How Many Musicals Is It Possible To See In One Week?

So, the last week has been a bit mad, having had to pay for internet for the week, haven't had so much opportunity to blog (plus there is too much to do in NY!), but now that Rach has left me all on my lonesome, thought I'd write and let everyone know what I've been up to. I've made it to Washington DC, staying in a very nice, if very quiet hostel, with some cool people.

So I left Montreal on the Saturday evening, made it through the border no problem (I always find this a little bit scary after the events of this Summer....especially at 1am in the morning). Arriving in Boston at 6am as the sun was coming up was a great way to be introduced to the city, unfortunately once inside the bus station, I realised it was a Sunday and left luggage was not going to open until 10am. Bit of a bummer, but it gave me a chance to have a sit down, some breakfast and read a little of my book - and plan my day. Come 10am with my bags safely stowed away, with a guide book in one hand and a camera in the other I went off with all the other hundreds of tourists on the Freedom Trail. Lukily it was a gloroiusly sunny day, I guess cities always look better in the sun - but Boston did seem like a really lovely place. The Freedom Trail is a line of red briks that takes you on a journey around the city, passing all the main landmarks. Was a great way to discover the city, and start my American adventure.

The afternoon took me to Faenol Hall - a lot like Covent Garden (was designed by the same guy who regenerated that) but only a little more modern, was a great lunch location. Got talking to a couple of street performers who were British and studying over here, and then proceeded to watch their acrobatic show, which was filled with very British humour and went slightly over the Americans heads...

Then on to the waterfront (in order to fulfil my Dawson's Creek fantasies...it's where they all went to live in the final series...). Which again, in the glorious sunshine, was a perfect place to lie in the heat and spend a lovely sunny afternoon. I ended the day on Boston Common, could have spent much longer there, but had to go collect my bags and get on the coach...

So I arrived in New York at about 3.30am in the morning. Certainly felt like any number of characters from American musicals, most especially the sailors in On The Town as I walked out into Times Square in the middle of the night. Now, I always thought it was going to feel quite emotional being back there....last time I was in Times Square I was on my way back to London having spent two weeks on a far away Island north of Seattle with singing ten year olds, I had spent the night not sleeping on a plane, having been told that Dad was not doing too great in hospital, and I just wanted to be back in London...all very traumatic... Now, for someone who is bordering on the worringly obsessive with musical theatre as I am, Broadway and New York is really the only place in the world that I've ever really, really wanted to go to. Being there two years ago was like some kind of nightmare...well all I can say is that now those memories have been well and truly wiped away, as all I could really feel this time was excitement..... Common sense however prevailed, and at 3.30 am I decided not to see what Broadway diva's I could seek out and instead found an open cafe in the bus terminal and sat and read my book for an hour or two before the sun came up and I could make my way to the hostel....

The week was amazing, really don't have time to write about it all here. We did all the major touristy stuff, Empire State, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Isalnd. And we saw a lot of shows! The Little Mermaid, 13 (Jason Robert Brown's new show...still in previews!), All My Sons (with Katie Holmes, but no Tom in the audience), Gypsy (starring Patti Lupone, in one of the craziest pure Broadway diva performances I have ever seen! Standing ovation in the middle of the second act for her Rose's Turn) and In The Heights (won the Tony this year for best new musical, it's a Latino musical set in a Puerto Rican neighbourhood north Manhatten, Washington Heights. Thought it was great.)

We also did the Sex and the City tour, ate cupcakes from the Magnolia bakery, drank a lot of cocktails, ate cheesecake at Lindy's, had a picnic in Central Park...and did a lot of shopping! (Abercrombie and Fitch store being a highlight...so many fit people!!!)

Was a pure joy to spend the week with Rachel, for those that don't know her, I met Rach my first weekend of University, pretty much four years ago to the day, at the readthrough of Little Shop of Horrors - she was playing Audrey and I was Seymour. We immediately bonded over a love for crap musicals and Barbara Streisand, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that we would end up at about 2am in a crowded piano bar in Greenwich Village 4 years later singing Suddenly Seymour to each other at the top of our voices...pure joy!!! That's what I want heaven to be like.....!

So am now in DC, and just going off to do some sight seeing. Hope you are all well, and send me your news!!

Rich
xxx

Who Is The Third Sailor In On The Town..??

So I made it here to New York after a day in Boston, and met Rach no prob on Monday morning.

Will write more when I have a little more time, but after two nights sleeping on buses/in bus stations(please don't tell my Mum...) a chance to sleep in a bed on Monday was awesome...

Already seen one musical...Rachel had her way....and yes, my first Broadway show was The Little Mermaid...brilliant!!!!!

This afternoon we're off on the Sex and the City bus tour...!

Lot's of love to all

Rich
xxx

p.s
If anyopne can let me know who the third sailor is in On The Town (frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, and...???!!), I'd be very grateful....

On The Move....

So having just packed for the third time, I am starting to stress about the amount of stuff I have managed to bring with me. Methinks I might have to start being a bit more ruthless. Or maybe just buy a bigger bag....

So now I'm waiting to get on my first bus and really begin this adventure. The past week has been really nice. After the disastrous weather last weekend, things cleared up. It's not been hot, but the sun has certainly been shining and it's been warm enough to sit and enjoy the sun. Lydia's leg has improved a little, but she's still hobbling along on crutches, and so I've spent much of the week going for long walks, and exploring the city on my own. I've also done a fair amount of chiling with Lyds and looking after her - she say's I'm quite the chef! Feel a little bit like her carer, and she says she's not sure how she's going to cope when I'm gone..!!

Wednesday I headed up north to Quebec City, it's one of the oldest cities in North America, and is really very lovely. I spent lots of time wandering, and taking everything in my stride, although a P&O cruise ship had docked in the harbour for the day, so the place was crawling with Brits.... With my exciting new camera, I now also have a new-found interest in photography (am am slowly getting better....) so took lots of picture too - Sarah Day would be proud!! (If at all interested, check Facebook - will put some up there when I have a moment.)

Thursday some of Lyd's friends where doing their weekly Improv Comedy night, which was great. We ended up drinking the night away in a crazy little bar - whilst I was regaled with stories of Lydia's college life...I think this girl had a wild side that perhaps was tamed a little by the time she got to Bristol...(although I'm sure we all saw flashes of it - anyone remember the Third Year Grad Party?! - Lydia doesn't....)

Last night we went for dinner with Mark, Lydia's elder brother and his girlfriend Penny. Was a really lovely Canadian-style curry, and then Lydia and I went off on a bit of a late night city tour. First stop the casino - I didn't gamble away all my savings...Lydia and I are too dumb to understand the rules of hardcore card playing... followed by the top of Mount Royal. A great night-time lookout point over the city (although there were lots of rowdy youths!!) - a perfect way to spend the last night of my two week stay in Canada.

This afternoon Lydia, and her friend Melissa took me for lunch in the suburb where they grew up, a really gorgeous little place and the sun was shining. The afternoon was topped off by devouring the most amazing three pieces of cake that I have tasted in a very long time!

So tonight I'm off to Boston, and leaving the luxury of Lydia's apartment I think I finally become a proper traveller!? It has been so nice to spend time catching up with Lydia, I just hope it wont another year wont go by before I see her again. I am super-duper excited about what's next, about the USA, New York...and Broadway! Rachel arrives at about noon on Monday, and we're already debating over which musical should be first on the list...I'm trying to resist The Little Mermaid, but I think she might get her way....

Rich
xxx

p.s Some Interesting Things You May/May Not Know (or even want to know) About Canada..

• Canadians say eh? a lot.
• Cars in Quebec do not have a number plate on the front.
• Montreal is the largest Francophone city in the world, after Paris.
• English is not considered a national language in Quebec.
• Montreal is an island.
• The Quebec national dish is called Poutin; chips, gravy and curd cheese. I have refused to try it....
  
• There is a whole underground pedestrian network here, in the Winter when the snows come it's possible to walk from one building to another without going out into the freezing cold.
• With the soil that was dug out for the underground network they built an another island.
• There have been two Canadian elections in the last three years, and in October there will be another.
• Tim Hortons is a national institution. It's a road side take-away coffee shop.
  
• Celion Dion is from here, and they play her music everywhere.......
  

A Birthday Abroad.

Hope everyone is well. Just wanted to say thank-you all for the many birthday wishes I have received by email, or on facebook. Is so lovely to hear from everyone, and makes me feel very loved!!

So...a catch-up on the last few days. On Friday the weather took a turn for the worse (the remnants of hurricane Ike making their way up...or so I'm told), so I was finally moved from my balcony seat in the sun, and took refuge in the Museum of Contemporary Art. A lot like the Tate Modern - I'm sure I'll get the hang of this modern art thing one day, but I can't help feeling that a branch stuck to the wall just isn't that impressive. There was a very cool French-Canadian music video exhibition that made up for the pretentious wank tho.... In the evening Lydia's very good friend Melissa came over, we had some food, and drove to a lookout point at the top of Mount Royal, unfortunately due to said weather conditions, there was nothing to look at....

Saturday was spent chilling and getting Lydia ready for her 1/2 Marathon. We were up early on Sunday morning, to the sound of torrential rain (oh dear!) but Lyds said she wasn't going to let that stop her. Made it over to the start on the Jaques-Cartier bridge - really impressive start line - again unfortunately due to torrential downpour was a little difficult to savour the view! Hundreds of runners doing both the Marathon and the 1/2, although a sever lack of silly costumes ala London; maybe these French-Canadians just aren't as daft as us Brits. Tried to catch Lyds at the 10k point, but she was going so fast that we missed her, so headed straight to the finish in the Olympic Stadium. Amazing way to finish a race, hundreds of people in there, and a really wonderful atmosphere. Got there just in time to see the Kenyan come sprinting in at 2hrs 18mins to win the Marathon, very impressive! Were just about to give up, convinced that Lyds must have sprinted past the finish line long before we got there, when, on que, she came hobbling in the stadium. Something had happened to her leg, and she'd hobbled through the last 5k...unable to walk, we eventually befriended some rather lovely French-Canadians who carried her to the car....

After a trip to the hospital on Monday monring, it appears she may have some kind of stress fracture. Good job that I am here to look after her! She's hobbling along on crutches, but with a week off work, it's the perfect excuse to sit infront of daytime TV and spend some time with me!

So, my birthday didn't quite go according to plan. While Lydia was at the hospital I spent the afternoon walking in Mount Royal - a big mountain/park in the middle of the city. Climbed to the top (this time the sun had come out...) for some great views of the city, and spent the afternoon wandering through the park...

In the evening, Lydia managed to hobble round the corner to an Indian restaurant, and treated me to a birthday curry, before home and a few more G&T's. She's already feeling a lot better, so hopefully by Friday the casino awaits us.....

This afternoon I'm off to the biodome to see some Canadian beavers (ahem...), and tomorrow I'm headed to Quebec city.

Is all very chilled here, and am enjoying the opportunity to relax and sleep in till 11 most days! But also can't wait to get to NYC next week and start to party!!

Lots of love

Rich
xxx

An Afternoon In The Sun...

So after attempting my first group email at lunchtime and failing miserably I decided (and being inspired by reading Natalie's latest update of her time in Edinburgh) to give this thing a go.

It's easier to update than sending mass emails, and means that you can all ignore should you so wish!

The sun is shining today, and so I gave up on the idea of the Museum of Contemporary Art in favour of sitting in the sun on Lydia's balcony with my book....

I am fully aware of how much I sound like my Mum here....!

Rich
xxx

Week One!

Have been away a week now, so thought I should write and let you all know that I am still in one piece, and unusually for me, there have so far, been no major dramas.....

Edinburgh and the festival already feels like a lifetime ago, hope C venues lot are adjusting back to normal life away from the madness! Missing you all and the craziness, although the sun shines here and I don't have to sit on a stool for 12 hours a day....

So I got here in one piece, the flight was great (Sex and the City, Shrek, Pride and Prejudice, followed by a few episodes of Scrubs!). Has been so great seeing Lydia - can't believe it has been a year since she left the UK, but totally doesn't feel like it. Started catching up on the way from the airport, and haven't stopped chattering since! We spent the weekend just outside Toronto at her parents house, who looked after me very well. On Sat afternoon we went to Stratford (based on Stratford in the UK), they have a big Shakespeare / theatre festival there each summer - and saw a really great production of Cabaret. Sunday we went to Niagara falls, v.odd place! Massive natural phenomenon, massively impressive, then the town is like some kind of warped Butlins/Disneyland!! Went on a Maid of the Mist cruise along with the hundred of other tourists - but was really fun. Lyds and I looked especially fetching in our clear blue rain-macs they give you. The boat goes up really very close to the falls, was a lot of fun - if a very damp experience!

Monday we drove to Montreal, where Lydia lives. Was an 8 hour drive - although I'm told that's nothing by Canadian standards! Her apartment is awesome, and I can totally see why she loves it here so much. I didn't realise quite how French the city is - English is not even considered a national language - and year 8 French lessons with Mr Bongers on a Thursday afternoon seem like a very long time ago!! It's such a relaxed city, so un-North American, it feels like being in the South of France. Lydia has been back at work, so I've spent the days exploring and wondering on my own, which has been very chilled. Having a quiet morning today, and this afternoon think I might have a wonder around the Museum of Contemporary Art......

Am going to start exploring a bit further afield, and might head up north to Quebec City next week - although am having such a chilled out and relaxed time right now (much needed after the madness of the Summer) that I'm taking each day as it comes and seeing what I feel like doing! Lydia is running the Montreal half marathon at the weekend, which ends in the Olympic Stadium, so that should be a lot of fun. Not sure what we've got planned yet, but think we're going to have a posh night out at the Casino for my birthday on Monday!!

Heading down to the States at the end of next week, think I'll stop off in Boston for a day or two before meeting Rach in New York on Monday - so not sure when I might have a chance to write again.

Lots of love to all, hope you are well. Send me your news!!!!!

Rich
xxx