53'rd and 3'rd

New York City. I felt cliche just being there. From J.F.K, we caught a yellow cab to Manhattan East, just next to Soho along the dirty East river. Our host was the affable Mark Francis, a second relative of Sam and now New York resident. Mark lives in a sprawling restored post-world war two housing project with a vogue model named Valerie. Mark's cat is toilet trained and will defecate at will and without assistance on the same toilet as we did. Valerie owns three stretch cruiser bicycles which we used to explore the city on. We rode the cruisers across Manhattan, around central park and then some. One night, Mark took us out to a night club frequented by some of his friends into which we skipped the queue. The table of models at which we sat were given complimentary bottles of vodka from which we drank. Conversation was staggered and hesitant amongst the smartphone distractions and the music was 'undanceable' to. We excused ourselves around 3pm. The next day Mark and I played an immaculate game of paddle tennis on the paddle tennis courts within his housing complex. Paddle tennis is tennis on a smaller court, without tram lines using small wooden paddle bats. We then ate pizza, drank beer, rode buses and subways. We mixed touristy tour bus tours with coffee in obscure bookshops in the East Village. We caught the Staten Island ferry past the Statue of Liberty and watched Chicago on Broadway. We ate dinner at the Times Square Olive Garden, visited the ground zero memorial and watched the Saturday morning waterfight in Central Park. New York is a cliche. But the experience of being there is altogether something very different. 

View from the East River

Eclectic public wall, street art exposition.

Mark and Sam in Washington Square

Washington Square

I wondered quickly if I’d give my life so that a dragon could live. If someone offered me that deal, your life for the existence of dragons. I thought maybe yes, maybe no.

Times Square in the daytime

En route from East Village to Downtown Manhattan.

Twin Towers Ground Zero Memorial Pools.

Paddle Tennis

Drinks on Wall Street with suit-wearing corporates.

Mr. Mark Francis. Our gregarious New York host.

Times Square in the night time.

Mother nature trying, in vain, to reclaim what was once hers.

Central Park cycle tour

Central Park water-stop

Weekend picnic in the most populous city in the United States.

Beside the NYC underground, these were our preferred mode of transport.