New York 14 Dec

New York 14 Dec - It will be complete if ur not visiting Central Park in New York. It is one of the must attraction place in New York and easily the biggest park u could ever had here in the city. I've taken my time to go there taking to Canal St and walk down the 5th Avenue. Here, i've visited Disney store and to manage to bump to the Trump Tower. Never thought of that.

Then, i reached Central Park around 1pm and yeah man it's huge park. I've been walking almost 1 hr and did'nt even covered half of it. BTW, if u r too tired too walk, u could use the service of horse wagon and trishaw. Since it's winter u might not see a lot of people hanging around since it's cold and wet but it's still a good experience for me. There is a museum and central park zoo here if u want to visit but i opt not too so i could have more money to spend for shopping later.

After that, around 3.30pm i've decided to go to Madison Square Garden (MSG) where it is a historical venue to most of sports and entertainment venue like superbowl,wrestemania and baseball. I took some pictures before headed to Macy's to buy Coach bag for my friend, Zul. His wife pesan so i could not dissappoint him.

Later in the evening a linger at Times Square before met up with Bal and Yati at Bubba Shrimp where this is seafood shop for Forrest Gump movie starring Tom Hanks. It is packed with people all the time and you need to line-up before getting a table. There is a concept here where there is a sign at each table. If u want the waitress to stop at ur table u just simply flip the sign to red color that says "Stop Forrest Stop". If not it will blue sign says "Run Forrest Run". Quite fascinating.

Okay it's time to sleep because we are planning to rent a car tommorrow to go to Atlantic City and Woodberry for the weekend. Till then, cya!

New York 13 Dec

New York 13 Dec - The unexpected showed up. It was a snowy and rainy day. I had to bring an umbrella for my trip. Ice covered most of the places, road, cars and watch out it is a little bit slippery walking down the aisle. Sejuknya tak terkata!

My plan for today is to walk through the Chinatown and buying some souvenir to bring back home. Instead, the showery rain and the cold weather hinder me to really explore the little China. I couldn't believe it that is not really easy to bargain with the Chinese. I thought it could be as easy as in Bangkok but i was wrong. Some are quite arrogant when it comes to bargaining.

Afterwards from Canal St, i went to buy Broadway ticket at Marquis Theatre near Times Sq. It was 2pm and to my surprise a lot of people has already line-up to get the tickets. It is true like Bal said to me yesterday, if we are not hurry we might not get tickets for tonight show. Luckily i got 3 tickets for The Drowsy Chaperone with Bob aget (Full House) as the main cast. It cost us USD60 for the show.

Then, after gruelling line-up i took a break at Junior Restaurant and ate their famous pancake and hot chocolate. It tastes really nice. After that, i shoot to Madame Tussauds museum for USD29 admission fees to see the wax of US celebrity. It kind a like Madame Tussauds in London maybe slightly better with additional mannequins. If it your first time, u'll be enjoying it very much.

Bal gave me a call to meet up at Marquis Theatre at 7.30pm and we went in as early as 7.45pm. The theatre is a new one and it was shimmers with red colour. We got a good seat thanks to my early ticket booking and even sat 2 row seats away to John Stamos (Full House). He still looks young the same as the TV Series before.

The show is a romantic comedy with Bob Saget becomes the narrator of the story. I really enjoy the show full with songs and laughter especially the Aldolpho guy who keeps making funny line. I wish my cousins was here to share the same experience. Sadly no camera is allowed in the theatre.

We went straight back home at around 10pm and singgah kat Mexican shop and bought Chicken Fujita for dinner. It tastes like chicken kebab with rice and beans. I like it very much.

Hopefully tomorrow is not raining so i could visit Central Park and Madison Sq Garden as my first plan.

New York 12 Dec

New York 12 Dec - I woke up around 10am and updated my blog and pics from yesterday visits. After browsing the net, i've been informed that the last elevator going up to Empire State Building is at 1.15pm. So i'm a bit in a rush and managed to sneak in at 1.10pm. The entrance fee is 19USD but in order to go to the highest peak (102nd floor observatory level) will cost u extra USD15. The building is under construction at 80th floor where at this level pic was taken for memoir and map plus audio tour can be purchased at USD12. I've then take another lift to level 86th floor to see the view of New York.

Here, there is not much room for visitor to view the scenery and a bit windy at this point so it can get easily cold up here. I managed to take a few snapshot while a lot of people doing so with not much room to take into account. There is also gift shop up here for people to buy. I then slip up to 102nd floor, the highest peak of the Empire State Building.

At this level the space is not that much but it is reasonable since not many people who are willing to pay extra to get up here. Since the peak is a closed area, u could take ur time to see the whole view of NY city without worrying the breeze of the cold wind. If i want to compare the peak of Eiffel Tower i've visited back in 1999, it is bigger space there in Paris.

After that, i walk to 5oth St and 5th Av to Rockefellar Center where people gather for ice skating experience. I stopped by at National Library and took some pics. At the Rockfellar, a lot of people taking pics because of nice scenery and the Christmas Tree and we could here christmas song all over the place. I then bump to NBC building where i took the Tour to go behind the scene in NBC studio. Macam David Letterman and Jay Leno Show. It will cost u around 18.50USD and the tour took u around 1 hour plus. Sadly, i couldn't take pics inside the studio because it is a restrictive area. The best part of the tour is u have the opportunity to go Live on camera being the anchor man of the news or the weather man..hehe..pretty fun

Next, Bal give me a call to meet him near his office because couple of his friend wanna meet up at his house to pick up some stuff because Bal is moving away..Opps..if u guys didn't know, Bal is moving to Bermuda for 1 year work posting. Bal will be coming back to Msia for a brief vacation sumwhere in Jan 14th. So, it's the chance for him to taste the roticanai and tose before going to Bermuda.

Later in the night, Bal cooked steak for us and Yati join us later around 8pm. after coming back from work. We then watched Haru Biru sent from Memet but we got confused with the storyline thoguh Bal like the camera settings. Bal passed me some money for me to buy Broadway show ticket for tomorrow at Times Sq so we'll be watching around 8pm.

Till then, ola!

New York 11 Dec

New York 11 Dec - I woke up around 9am and making my move at 10am after grabbing 3 slices of yesterday's pizza (still good). It was a sunny day and quite hot for a walk to the subway. The station is 71st Forest Hills and it is on E line. There is a lot of lines here at subway depending on where u go so u must pay attention if not u can get easily get lost down here.

Today i'm planning going to Statue of Liberty where u can stopped at the last staton of E line which is the WOrld Trade Center cum Chambers St. It will be 20 minutes walk to the Ferry Station so i decided to switch lane to Line 1 to South Ferry. What would u know? When i drop into the train i met with two student girls, Janet from Bogota, Colombia and Ayumi from Osaka, Japan who are going to the same place. They both studying at Florida and are on vacation here in New York. I asked them if they don't mind me joining them so at least i got friends to take pics with. Yahoo!!

We arrived at the Battery Park where u need to buy the ferry ticket of USD12 to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. If u want audio assistance then u'll need to add USD10 on top of it. The ferry consists of 3 decks and can hold up to 300 people a trip. The highest deck is where u could see the view and take pictures but at this point of time it is cold up there.

We arrived at the Statue and took some pictures but we are not permitted to climb to the stat because we need to make reservation 2 days before to do so. After that we are on the Ellis Island where this is the place for immigrants check in during earlier days. If u could see from my pics, they have a lot sub division of rooms to process immigrants before they can get into US. Registry room, medical room, legal room and to my surprise mental room where they are puzzles for u to solve. They are also buildings for people to sleep and detain if u are inflict by disease. Here too u could check ur ancestor history same like in the movie Hitch (Will Smith).

After that, we decided to go to Wall Street where we could find famous buildings from the Financial District. I took the pic of Trump building and few other monuments for memoir. We then go uptown to see the Ground Zero where the WTC building collapse from 9/11 incident. It's quite dark at that point (5pm) and we could here people doing construction for the new site to be rebuild. There is a board of names people died that day and there is a path station for u to go to New Jersey.

Next, i followed the girls to do some window shopping at nearby mall before i decided to call it the day to go and see Bal and Yati at 29th St and 5th Av for dinner. They took me to Olive Garden, one of the finest Italian restaurant here in New York and very much enjoy the food especially the appetizer and the desert , Ice-cream chocolate gelano..so creamy..hhhmmm

We then went back home and while i lying on the couch i was straight went to sleep....zzzzz....snoring kepenatan...

New York 10th Dec

New York 10 Dec - It has been good trip so far for me in New York. It is cold right now since my arrival on 4th Dec but u will get used to it if u are here for a while. There are so much for me to write here; my Magic competition, the New Yorkers, the food and weather, Iqbal and Yati but i'm going to concentrate here to walk you day to day my journey at New York from Iqbal's place in Queens since ada internet connection at his home.

Today morning Bal decided to take leave to accompany me and work from home. We decided to woke up late since semalam bergebang dari 9pm to 3am with Yati (Bal's girlfriend) cathcing up things since dah lame tak jumpa. But Bal is still the same old Bal and Yati was really friendly and i feel welcomed to their place in Queens. Btw, New York itself terbahagi kepada 5 area; Manhattan,Queens,Bronx,Brooklyn and Staten Island. Basically Manhattan is like KL where the business operation and the heart for New York and Queens is 20 minutes away (by subway) from Bal place. My staying while playing Magic tourney is at Manhattan 96th street and i took a cab to Bal's place which is USD40. The travelling is quite far because of the traffic and rain but if u took the subway is not that really bad for Bal to go to work.

Anyway, we got off to the nearest subway which is 71st Forest Hills. The subway cost only you USD2 per way regardless how far u go. But for Bal, he's using his monthly pass card of USD80 limitless ride. Then Bal bring me to Dallas BBQ for lunch and he ordered for us Tangerine Pina Codalas (without alcohol). My God, it tastes so nice and sweet. Good choice Bal. Then he ordered chicken wings and for me white meat with baked potato and fried mash. Kenyang giler siut sampai tak habis.

Then, Bal bring me to Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum and the admission cost was USD25. We took some pictures and i am amazed with some of the artifacts and stuff inside it. The trip will take the most is 1 hour depending how details you want to see things. I bought a small bottle as a souvenir.

Bal then brought me to the center of Times Square where usualy people will gather celebrate for New Year's Eve. I took the opportunity to visit Hard Rock cafe, MTV shop, Planet Hollywood, TGI Friday's and Toy's R Us. The streets also is full with Broadway show (teater) and we plan to see one of the show on this Thursday.

Bal dropped by to couple of music stores where we tested some of the guitars and drums there. Bal's love to hang out at those shops if he got the time and showed one of the guitar he got for his birthday.

We then shoot back home around 7.30pm and took our earlier laundry on the way back home. Yati joined us later from work and we ordered pizza and ate for dinner. Peperoni pizza i supposed. We then watched Impak Maksima given by Mak Yah and they enjoyed it very much. They were surprised that M'sia can produced that kind of story.

Tommorrow i'm planning to go to Statue of Liberty by myself and i hope i could my way there since Bal is working tomorrow. Till then that's for now.

Signing off.