I had to do it

In every hotel room I have been in there has been a coffee drip coffee maker. I just had to use it on my final night. I doubt I will like it but the room will smell good.

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So I did it

I'm at the Cheers bar (the one which was the outside location shot and claims to be the inspiration). I'm enjoying a Sam Adams Red Brick (only available in Boston on tap) and going to get dinner.

This will be my last night out on the road. I leave for Cleveland in the morning and that will be about 10 hours (unless I end up going via Scranton Pennsylvania which will add half an hour). I'm really looking forward to catching up with the Cleveland crew tomorrow night. They are my American family. It's a pity Lyudmila, Julia, Brent, Shu and Lisa are not around.

I feel like I have been on this trip for a month and in the US for a year. I can honestly say I love the US and I was not expecting to. The people have been great (although NY was a little different- it was push or be pushed). Also, any fear I ever had about doing something solo has evaporated. Three weeks alone travelling to 9 states will do that to you (although the US makes it easy as you can eat at the bar).

I will hit Cleveland tomorrow evening and then fly out the following day at about 3pm. That takes me to Texas for a short stop. Then on to LA for 14 hours to Brisbane. I am armed this time with over the counter US sleeping tablets - bring it Qantas economy.

I wil be home Saturday morning. I look forward to getting back to my car (where the driver sits on the right), my apartment and the EYA crew. I'm not sure if they will be able to understand me with my strong US accent.

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I'm at Harvard

Too much Latin for my liking. I did not pack my ivy league education with me, just my plain old public one.

I took a walk around and it was much like universities I had been to before with a mixture of building styles reflecting the growth of it over the generations. This was until I hit an area which appeared to be four dormitories surrounding a grassed area with criss crossing walking paths. It was a really impressive space.

I walked through to an adjoining square of much the same design but with a library on one side dominating the area. It was facing what I think is a chapel. I can only imagine these areas are all that more vibrant in summer with the grass, foliage on the trees and students everywhere.

This was all after the Sam Adams tour. It started off in shaky grounds with the ID incident. I felt a little better when I arrived back there and the tool who had originally rejected my license from the good state of Qld could not find my date of birth. He asked me three times where the DOB was and each time I said "that is a visa" (he was on the visa page). I know I'm petty - why deny it?

Unfortunately it turns out this guy was also my tour guide, sigh. In the end he was a good guide - quite witty. The tour was half walking through the ingredients and brewing areas with discussions on the brewing process and half beer tasting. I also met a couple of locals who suggested the times Irish bar for dinner, 2 times winner of best Boston clam chowder. I may follow that up with a visit to Cheers.

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Sam Adams has been taken off the list

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I should have stuck to the TV trail

I walked past the Cheers bar (and took a sneaky photo), searched for a bathroom (that was painful, they seriously hide them in Boston) and made my way to the Sam Adams brewery. The snot behind the counter would not accept my drivers license.

How can every establishment I have been to so far (and they all card you) accept it but Sam Adams (that was written in a whiney and sarcastic tone) wont. I drink their beer on this card most of the time as well but it is not good enough to see their brewery?

I was sulking then and wanted to opt for a sulky activity but all I could think of was drinking. Damn you Samuel Adams (the brewer, not the historically significant figure).

So back to the hotel for my passport. The hotel is next to the Blueman group theatre so I stopped in to get tickets- no show today. Boston, you are making me cranky.

I found a metro station very close to the hotel and the trains have been good to me so it has been a 45 minute round trip - better be good and they better give me lots of beer.

Fun fact- the Boston Metro is the oldest in the country (but its age does not show, like mine apparently).

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These are a few of my favourite things

I have walked into a coffee shop which is playing the Glee soundtrack, I'm sitting across the street from the Boston Legal offices and I am touring a brewery today. I think the stars are aligned.

And Jennifer, seasons 1 to 5 on DVD along with a dubious music collection attributed to my sister. I'm full of surprises.

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One door closes, you go to Boston

I made it to Boston at about 5 this afternoon. The weather in New York was glorious this morning. The wind was gone and the skies were clear (it had risen to minus 6).

I took the opportunity to go to the top of 30 Rock (Rockefeller Plaza), which houses NBC (among other things). The view was indescribable. Seeing central park from that height was an experience. I would have loved to just stay up there and look at New York, trying to read all of the stories wrapped up in it.

I then just walked the streets for an hour, which did not help the blisters which have developed because of my stupid runners I wore yesterday for comfort. I should have stuck to the cowboy boots- they are great to walk in, though it feels like 2 blocks of concrete. Walking through the streets of NY is as good as visting one of the famous landmarks.

The drive to Boston was easy and Connecticut was beautiful. I have the 10 hour drive to Cleveland in 2 days that is going to be a humdinger.

I went our for dinner tonight and had some good old Clam Chowder which was great. I got to walk around town which has a mild English feel. This is in part from the lack of organisation in the street pattern, which was from it being one of the earliest US settlements and the city expanding as needed rather than being planned. I have also seen a recreated Cheers bar but I just could not go in- it was too cheesy.

Tomorrow I have a few things planned. I am going to tour the Sam Adams brewery which is the local beer that I have been drinking most while I have been in America. I'm also going to check out the Boston Legal and Cheers actual buildings (I saw the Ally McBeal building tonight). I'll also check out MIT and Harvard. I'm going to finish the day with a Blue Man group show.

Only a few days left. See you all soon.

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Just spectacular

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No way

At the James Spader Broadway show today, Joy Behar was seated directly behind me. We made eye contact twice and I eavesdropped whenever she talked. She is having a terrorism expert on her show in two days and she emailed someone during the play to organise to get James Spader on her show. I wanted an autograph but I had no pen :(

That is a photo I took in Times Square. Look to the right and you will see the Ernst & Young building sign at 5 Times square. We are that cool. The last nail has been driven in, I am relocating to New York and am going to live in Greenwich Village.

Other highlights from today include:
- The Subway- an underground magic carpet
- Taxis, they suck and I punched the bonnet of one today to teach him a lesson
- Some street performers are great (the guy in the Madison Square Gardens station with the Caribbean steel drums) and some are bad (Times Square station band)
- Just walking through Greenwhich Village, Little Italy, NoLita, NoHo
- Seeing Wall Street and the NY Stock Exchange
- Seeing the Statue of Liberty and realising it is as small as everyone says (well, it was cold)
- Seeing Madison Square Gardens

The moments which don't make the blog but are what made NY what it is to me are the random things I saw in the streets as I walked around. I you can walk from Central Park to the financial district in 1 and a half hours (so says google maps) but that is one street you will see in the endless maze of streets. There is so much to see and take in. It is worth the trip (even if it is just for the 3 story M&M store).

Off to Boston tomorrow to see the Boston Legal building and tour the Sam Adams brewers (the beer I have had the most of since being here).

It's so cold the beer is frozen (really, there is ice in it)

It's minus 9 Celsius.

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Lunch in New York

So far today I have taken the Staten Island Ferry (with Billy Joel playing Everybody Loves You Now), seen Wall St, the bull, the Statue of Liberty, the Friends apartment exterior, China Town and now Little Italy. I'm in the Mulberry Street bar which is a huge dive (toilet stall door is a curtain) enjoying a Sam Adams. It is famous for being in movies and TV shows (like Law and Order and The Sopranos). I did not know that before I came in. I love NY.

I'm about to walk through Nolita (listening to Vanessa Carlton, Nolita Fairytale) and then on to Broadway show number two, Race with David Spader. I will let them choose the soundtrack for that.

Phantom exceeded all of my expectations - it was phenomenal. I was excited about the experience but had heard the Michael Crawford soundtrack a million times and seen the big screen version so did not thing there was any more to see but I was wrong. As Janice would say "Oh my God".

There is more to do after Race and I am sure you are going to hear about it.

I only have a few days left in the US. I am heading to Cleveland for an overnight stay the day before I go which I am excited about. I love Cleveland and especially the people. I want to see the EY crew again (if they'll have me) and finally get a good coffee again at Phoenix.

It will be good to have conversations again - I have not had that in a while. Travelling alone in a city of 10 million people can be lonely. Feel free to email me with what is going on in your town. I'm always online or just leave comment - they get emailed to me and make me smile (Mum and Uncle Brian keep me entertained).

PS it has been lightly snowing the whole time I have been in NY- it is truly magical. Maybe God does love me.

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I'll be there for you

This is more culturally important than the whitehouse.

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New York just got bigger

I'm on the subway. Not scary at all.

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That is a poor photo of the Majestic Theatre

Phantom of the Opera is about to start. I'm looking for apartments tomorrow. I wont leave New York and you can't make me.

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Mixed messages?

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