"When $1 was 71pence" a New York City Travel Page by northeast80

I visited New York for 10 days in 2002, we had a bit of a long-winded way of getting there, Birmingham to Copenhagen to Newark, well the flights were cheaper that way.
We stayed with friends who were on a year's placement out there so that was fantastic, it really helps to have people who know a city to show you around.
I felt like we walked everywhere, my neck cricked from looking up too much, the biggest city I'd been to before then was London, and that's not very renowned for having skyscrapers.
I loved New York, there was just so much to see and do, as I mentioned we just didn't stop, and it seemed cheaper than the UK, well food and trainers were but drinking out wasn't, we're not used to tipping you see.
Unfortunately this was before digital cameras were popular, can you imagine??, so all my photos are on print. But it was like being in heaven, I love architecture and the arts so where better to go for that?
We went to see films that we wouldn't have the chance to see for at least 6 months in the UK, had many great nights out, once I did out my scrap book I'll be able to say where we went.
Of course Central Park was like a huge sanctuary in the city, I loved all the sculpture around, I wonder if the silver life-size tree is still there....??
And 99c for coffee and a doughnut at the many stands mmmm.

30th March-
We got into Newark around mid-day after a 06.55 flight from Birmingham to Copenhagen and shared a mini cab with a few other people into New York City. Met up with our friends and had a huge night out, didn't get to be until around 6.30am so that's two days of missed sleep. One bar was called Scratchys, that's all I remember!
31st March-
Had a great lunch and later got sushi, which by English standards was very cheap $3.75 for 6 pieces at Sunrise Markt, 4 Stuyvesant Street and went to watch In the Bedroom at the Angelica Film Centre, which was a nice cinema with a lovely ice cream counter, the film cost $10 to see which I thought was expensive even then.
1st April-
Walked to Times Square, down 5th & 8th Avenue, (I recall there were a lot of boutique/gift shops down here) to Grand Central Station.
Funny I remember getting a filled bagel from a cafe and the guy behind the till being surprised at me not just shouting me order at him, I said please and thank you, I think he wasn't used to that!
Saw the copy of Cleopatra's Needle, went to the Guggenheim, they'd painted the interior black for a special exhibition. Went to Central Park for a look and a laugh at the ice skaters.
2nd April-
Went into China Town, walked over half of the Brooklyn Bridge, took the Staten Island ferry, discovered Staten Island doesn't have much to offer; tourists just use it as it's a free way of getting close to the Statue of Liberty. We went down Wall Street and to the offices of SOM where a friend had a work placement, and saw the early plans of the Twin Towers replacement.
We went to the cinema again to see Panic Room, well it's exciting when you know the films won't be out for about half a year in the UK.
3rd April-
China Town again, used the toilets in the MacDonalds. Little Italy and Grenwich.
4th April-
Walked down Brodaway, Times Square, 5th Avenue and went to Central Park Zoo. Bought lots of those sweet roasted nuts.
5th April-
Went up the Empire State Building (cost $18), into FAO Schwarz, walked in Certral Park again, saw the Alice in Wonderland sculpture, and out in the evening to Sctatchys and Beauty Bar and more, the sprirt servings are massive and there's always a man on the door to check you are old enough to get in, they check absolutely everyone.
6th April-
Lunch in Chinatown, it was a real Chinese place, all the menu was in Chinese and it was full of Chinese people, and dinner in Brookyln, one of our friends was staying there. We went to one bar in Brooklyn- Daddy's and then went out in NY city.
7th April-
No idea, my diary misses it out, we probably just recovered.
8th April-
Walked around Museum Mile and Central Park.
9th April-
Bought some trainers down Broadway, China Town, this was our last day so we said our goodbys and made our way back to Newark where we saw someone from the Sopranos in the airport.
10th April-
Copenhagen to Birmingham to Coventry to Nottingham, slept a lot.

It was the architecture that impressed me the most in New York, such a mixture and the scale like nothing I'd seen before, London just doesn't compare. And for some reason I was impressed by the 24 hour shops and shops closing a lot later than in the UK, I think we just hadn't got into that a few years ago.

P.s. Sorry for the quality of photos, they're all digital photos of chemical prints.