Harlem to Broadway

We started yesterday with a death defying Taxi ride to Harlem for a Gospel Service.  Once we got to the particular Church we were heading for we found that the public could not go in that day because they had something special on.  We headed into the main street and had a closer look at the Apollo.  Everyone was sooooo dressed up for Church.  Woman had on hats and suits and looked very smart and very 1960's and the Men - OMG - they had jewelled lapels, the fanciest shoes, hats with feathers, they really love to dress up for Church.  We saw one family following their Father down the road and the little girls had big bouncy dresses on and the boys wore suits.  It was against a backdrop of rubbish all over the streets.  It is a very different part of New York.  We felt safe though,  I have not felt wary about being anywhere here - except the ticket machine on the subways hates me!  We bought day passes for the buses and trains which meant using the Subway for the first time.  We got our tickets from the machine underground in Harlem and we were back in Times Square in a flash.  We gathered up our washing and headed off to find a laundromat on 71st Street.  There was a big concert in Times Square yesterday, showcasing all the shows on Broadway so while we walked a couple of blocks we were entertained all the way.  The laundromat was in a lovely area and much quieter than Times Square so while the washing was going we walked along the streets and looked in the shops.  The locals were meeting friends and having coffees and walking their dogs.  With the washing all done we jumped on another subway train and headed to Penn St Station and spoke to the Amtrak office about getting trains to Boston because we are thinking of going there for a couple of days.  They were really helpful so we came back to our place armed with brochures and maps to help plan our next stage.  While on the Subway, sitting there zooming under the streets of New York - all of a sudden music broke out and two guys started dancing and swinging around the poles and doing all these incredible moves in the aisles of the train.  It was fantastic!  The locals seemed a bit annoyed but we tourists loved it.  We had a leisurely couple of hours before getting ready to see Billy Elliot at the Imperial, just across the street from The Edison.  We met Jean and Heather, picked up our tickets and went into the Theatre.  While sitting there chatting a man in front said, with that accent you are Australian.  He was an Aussie from Sydney and he had seen the show a ridiculous amount of times.  So many in fact that he knew all the cast and the parents of the boys who play Billy.  He said the two boys playing Billy here are Australian and the best he has seen.  The show was FANTASTIC, we laughed we cried it was the best show I have ever seen and if it comes to Australia again, we will see it.  After the show we hung around the Stage door like groupies and got the boys autographs and photos!! (We can sell them on EBay when they are academy award winners!!)  After that we went to a Bar and had a drink and a laugh with some Los Angelas women who were visiting New York for their 50th and then we went to Juniors Cheesecake restaurant and met again with the Aussie and his American friend who had also seen the show alot of times and had more wine and cheesecake with them until after midnight.  We staggered home and slept really well until 9 this morning!
Today we are off the Ground Zero, The Statue of Liberty, The Empire State Building and anything along the way.  Jean and Heather are off to a new Hotel in 14th street to join up with their next tour group.  We will have dinner with them tonight.