Highlights of my US trip

The naked cowboy at NY Time Square

Highlight # 1
We were walking around Time Square when we spotted this "naked cowboy" offering to have his picture taken with anyone who wants one. Initially I thought it was just a picture with him, before I knew what happened, he had me up in his arms. Yeah, like that in the picture.. He can carry you and the best thing..? The second shot that he throws in for you allows you to hold his buttocks... :)))

ST was supposed to have my 2 shots taken, but after the first shot, he said there's something wrong with my handphone's camera, he couldn't seem to take any more picture.. !@#*$X%!....


....

....

..X#$?%#@!...


Highlight # 2

Phantom of the Opera

We went to watch a theater musical - the longest running broadway show. That was superb! It's a very romantic story.

Picture taken from here

In my opinion, it has the most haunting songs and scenes, and those lovely romantic mesmerizing songs are still lingering in my mind..!! Those melodic and powerful operatic voice, that can have you transfix, and after that, hav you yearn to hear them again and again. This is truly an eternal classic.

For more views written about Phantom of the Opera, on why or how this show remains such a phenomenal success even after so long, click here.


Highlight # 3

La Nouba - Cirque Du Soleil

This was magnifique..!!! A must watch if you happen to be anywhere near one. These (highlight item 2 & 3) are what I would call first class performances that no one should miss out.

Picture taken from here

Highlight # 4

The skyscrapers

Frankly speaking, I have never been a fan of skyscrapers, until the day I step into NY. I was amazed with the integration of the old and new buildings and whenever I walk out of our hotel, it never fails to keep me visually busy looking from streets to streets, buildings to buildings, taking in the breathtaking views of the city's skyline and the seamless array of buildings.

NY is divided into 5 districts boroughs, and they are Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. Lower Manhattan is where the vast majority of sights are located. We stayed in mid town of Manhattan, at the Theater District and within a few minutes walk from Time Square.

 The new - The Empire State Tower
(Click on any picture for a clearer view)

The Chrysler building

And the old - The Flatiron building

Many of the old buildings in NY bears close resemblance to old European buildings because New York looked towards Europe for architectural inspiration from early on. The township grid planning and zoning system is extremely impressive too.


Highlight # 5

The neon signs and humongous billboard advertisements at Time Square
(This picture look more impressive when enlarged. To do that, just click on the pix)

The above picture is my all time favorite. Why? Because it has all the elements of NY in it - McD, broadway shows, and the famous NY yellow cab.. :-D

If you wish to see the humongous neon signs at night on video, click here. It's at the end of the blog.

Most people told me that I MUST shop when I'm in NY or Orlando. When we came home and I said I did not managed to buy anything in particular, people looked at me like as if I am from out of this world. I did not shop, however, I came back with some truly great and fond memories of the place, and to me the highlights of my trip are those listed above.. :-D

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Stoned mode

Picture taken from here

Picture taken from here

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

US trip - the story continues

Night scene outside our room window (close up)

Been taking too many pictures. I'm just gonna post random pictures here, so they might be some from NY and Downtown Disney.

Orlando Premium Outlet - We went on a week end, and the crowd was like crazee, I tell ya! I just freaked out and wanted to get out.

Feel free to click on any picture for a clearer view

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Stratasys 2012 Global Conference, Orlando

The sale conference kicked-off with a guy painting something with sponges and his own hands.

 Waaalaaa.....!!

Our hotel - Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal Orlando

Our room (below)

Look at the size of their king size bed......!!! 

Check out the view outside our room window.. it heads out to the Portofino harbour. It may be called a harbour but it's totally quiet and peaceful. We sit outside on the chair to soak up the sun whenever it's out.


Below are pictures taken just outside our room window/door.

That's our room... :)))

That's it for now, folks! Gotta prepare for our social evening at City Walk at Universal Studio. Will continue to up-load another round when I find the time. Stay tuned! 


--moon


Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Greetings & up-dates from Orlando

 Picture taken from here

Continuing from where I left off in NY....  For the first time in my life, I heard ST said, "Lari, lari....!" on the day he was packing to leave for Orlando. That had me laughing so hard on the floor, I tell ya!

He was still carrying his flu and cough from back home, and wasn't in his best of health. The extreme weather (in our opinion and his, for that matter) didn't really help with his recovery. Under normal circumstances, he is one person who just love the cold and loves visiting cold countries, to escape the scorching heat back in Malaysia.

The strong chilly wind in NY gave me "wind burn". In case you have not heard of this before, neither have I. It made my skin extremely dry and I started having red spots rashes, just on my legs & thighs, coz it was exposed to the wind that goes in thru the ankle. It was itchy like hell and for this trip (stupid of me), I didn't bring enough good body cream to apply. We were taking the unlimited hop-on, hop off double decker buses for our transport & sat at the top for the view.

Also, due to jet lag, everyday we were in NY for the first 3 days, both of us turned into zombies each time it hits 6 pm. By 6 pm, do not ask me questions or talk to me coz my eyes may be open but I might not respond. Besides that, having my cleaners calling me at 3 am in the morning for 2 consecutive days, didn't help either.. +__+


We had our schedule a bit screwed up due to the jet lag and almost missed a chance to view Manhattan Island from across - from Brooklyn. We bought their hop on and hop off ticket that was valid only for 48 hours. On the second day, we went and booked Phantom of the Opera. However, after we asked for leniency at their office nearby, we were given an extension, and thanks to these people, we were able to take the night loop, where the bus took us over to Brooklyn (the mainland) for a brief tour and back.


The Phantom of the Opera was maginificent...!!!


Over in Orlando, despite the fact that we're staying around the Disney area, having free shuttle to anyone of the Disney attractions, we didn't go into anyone of them. We were just hanging out at the Disney downtown market place, which, in our opinion, is happening enough. It's a huge place with plenty of attractions of it's own, without having to pay entrance fee, and needless to say, we also went to watch Cirque Du Soleil, which is just within walking distance from our hotel and at the end of the market place. The performance is by far one of the best we've ever seen, it's simply superb and mind blowing!


Walking to and fro the market place everyday is so pleasant and nice. The entire area is quiet and peaceful and we walked past 2 lakes each time. Each time we see a squirrel running past or foraging at a nearby grass, ST calls him/her Austin.. -__- and there are like plenty of squirrels running around here and ducks swimming and playing in the the lakes.

We'll be checking out of Holiday Inn this afternoon and checking-in to another hotel nearby, this time in within Universal Studio for our sales conference kick-off. The event starts this evening with the welcome speech and dinner.

--moon


Blog name - carrot head and applemint

NYC - Day 2 & 3

 The famous NYC yellow cab

The Freedom Tower, in the background, rising from the ashes of the twin towers, at ground zero.

Taken at Park Avenue, from the South Side

Central Park on the right, Plaza Hotel on the left (made famous by the movie Home Alone II) 

 Central Park - South Entrance

 Majestic at Broadway, Theatre District

Just to show the number of people at Time Square area at anytime of the day 

Last day in NYC. Enjoying a cup of Starbucks coffee at Times Square

That's it for now, folks!

--moon

Blog name - carrot head and applemint

Greetings from New York!

 The Time Square

Touched down around 10 pm on Monday night in NY. Took a shuttle to the hotel, which is actually medium size tourist vans. Reached our hotel around 1 am.


I was up the whole 14 hours flight, because I wanted to immediately adjust to NY time. By the time we checked-in to our hotel, I was so dead tired, I did not bother to shower. I just changed and hit the sack. ST was dozing on and off onboard, so by the time we reached hotel, he was excited and hungry and wanted to walk out to nearby delis for his "lunch" coz at 1 am here, it was 1 pm in Malaysia.. -__-


Anyway, whatever he suggested, my mind was not paying attention, coz it only wanted the comfy bed.


New York - Day 1

Feel free to click on any picture for a clearer view

Checking out Pax Wholesome Food Deli for breakfast. I was the happiest person on earth when I walked in. 

 Fruits and cereals galore...!!!

Our breakfast

Time Square at night. The picture taken doesn't justify the enormosity (not sure if this is how it's spelt). So I decided to get ST to capture it on video.

It's freezing cold here. I'm wearing a thick sweater, winter jacket over it, gloves and thick socks, and it's still freezing cold, especially when the wind blows. It chills you to the bone.


Whenever I think of bathing, I shiver. But we love using their toilet bowl, coz it's heated up warmly so it's nice to sit on it.. :)))


Our hotel (bless these people) provides us with super fast FREE WiFi in the room. So I'm online at the same time going through jet lag. Therefore, don't be surprise to find lots of mistakes, grammar and typo errors, etc..


I wish I am able to describe New York, especially when we first step out of our hotel, but in my current jet lag mode, no appropriate words seem to be forthcoming. So, I guess you'll just have to wait till my mind is more in-synchronization with the time zone here and my body clock. Am I making sense here...? Uuh... never mind.. 


Ok, am hitting the sack now. It's 11.21 pm now and I need my beauty sleep.

Note
I have up-dated some latest pictures in the Taiwan blog. Feel free to scroll down and re-visit the blog.

--moon


Blog name - carrot head and applemint