New York - part 5

Last day in New York means time to go out with a bang! It also means I'm gonna try to summarize the Brooklyn experience compared to Manhattan. I drive my wife crazy sometimes with my comparisons. Guess that's just how I'm wired. I enjoy comparing Brooklyn with Manhattan in the same way I enjoy comparing the guitar styles of Jimi Hendrix and Angus Young. Also maybe you who read this will find it useful if you decide to go here. So here goes and please forgive if I'm repeating myself. Brooklyn is in many ways a contrast to Manhattan. It's quieter which some people might enjoy, myself I love the noise. It's not as available since it's mainly residential. This however is not only a bad thing. It invites you to explore in a different way to find your favorite places. It's less pretentious and now this I find very refreshing at times, since I am not very impressed with people showing of f lifestyle and money. It has a slower pace than Manhattan and in many ways feels more genuine. Manhattan on the other hand is... well it's Manhattan! Nothing in the world can compare to it. The feeling when you find some secret roof top party makes you feel like you're in on a secret. The best thing is you dont have to pick one. If you want a cheaper stay and a good nights sleep pick Brooklyn and do take time to explore it while you are there. If you want action at your door step, pay the extra dollar and pick Manhattan. Having stated that i want to add to the protocol before moving on, that we got the best of two worlds this time. We had a blast! Now on with the story...

Last day and finally some sightseing as promised. Our first stop was something I had high expectations on. The high line park is an old above-street-level railway thoughtfully re-designed as a public park. It's architects have taken advantage of the "natural" elements of the structure and created awesome breathing holes for the stressed out citizens. Along the length of the park, art created by artists as well as people just living there, contribute to the over all feel. How rare is it not that something this wondeful is created for people to enjoy for free in a place where land probably has the highest market price in the world.

We walked the full length of the high line and got off in the north end. From there we had one more tourist thing to do, Grand Central. New Yorks central station is an epic piece of architecture. It's design is grand yet simple and clean. Featured in so many movies it is a must see. We also got to see the new apple store in there. Pretty neat allthough I think it's a little out of place.

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As our day was coming to an end we got ready for our last night out. We had made plans to meet up with Ian. Our friends back home in Sweden who know Ian had told us a night out with him is a experience in it's own. Mikael and Ian already knew each other so we decided to all meet up at Union Pool, again. Ian was such a character. He is one of those guys who enter a room and just becomes the center of attention. I mean this only in a good way. And as Mikael told me later, he makes you feel like an old friend in ten minutes. Ian being one of the few born and raised New Yorkers took us on a roller coaster ride through Williamsburg. He'd constantly point out a place or a house and tell some story about it, and all the sudden the area felt so muchmore home like. It's like his anecdotes added a certain warmth to otherwise anonymous neighbourhoods.

I cant recall in what order certain events took place but here are some of the things we managed in a night. We bowled. We played pool. We had dinner in a restaurant featured in sex in the city. We visited rooftop bars, regular bars and somewhere along the line I finally got my bagel. I think it's one more of those nights better kept as a memory then described in text. I can share with you a careful selection of pictures though.