65 speed limits make the ride a breeze. Tolls are also kinder, for instance, no four dollar penalty for leaving Maryland. And the NJ Turnpike is fifty cents cheaper! We hit the First State Diner, which is right on the border between Delaware and Maryland.
Mission: accomplished.