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As all the American squads flew home from ProDance 2005 we departed on our next venture. Three days in New York City baby...! Whee Hee..!
 Standing in the yellow taxi queue at New York JFK Airport was like a sauna.
A really damp hot air. I had a perm literally within minutes and the heat from the exhausts was stinging my sunburned legs...! Once in the taxi with the air-con on it was much better. We enjoyed taking in the sights and the hustle bustle on the busy streets as our taxi headed down town into Lower Manhattan. 'Down Town' see, I was an American as soon as I set foot off the plane.!
Arriving at our hotel just off Times Square and there were armies of wee porters rushing out of the twirly doors with their bright gold luggage carriers.. .. 'I'll take these Maam, welcome to the Regency Hyatt, you're gonna have a grrreat stay Maam..'.. Nae bother pal jist show me the way'.. The hotel was so high. Almost jarred ma neck trying to see the top floor. We had to dodge in and out of tourists and pedestrians to get from the taxi door to the hotel door. The streets were crammed with people.! It was unreal.! Once inside we were greeted by a cool air and a magnificent hallway. Marble floors and walls were the backdrop for grand gold-rimmed mirrors, red Persian rugs and HUGE sofa's. Whaow..! A need tae get masell one of these hallways.! Fantastic!. Carrie, Nicole, Karen, Lisa, Michelle and I checked into this hotel and Carole Anne and her other half Chris (Chris had flew out to meet us all in New York – obviously mad) checked into the hotel across the road from us. By the time we had all checked in it was getting pretty late, almost 10pm. We found a lovely Italian restaurant one block from our hotel and enjoyed a scrummy meal. After we had eaten as much as we could we decided to call it a night and arranged to meet up in the morning for our first day loose in New York City.!! Yippee..!
I was going to kill Michelle as soon as I opened my eyes. We were all in 2 adjoining rooms, 3 people in each room with an open door between. There was two double beds in each room so obviously two people had to share. Yes, I ended up with Michelle in with me. I literally had no sleep all night.
Michelle's knees were in my back. Then I had her arm over my neck, then I got the occasional slap and kick just when I was almost asleep. So, as soon as I opened my eye's I grunted 'you're no in ma bed the night'..
Our first day in New York City. Walking down past Times Square was just surreal. I don't think any of us spoke, we were entranced taking in the sights. Basically, there is MASSIVE advertising campaigns covering every square inch of all of the buildings. Each one in competition with the next.
Lights so bright you'd expect a plane to land any second. The streets are jam-packed with yellow taxis, police cars, tourists, ticket touts, and beggars. As we meandered our way through the chaotic streets we finally found ourselves at the Empire State Building. Our first stop for the day.
The queue was half way down the street but we quickly found ourselves at the front of the queue and decided to do the ride as well as the viewing.
Ride was first. Taken through in groups with a tour guide we were given video footage of when they built the Empire State Building and how it was in competition with The Chrysler Building to be the tallest in New York.
The Empire State Building obviously won and the Chrysler Building just became...... The Chrysler Building.! After our interesting history of New York and the Empire State we found ourselves in a simulated ride. Just like a roller coaster type idea, massive screen in front of us and we were whizzed through New York City and all the sites. It was amazing. My shoe actually fell off half way through Central Park, so just as well it was only a simulated ride and not real eh..! Next stop was the elevator to the 89th floor then out and into another elevator to the very top.! What a site awaited us. Looking out over New York from the top of the Empire State Building was breath taking. In every direction you could see for miles.
Central Park stretched as far as the eye could see and was flanked with buildings and more buildings, looked like 'Lego Land' actually. Even the tallest skyscrapers that poked their heads through the mist towards us – looked like toys. There was literally no wind. There was no sound either apart from the clicking of cameras. Everyone was just standing looking out over this amazing city which seemed so calm and peaceful. Complete contradiction to what it's really like.
After leaving the Empire State Building we started our shopping experience in New York. Was amazing. I wanted to buy everything I laid my eyes on.
Unbelievably cheap too – we are so ripped-off in the UK – it's a disgrace!
 No wonder folk go Christmas Shopping in New York. Eventually, after we had bought so much and couldn't carry any more bags we made our way back to Times Square and booked a show, 'Chicago' on Broadway. I don't know where the time had gone, we had literally an hour to eat and get dressed before the show started. Like a flash we found ourselves seated in the theatre watching 'Chicago' I never really fancied the film to be honest but I was so impressed by the show. Parts of it are hilarious and I had to muzzle my big loud laugh before they booted me out of the theatre. Show over and we all went for food and some drinks. I was honestly so surprised at how tired I was, was around 1am and we all headed back to the hotel to bed. Shows you how tired I must have been, I didn't watch Law and Order and Michelle's tossing and whacking me about during the night didn't bother me one bit!
Think I was unconscious..
Day two and our tour guide Chris decided we would go to Ground Zero first.
It was great having a tour guide, it meant we could squeeze in as much as poss. Mind you don't know if Chris appreciated being our guide he was ready to kill us I think. Standing at ground zero hammered it home how big an area was affected on 9-11. The entire area where the Twin Towers stood was fenced-off and all around the fences were tributes to the heroes who died that day. Huge billboards detailed every movement from when the first plane took off to when the second plane crashed. It was really sad and emotional. Although the street was crammed with tourists an eerie silence and dusty air hung over us. We paid our respects then left.
 Next stop on our tour was the Statue of Liberty. I was dyin to see the big wuimin wi the giant cone..! Stopped on the way and got a self portrait drawn in the park. Think the wee guy was needin a pair a specs – looked nothing like me.! We boarded our water-taxi to 'Liberty' and took our seats on the top deck. It was a glorious day, sun beating down and clear skies. The view was fantastic. We took loads of pics on our way to the Statue of Liberty and Nicole did a running commentary on her video camera.
Do you know she's not as big as you think she is – Liberty.. Well she's big, but not giant as I imagined she would be. Still, a pretty amazing sight, see her in the movies all the time so to actually be there was cool.
 Once back on dry land we had lunch at.........wait for it..........McDonalds..!!! Then I pestered some NYPD police men for photos (it's actually an obsession, Law and Order, the police, CSI – shoulda joined the police force here I'm thinking). Michelle and Karen had gone to Chinatown for some shopping while we were at Liberty. When we saw all the stuff they had bought we all legged it to the taxis to go back down with them. Taxi dropped us off in the heart of Chinatown and sped off.
Whoopff what a sight. ! It was so untidy, messy.. and smelly. I wanted to leave as soon as we were there. Michelle, Carrie, Lisa were off like a dirty shirt raking through all the wee market stalls and popping in and out tiny shops. Was kinda like The Barras actually. Carole Anne looked like a bunny in the head lights and Chris found us amusing. From nowhere this small Chinese lady approached us. She had a massive piece of melon in her hand and grabbed Carrie with her other hand. 'Come with me' she said! So Carrie, Lisa and Michelle headed off after her.... by this time Carole Anne had freaked-out and she had left with Chris.. so I had to bolt after the Chinese lady with the girls.. We had to run to keep up with her as her tiny legs sped down alleys, up side streets and eventually into this lift shaft. By this point I was like NO WAY.. what's going on.. Michelle was rolling around laughing.. but I was getting scared. Inside the lift and up we went. The Chinese lady leaned against the wall of the elevator and narrowing her eyes she said to us.... 'What's this?'.. and held her melon up to my nose....
We all muttered 'm e l o n'...... 'YES'.. she said.. and went into this hysterical laugh..! ARGH..!! The lift stopped abruptly and four more Chinese men got in. By this time I was convinced we were going to end up in a curry dish. The second time the elevator stopped the lady ran off and we scurried after her. Down more corridors and into a small room. She pushed us inside and the door slammed behind us . The room was packed all the way around from the ceiling to the floor with bags.....bags and more bags.... situated in the centre of the floor was this very old Chinese man. He puffed on his cigar and blew the smoke our way.. lifted his head and said.....'come..... you want Gucci, Prada....?? come look..'.. I was half expecting a Mogwai to appear beside him... ARRGGHHHHH... We were outta there like mice out a trap.. There were no taxi's anywhere and we ended up walking for miles before eventually flagging down a cab. Didn't feel safe till we were back in the hotel. Michelle, Carrie Lisa and I could not move for laughing once we were back at the hotel.. the look on our faces was a picture. It didn't stop Carrie, Michelle and Karen going back down again though. I left them to it and decided to pack my case for home. We ate out that night at TGI's and after some drinks and banter headed off round the shops again for more shopping to take home.
Karen found a 'Capezio' dancewear shop.! You should have seen us. We were like 5 year old's in a Santa's Grotto. The shop had everything from dance shoes to books, to laces, to full ballerina wear to videos to wee toy dancers. It was amazing. I think we spent at least an hour in the shop the first time we went. Maybe half an hour on the second visit. The Yanks thought we were casin' the joint I think.
I can't lie, I was glad to be going home. Our trip to Miami and the ProDance course seemed so long ago. I felt as if I had been away for months. It was only two weeks. We sat in a deli at Times Square having breakfast on our last day. There were loads of pics on the walls of superstars who had ate there with comments written by them. Sandra Bullock, Robert De Niro, Tom Cruise.. etc.... Food was lovely and we wished we had eaten there every morning. Some of the girls headed out for more shopping, Michelle had to buy an extra suitcase to carry her lot home.! Carole Anne and Chris headed off to Central Park Zoo and the rest of us finished off our packing. Taxis arrived at the hotel and Michelle, Karen and I blagged the first one. As we watched the sights go by we reminisced over our journey. It really was a great trip. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. From the dance course at Miami even to the mad day in Chinatown.. We'd do it all again. Was great. ! Have a nice day now y'all..!
Kat xx
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