New York! New York! Arrived at 2pm, through customs by 4pm, having been photographed and finger printed, left and right hand. "Welcome to our city.' .....Really?
Came out of the subway in Harlem into pouring rain, night sky and a sea of black faces. Mike felt conspicuously white and out of his comfort zone!!!! Located accommodation with air con!
Hot humid, noisy, confusing city but exciting and exhilarating. Apart from the obvious tourist sights, of which there are many, the highlights would have to be the Metropolitan Museum of Art; the spectacle of Times Square at night (munching a slab of pizza); Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg; the Emanu-el  Jewish temple with its staggeringly beautiful interior; the architecture of the amazing buildings old and new. Oh, and conquering the bus and subway system! Fashion night was also exciting, an event which was started three years ago with the beginning of austerity measures, aimed to cheer the people of NY(and part them from their money?). All the clothes shops and stores open late on one night, each creating a party atmosphere with wine, DJs, models dancing in the windows, free samples etc.The streets were heaving with the young and beautiful and Mike and I caught up in the middle, but I did get handed a free sample of perfume!
Low spots? Putting salt in Mike's coffee on our first morning in NY; the scorching heat and humidity stinging our bodies as it blasted through the subway; the Chinese torture of air con, then heat/ humidity, air con. Top of the list would have to be, being segregated from the black congregation and then thrown out of the Mount Neboh Baptist Church in Harlem because we wouldn't "donate" $20 each to enter the church for Sunday worship. Mike said of the huge guy on the door, (but not to his face), that he had to belong to the Mafia. Tried another church, but here we were made to sit on the back row and not with the congregation. The pastor ended every sentence with 'TUHH!'  and shouted so loudly we left before our ears started bleeding. We never did get to experience the wonderful Gospel choirs for which Harlem is famous. We did get to sample the Southern cooking though, which was delicious if calorific.
No real low spots then!!