Day 1:
November 6th, buffalo to New York City
Long train ride, just under ten hours
I planned on staying at the hostel but I ended up crashing at my friends place.
I Rolled into town at 6:45 PM with a ravenous hunger from not eating much. I found a Thai place right across the street and got some noodles and saki. Then, I took an Uber to toms place on the east side. After a 20 minute ride through horrendous traffic I got to his street. It took me a few to find his house since I ended up looking on the wrong street. I found his place, dropped my things off and then we went to east village and got some of the best ice cream I've ever had. After we walked back to his house I left and headed a mile and a half through union and washington square parks to Greenwich village. There, I went to a rock club called cafe wah, famous for hosting acts such as Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. Next, I went to an old bar called the Fat Black Pussy cat. The bar was also a hangout for beatniks such as Kerouac and Ginsberg. Here I drank a few beers and started feeling drunk, so I took the long walk back to the apartment near east village.
Day 2
Monday, November 7th: NYC
I woke up late at around 10am, Tom and I went and got coffee and bagels at a local bagel joint. Then I headed to REI to buy a new pack for the upcoming trip the following day. I spent about an hour there looking and inspecting packs. I finally decided to get a 40 liter osprey pack, meant for international backpacking. After leaving REI I headed towards Greenwich Village and got coffee at the 90 year old Cafe Reggio, right next to Cafe Wah? And once a popular hang out for musicians and beatniks alike. Also the home of americas first cappuccino. Naturally, I got a cappuccino and it was delicious. After leaving the cafe I headed back to Toms, packed my new bag and sent some things home that didn't fit in the pack. Next, I headed to Union Square to meet up with a friend I met in Alaska who was visiting from Portland, Oregon. We ended up walking to Greenwich village (big surprise, right?) and went to a bar for happy hour, which was right next to the bar I went to the previous night, the Fat Black Pussycat. There we ate the most bomb extra crispy tater tots with gravy (to dip, of course) while I sipped on a blue moon.
Next I headed back towards union square to get dinner with my cousin who lives in Manhattan. We ended up getting some delicious sushi. She got a large bento box while I got saki and a rainbow roll, as I usually do. The rainbow roll was topped with salmon caviar.
After that, the fun began. My friend whom I was staying with and I headed to a bills bar 15 blocks from his apartment. There was a inflatable bills player out front and the place was filled to the brim with bills fans. We got wings, we drank a few pitchers of beer, we chanted the bills song and got rowdy with our fellow buffalonians. The game started out strong, with an amazing first play that led to a touchdown. Yet it ended like bills games usually do. We left disappointed yet drunk. That helped quell the pain of another disappointing bills game.
Day 3:
Election Day/Europe day!
The day started as I figured. Late and slightly hung over. Getting out of bed was tough, yet I woke up at 10:30. I left and got coffee around the corner, came back and began organizing my things. I relaxed and took my time, not leaving until around 2pm. I walked around most of the day with my pack on, preparing my back and legs for Europe as well as getting a feel for my fully loaded new bag. I walked up to Times Square, went to radio city music hall, saw Michael strahan in the middle of Times Square reporting on the election and had to make my way through the mob of people there for the ABC news election coverage. I went to a rooftop bar, hoping for happy hour yet I ended up paying 20 bucks for a drink! After leaving I went to Olive Garden (I know, I know. Who goes to NY and gets Olive Garden? Well all the other Italian restaurants were a little to booshy and out of my budget.) after eating my dinner of spaghetti and meatballs with a glass of red wine, I headed to the airport on the train. On the train, which was mostly empty, some homeless fella was I kid you not scraping the ashy fungus off his feet. The whole train car smelled like the grossest feet you ever did smell + underwear that hasn't been washed in a month and worn everyday. Poor bastard.
I got to the airport at 8, checked in, had a couple beers and boarded the airplane. The flight lasted about 6 hours, I left at 11:30 and landed In London at 10:30 AM.
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