SATURDAY ADVENTURE
lew York: a heck of a town

NO ONE should spend a day in New York. Any less than a
week and the city should levy a fine for improper enjoyment

of civic attractions.

I’m glad it wasn't my first visit
to New York as I arrived late Fri-
day afternoon and left early Sun-
day morning. That Saturday in
New York has to be one of the
most frustrating days of travel J’ve
ever spent. One of those lovely
days when absolutely nothing went
right.

It takes real talent to foul up a
day in New York. The city is
marvellous — New York doesn’t
hum, it screams for attention.
More goes on in one square block
in Manhattan than in half the cities
of North America.

It’s a place for people-watching.

Where else would you see a mid-
dle-aged Jady with purple hair,

six-inch heels and a mini-skirt |

walking a Doberman, side by side
with a cart-laden bag man?

Only in New York.

Speaking. of people, New
Yorkers are just as friendly and
polite as anyone else — only their
cab drivers are boors. The average
New Yorker seems a bit surprised
when you strike up a conversation,

but after you ignore the astonished ©

look they open up.

Anyway, back to my wonderful
Saturday.

It was a lovely. day -—— sunny and
brisk — just made for walking. I
started out just fine — excelient
breakfast in a little cafe on Fifth
Avenue with a window seat where
1 people-watched.

I complimented the waitress on
the coffee and she kept refilling my
cup and smilingly cautioned me

about leaving my purse on the

chair beside me.

Vd always wanted. to’ stroll’ -
through Central Park’ and visit.the ~.

zoo,'1 found the park on my map,
tipped the waitress a bit extra and
headed for the gate on the south
side, 59th Street.-A little uncertain
about which of the many paths to
take, I asked a jogger...
. “Zoo? Hey, lady,: that’s been
closed a couple of years now. Un-
’- sanitary or something.”

By now it was mid-morning sol
decided a ride on the subway might
be just the thing. How about down

-. to the Battery (a’waterfront park)

ONE DEPARTURE: DECEMBER 4..
*Prices are per person, based on double occupancy.
Subject to availability at time of booking.

where the Staten Island Ferry ter-
minal is located?

I'd always wanted to ride the
ferry — the best travel bargain in
the world — 25 cents for a round
trip.

The trip should have taken 20
minutes by subway. What I didn’t
know is that subway repairs are
done on weekends. My quick ride
to the Battery ended up taking
close to two hours in ‘‘the hole in
the ground.”

by Barbara
McCreadie

Worse, because of the. delays,
the train skipped my _ stop,
Whitehall, shot. me through the
Brooklyn-Battery tunnel, and there
I was in underground Brooklyn.
Pll never know. if any trees grow
there — I didn't get out of the
subway.

_ By the time. ‘got to the Staten

“Island Ferry and paid my 25 cents

I realized that it was much too late
‘to take the ferry ride. Instead, I sat
in a window and watched the boat
leave without me.

-By the way, more about friendly

“New Yorkers: I’d heard that the
~ subway riders are the worst of the
dots. ° -
“Don't believe it. — stalled i in that

subway I quickly got to know my
neighbors and I might still be in

the bowels of Brooklyn without
their advice,

Consulting my map, the most
logical move seemed to be a walk
through the Battery, heading for
the World Trade Centre. I’d been
up the elevator in the Empire State
Building on a previous visit so this
would be a good comparison.

The Battery, especially on
weekends, contains a lot of odd
people. I stopped to watch a group
of elderly ladies, in purple, pink
and green spandex tights, dancing
a Jewish circle dance. Even strang-
er, the man directing the dances
and playing the tapes was Chinese.
Only in New York.

If you want to go to the top of
the World Trade Centre, don’t
choose mid-afternoon on a
weekend. Half the tourists in New

_ York are lined up there.

Later, I was told the best bet is
to take the elevator in the twin
tower up to the bar and admire the
view from there. Anyway, I looked
at the lineup and decided all going
well, I might get to the top by
midnight.

Well, how about Times Square?
The subway ride was a challenge I
overcame — besides, I was too
broke to take a cab.

The other half of all the tourists
in New York were in Times
Square. Between hawkers peddling
souvenirs from booths, religious
fanatics handing out literature and
idiots like me with cameras, it is
not a pleasant walk. I bought a T-
shirt.

My feet hurt. All I wanted was a
hot bath and a cold drink. Know-
ing that bar drinks at my hotel
were about. $6,- a liquor store

seemed a good idea.

Careers in Travel
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35 - Sunday, November 1, 1987 - North Shore News

A young man in some kind of
caftan was standing on a corner
handing out pamphlets.

“Could you tell me where !
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ed.

He smiled and gave me excellent
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