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Tuesday 4 September 2012

Whiny Complainer takes Governor's Island

So you might have the idea that everything is super rosy about touristing in New York? That it's all sunshine and daisies?

Yea, not so much yesterday. For one, I felt like a truck ran me over all day yesterday. It may have had something to do with my (comparatively) late bedtime. 12pm does NOT agree with me. (I am a grandma, I know). I spent the morning recuperating, and then a couple of hours actually getting some work done.

At that point, I felt like the day had been wasted and I really didn't want my last day of freedom to go down like that. So after sitting around and generally wasting time, I finally got up the strength to head downtown. I actually wanted to go to Governor's Island last weekend, but it didn't work out, so I figured I would try my luck today.

Bad bad idea.

First of all, weather wasn't super.

Second of all, I missed the first ferry by about 2 minutes and had to wait 30 minutes for the next one. But I'm stubborn so of course I waited it out.

Third of all, there was some sort of concert going on, which meant that the ferry was packed to the rafters with meatheads and girls in neon booty shorts and bras. I was not feeling the vibe. Between feeling like I was half asleep and being jostled by the raging idiots I kind of started hoping that the boat would sink just so I wouldn't have to deal with the dumbasses.

But no worries, we got there safe. The ride was also only 5 minutes, so I didn't quite understand why the ferry only comes every half an hour. Ah well.


I really REALLY wanted to grab a coffee once I got on the island, but the way to where I think the coffeehouse was was absolutely blocked by the party people, so I headed the other way. Turns out, absolutely everything was closed/closing at that point and there WAS NO COFFEE. Can you understand my distress? And I mean, come on! If you can have hot dogs and ice cream, you can brew me a bit of coffee, can't you? I would've drunk it cold at that point, but that wasn't even an option.

I was pissed. Except I was too tired to be pissed.


Don't let this half-smile fool you - if I hadn't made an incredible effort, it would've been a zero-smile. Aka exhausted frowny face. The only thing that stopped me is that my expressionless face is usually used to scare kids at night and on those posters where you say, 'at least I don't look like that', so I decided to make the effort. This time.

Governor's Island is a tricky beast. On one side, it very nice to walk by the shore, with the waves and the nice breeze and everything. It's full of brick houses (which I think people might live in?).


 There's signposts everywhere, so you don't get lost (hard as that may be).


There's even a giant park in the middle with a playground area and lots of picnic space. And a great view of the new World Trade Center. Not that there were many picnickers in the dismal drizzly weather we were experiencing here.


There was even some romance in the air, apparently, although my prince charming apparently failed to take the ferry.

 
Oh look, look! I did in fact manage to squeeze out another smile. Goooooo me!


The problem is, mostly the views are something more like this:


Which one could argue adds a post-modernist vibe to the place, but let's be honest - shipping containers and cranes do not a peaceful vista make.

Ok ok, enough with the complaining. Aside from the loud meatheads, the missed ferry, the cold, the damp, the drizzling and the not-so great view, I had an awesome time! I explored a new part of the city (although since it's not exactly attached to Manhattan, I don't know if it technically counts), and I at least managed to drag my ass out of my bed for the day. So that's an accomplishment in and out of itself. I'm setting the bar REAL high here guys.

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