Times Square

The first time I went to Times Square it was 10am. I stood there with people milling around me and thought 'huh'. I had officially gotten there but I swiftly realised that there wasn't really anything to do other than take a few snaps, look around and then move on.

 It was a little anti-climatic.

The photo to the left was taken on the last occasion I went to Times Square.  I went with my hostel friend, Tim and we were passing time until we had to head to the St. James Theatre to see the Broadway production of American Idiot.  It was a fantastic people watching opportunity but the thing that surprised me the most sits squarely in the middle of this picture.  There is a memorial for a guy that served as religious counsel in 2-3 wars.  It seems weirdly at odds with its surrounds.

I took about 5 pictures in 12 days that have me in frame.  This one is thanks to Tim as I took his photo in the same spot and he insisted I do the same despite my protests to the contrary.  Within a day of being in NYC I dressed for comfort which meant ugly shoes, no make up and clothes I felt comfortable sweating in - it is NOT glam.

Hacing been in the Square on a normal day, I believe being there on the busiest night of the year would equate with being burned alive, trampled and shot three times.  There is NO way you'd find me there on that night ball dropping or not.

The infamous ball that drops.  

I couldn't take pictures of the fantastic production so the billboard will have to do.  American Idiot is a production that threads Green Day songs together with little to no plot.  I didn't care, the performances were great, the set AMAZING and it was a fantastically fun 90 minute show.  Except for the seats.  I am 5"11 and my legs were mashed almost into my chest.  It hurt sitting in tiny seats with no leg room.  Seriously, it made an aeroplane look spacious.  Tim, at well over six foot looked like a giraffe trying to fit into a suitcase.  It wasn't pretty.  But we suffered happily to say we'd seen a Broadway show, a good one.

Billboard.

Natural History Museum of Awesomeness

Over the next few weeks I will be posting about my time in NYC.

One of my favourite places to visit was the Natural History Museum where my not-so-inner geek was permitted to fly free and revel in awesomeness.
Isn't it a pretty building?

The ceiling is pretty flash too. Though this is all I could see of the dinosaur in the entrance area as it was undergoing some repairs.

The planetarium was amazing and I found myself becoming interested in space beyond the application of astrology in my daily life. It helped that my cohort, Steph, is a massive science nerd in the coolest way possible and her enthusiasm rubbed off.

But what really grabbed my attention?

The freaking dinosaurs.
C'mon? Like this wouldn't get you hopping up and down with glee like a three year old with a sugar rush. The funniest thing is there were many little kids geeking out but the worst offenders were the dads. They were master geeks and I loved watching them examining the displays and smiling like loons.

It's incredible that these creatures once tread the same paths we've sealed with asphalt.
I felt like I was in Jurassic Park 5: Bone Yard.
I can't remember for the life of me what this was but I would marry it....if it still existed. Equal parts cute and repulsive. Like a pug.
This shows how chuffed I was to be there. Excuse the self portrait cheesiness but it pretty accurately expresses my geek outs.