Posted 3:09 PM by Paul
New York in August - Bring a Sweater

So we arrived in New York. Immigration were pleasant and efficient and I was almost dissapointed that I received no interrogation other than "How long are you staying?". No comment other than "Enjoy your stay." Clearly, I am not on anyone's list. Damn it! I used to be so subversive.

The taxi driver had a sticker "Proud to be a Sikh American" on his windscreen. Code I suppose for " I am not a Moslem you dumb head. So please don't beat me up." The airport road and the approach from JFK must be one of the least inspiring introductions to any major city. Run down clapper board houses, cracked concrete slabs and weeds growing everywhere. I suppose New Yorkers don't think they need to impress. After all, this is the the Capital of the World. But if you had never been there before, and did not fully appreciate the wonders the city has to offer it would be a bit of a shock. So, this is America? Perhaps the Europeans have grown richer and more sophisticated. Our expectations are higher. The bar has been raised. When I first visted Barcelona in 1980 it was dirty, the bars were dingy and sold grim looking sanwiches and vinegary wine. The approach from the airport felt like Mexico. Now the place gleams, the food is world class and the airport road is planted with flowers and palms. Maybe New York should apply to join the EU.

However, once you emerge fromn the Brooklyn Tunnel and into Manahattan the heart stopping vistas including the Chrysler and the Empire State raise the spirits. For an impressionable 47 Year old English man it has lost none of its ability to inspire and impress. You feel like you are in the film set of your youth. The fact that it was unbearably hot and muggy only added to the thrill. Close your eyes and the Ramones are playing at CBGB's, the NYPD are hunting the Son of Sam, Jimmy Carter is President. Heather and I love New York. It is the ultimate urban enviroment. The apotheosis of urban life. Mega City 1.

Beyond the fire engines carrying the Stars and Stripes there was no noticebale orgy of patriotism from a city that has suffered so much. We walked past a fire station which still carried the images of two men on its walls who had been lost in the September 11th Their comrades were still waiting for them to come home. Gone but not fogotten. You could not fail to be touched by such signs of affection. But beyond that, anyone looking for signs of a city still crippled by grief or thirsting for revenge might have to look elsehwhere. I may have this wrong, but all the ugly ultra patriotism seems to be the preserve of those who did not suffer. It as if the vicitims have been used in a larger cynical game by the Bush Adminstration. If they really cared, they would be investing in New York and not shutting fire stations for lack of funds. I noticed that the families of victims were mounting a demonstration at the site of the Twin Towers in protest at the developers plans to water down the scale of the memorial planned by the architect Daniel Leiberskind. For better or worse life goes on.

We stayed at the Waldorf, whose public rooms are straight out of a Fred Astaire movie but whose private rooms were showing signs of wear and tear. It took them almost an hour and two reminder phone calls to send our luggage up to our room. The Grand Dame is showing signs of age. This is probably why we managed to get the room on an internet deal which was comparable to a Holiday Inn in London. Jet lagged and hungry we decided to eat at Oscar's "American Brasserie" which is part of the Waldorf. The food was great and Heather's hamburger was as it should be. Huge, tasty and cooked to perfection - medium rare. Alice's kids meal hamburger was the same quality and exactly the same size. I had ordered the Black Cod with Zuchinni in anticipation of being able to finish off some o the kids food and I made the right call. Emily was dosing off at the table so H took her upstairs whilst Alice finished her gargantuun ice cream and I paid the very reasonble bill - an inferior ersatz American Diner in London would have cost 30% more. Alice started to look ill. She was shivering.

"Are you OK sweetheart?", I inquired.

"Yes daddy, it's just that I am shivering cold."

New York weather. New York air conditioning. We went outisde for a few moments to warm up and then to bed. Next day we packed little jackets for the kids just in case they got cold over lunch.