Calypso and Charlotte Take Over NYC!: Day 37: Downtown and SoHo Tour

Charlotte and I are both coming down with sore throats, and we decided to sit on the top of the double decker bus, in the pouring rain. That wasn't wise.
As you can probably guess, I'm even worse after the tour and very tired. Please forgive my shortness on this blog. The next 2 days will be recovery days for me.

It started to rain as we stepped out of the door :/ Walter offered to drive us to the bus stop, and when we made it, the bus passed so we chase it down the road (I've never done that and it was riveting). We caught an 8:30am bus, and Char bought her ticket there. It was pouring down, but I had my poncho.

Here's what we saw today:

But I really don't have much to say other than it was raining a lot and I was very cold.

The first restaurants we visited each for Little Italy and Chinatown were 10/10's immediately, and I felt no reason in the freezing snow to eat at any others. So we didn't. We walked around a little bit, but a lot was closed since the rain was nonstop. I bought a mini luggage bag to bring back to Australia! It'll probably carry all of my gifts. Hopefully it'll be big enough. The guy from the luggage store offered to pack my pizza in it (bless) but then folded my pizza box in half omg no my poor, soggy pizza. He was super helpful and had such an urban twang, which was not what I was expecting from the middle of super-super Chinatown. Oh, and he also gave me tips for the Little Italy's pizza events that happen tomorrow. I won't go, but I'm glad I know about it now. Later we stumbled across this amazing Chinese restaurant that was so quick and had amazing service, plus lunch deals for $6.50.... AND UNLIMITED GREEN TEA!!!!! <3 JUST WHAT I NEEDED AFTER WALKING IN THE RAIN WITH A SORE THROAT <3 <3 <3

We hopped back on after 2.5hrs (though it didn't feel nearly as long) and basically saw the sites we visited a month ago (Lady Lib etc). The 2 different tour guides we got today were so much better (and lively) than the dude I had yesterday... The last guy was very interesting. He had worked on the 28th level of the North Trade Centre, and was 1/2 mile away (getting lunch?) and turned around and saw the building being attacked. Unfortunately only 3 people from his company survived, and now he's a pacifistic tour guide who had the best attitude ever. He brought his iPod unofficially and made an impromptu karaoke, which I'm no longer afraid to sing at anymore... like at the start of the trip, a month ago. We also stopped by the Brooklyn Bridge and the mental hospital down the road, which also takes in patients who have broken a bone or two, and he said "never say you're from this hospital (Bellview) to a New Yorker, they'll know immediately that you're crazy!" but then said 'but really, if you're thinking about anything like those guys [who jump off the Brooklyn Bridge etc] or go through hardships, I have an email you can contact me on. I don't mind listening, I like to help.' HE WAS SO SWEET AND CHEERY AND THEN we passed the UN building/ Trump Tower #3 and he blasted Imagine by John Lennon which was beautiful. I sung out to my heart's content <3.

We waited an hour for the bus home, but it was worth it when we saw the sunset outside. Thankfully we walked back home in twilight/dusk, so it wasn't pitch black. Kerri and the boys returned from the Lake House today, and the boys said they were super bored so I challenged them to a rematch of Mouse Trap. That was a lot of fun, and we finally got it to work!! The boys were so excited, and very competitive. Originally Trey and I teamed up against Char and Rhino, but then it switched bc Char and Ry were defeated (mwahaha) so they each chose a side (I got Rynie). I won, by the way ;D.

Later, I read with Trey through his first chapter book (How I Survived Katerina), which was fun but a little difficult bc he'd stumbled across words and I'd teach him them with an Aussie accent, but he'd continue the sentence back with an American, so it sounded out of place. I tried my best to use a bit of a New Jersian twang ahha. They don't pronounce their "th's"and I hear Trey say "otter" all the time. Alllll the time. He means "other", but his accent is so thick. Oh, New Jersians. Anyways, halfway through Char came in :D Ryan told me I have to stay 300 more days (for next Christmas, too), or return when he's in year 8 (he's in kindy now), when I have heaps of babies-- looool. Kerri overheard this and said "No way!". Oh, Rynie <3 The boys were angels tonight, I realllllly enjoyed hanging out w them for the night, I've missed those mischievous monkeys.

Pictures:

MAXIEEEE

marshmallow girl

Largest post office in the US

Drinking our juices to get those vitaminsssss

ESB

I FINALLY SAW FLATIRON (and Rockefeller lit up <3)

Adam Sandler went here :)

Publishing house most known for THG (but the tour guide said Harry Potter........ um who cares; The Hunger Games was published here)

NoHo= North of Houston, est. in 2003

BEST PIZZERIA IN THE STATE

Needed more for home

Even more for home mwahahahha (well I HAD to bring food back........ I mean, what's the point of visiting Chinatown/L.I. when you don't bring stuff home??)