New York - The Big Apple

Hey everyone! :P Raffli here reporting from New York!! :P New York's great. I love the sights, the sounds, the smells and the people! They are so jovial and courteous to everyone! And calls me gentleman!!! :P But the weather's really making me feel awful. It's so freaking cold here... Even though I've been wearing like 6 or 7 layers daily... I still cannot stand the cold here. It's not really snowing but the temp's been below zero for a few days now so yeah... and my nose is really not taking it very well. It's been bleeding quite badly ever since the flight from Honolulu to San Francisco Int'l and to Newark Int'l. But it doesn't bleed as in liquid form - more like dry dry blood. Very painful. And it turns red all the time in the cold... Very irritating. Hope it will improve when I get to Canada.

As you guys all know, the transit strike's on right now in New York. It's all over the news. And it really sucks. A real bitch. Damn. My hostel's in Harlem - not much but liveable - and is supposed to be easily accessible by subway. But the subway's down. Even the buses are down. ANd damn. It's causing such a logistics issue. Can't get around as easily as we wanted to... On TUesday (NY Time - 1 day before SIngapore), I had to walk 100 blocks from my hostel to reach Time Square!!! :<>

• Visit Times Square!!! And stand in the center of it all!!!
• Go to the rooftop of the freezing and windy Empire State Building
• See all the bright billboards along Broadway and Times Square in full colour and live!
• Watched Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theatre!!! --> Ultimate dream. Howard McGillin and Sandra Joseph were fantastic.
• Got into the United Nations HQ in New York!!! with a guided tour. I actually got to sit in the General Assembly room! ANd sent a postcard home from the UN Post Office!!! :)
• Eat at Times Square twice - Once at "A Slice of New York" and the 2nd at "Bubba's Gum" - the 2nd one with 2 great friends Andy and James, both of whom I met from camp
• Ran with slippers/sandals with only a shirt and pants on without any jackets to the nearest Deli at midnight to grab some snacks down the street
• Watch people ice skate at Rockefeller Center! -> Bloody beautiful place.
• Stay in Harlem - one of the most notorious neighbourhoods in New York and survived 2 nights already.... with a broken down radiator!!!

p>Anyway, I've got one more night here in New York before I depart via bus for Montréal and Québec City in Canada. That would be tons of fun. And then coming back for New Year's to New York before leaving for Singapore on the 2 Jan via Narita again. Wish me luck in Canada and may this stupid transit strike end by Christmas or by the time I get back - whichever is more convenient. Cheers and Merry Christmas from me!!!!!!!! :)