New York with friends

Update 7.1.2007(16.12.2006)billn

bodies exibitionYesterday I started out from the red-brick station of Wilmington Delaware; almost 2 hours in the relative darkness of the ‘quiet carriage’, and 40 pages of the latest John le Carre later, my train arrived at Penn Station.

New York is so vibrant, it can be grubby, high-tech, friendly or disdainful – but it’s seldom dull – where else would I find a taxi (cab, sorry!) driver called Ramon who sings along with every song the radio offers on our way to the hotel – he was particulary good on the Christmas songs! Home for the next 2 nights is the large Holiday Inn on West 57th Street – did I already mention grubby(?) – okay the room is actually pretty good, but don’t look too closely at the mould in the bathroom.

The evening is spent chez Vinotas and his lovely wife Catalina plus Drew, Paul and Sandy. If my (still a little cloudy) memory serves, I remember 5 white burgundies and at least 8 red burgundies, though mein host’s mischievous inclusion of the de Vogüé 1997 Chambolle 1er Cru is thwarted by a badly corked bottle. There was also a Sine Qua Non pinot that was very enjoyable and bore a passing resemblance to the 1996 Leroy Savigny 1er Narbantons that we also chugged. A really great night with top-class company – thanks to Michel and Catalina.

Now I can see the sun shining so I’m heading for breakfast. Ahead a day of shopping, and perhaps a visit to see some dead bodies (picture above) or the equally ‘exhumed’ Spamalot. Let’s see how the day develops…

UPDATE: I didn’t get to Spamalot, but I did ‘do’ bodies ($27.50 I think). All I can say is that fascination slowly gave way to faster and faster ‘appraisal’ of the exhibits before I basically walked past the cases displaying various tumors. There were a few tables at the end of the exhibition which turned out to have ‘comments’ books – I had wrongly assumed (this being the US) that the tables were where you would wait for your counciling(!) I had never realised that I was squeamish, but one or two exhibits gave me a the impression that their inclusion was gratuitous, rather than educational…

Anyway, here is a more thoughtful discussion of the subject of ‘plastination

PS, sometime later I managed to eat, but I only ordered fish!

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