09.14.17 | New York, New York | 09:06

Jamaica: The bed here is so comfortable! I was mentally checked out last night by about 20:00. I slept all through the night until about 06:00 and then got up, showered, and ventured out to find something for breakfast. I met Roseann, my host, on my way out the door and asked if she could point me in the right direction for breakfast. Something local that isn’t part of a chain.

The restaurant she suggested wasn’t open yet, so I walked down the street until I came to one called Tru Jerk & Soul. I asked the lady behind the counter if they had anything for breakfast. She turned around and started lifting the lids on a bunch of pans. This was not a traditional breakfast food in the western sense- no eggs, bacon, pancakes, or anything like that. She told me that the food was authentic Jamaican. She gave me a plate with white fish, potatoes, some greens, and okra. It would call it southern style, but nothing was fried. It was very delicious! She made me a to-go plate, but I ate it all there.

After breakfast, I walked around for a while, wondering what there was to see and do. I consulted the internet, and it didn’t offer much help. I saw a park, a few churches, some more restaurants, but that’s all there was. I did come across a grade school, just as all the kids were making their way inside. The students wore uniforms, and as much as I wanted to take some pictures, I didn’t want to be the creepy guy who is by himself, taking pictures of the little kids. They were cute as hell, though. Instead, I headed back to the house to prepare for whatever was next.

The house was shaking because they’re doing construction nearby. I noticed on the map that it’s about a 3-mile trek to the nearest train station. I plan on walking there, to avoid having to stand around waiting for any busses. I need to get an early start toward Manhattan. Wicked tonight!

23:04

My walk to the rail station was just over 3 miles! I could have called for a Lyft, but the more I walk, the more money I can save since this entire trip will be on a credit card (thanks to a $1400 mistake by my bank)- the less I swipe my card, the better.

When I stepped off of the subway in Manhattan, it was only a few blocks walk before I came upon a street that had been blocked off by the police. This was the yearly San Gerrano Festival. I had no idea that I would find this, but there was every kind of street vendor imaginable. All the fried food a guy could ask for in life, games with prizes, and all the restaurants had set up select dining areas out on the street itself. It was awesome!

From Wikipedia: 

The Feast of San Gennaro (Festa di San Gennaro) is an Italian-American festival. Originally a one-day religious commemoration, the festival was first celebrated in the United States in September 1926, when immigrants from Naples congregated along Mulberry Street in the Little Italy section of Manhattan in New York City to continue the tradition they had followed in Italy to celebrate Saint Januarius, the Patron Saint of Naples. His feast day is September 19 in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church.

I grabbed lunch at a restaurant called Paesano. I wasn’t craving Italian food, but I had to pee like a racehorse, and I saw a sign that read: RESTROOM IS FOR CUSTOMER USE ONLY. At that point, it didn’t matter what kind of food they were serving. I was going to eat something so that I could use the facilities. The food was good!

I made my way to the SoHo Apple Store for a few minutes. I was hoping they’d have the iPhone X on display, but the guy in front told me that they wouldn’t get any until we can preorder them. I’m going to have to wait, in other words. I’m not sure if I’m going to order one or not. Yes, I’d love one, but there’s nothing wrong with my iPhone 7. If I do get one, I’ll pay for it by working extra trips, so I don’t have to spend any of my savings or go into any debt for it. I’m a responsible adult, after all (yeah, right).

I walked further south and then ended up coming north to Washington Square Park. That was a great place to sit and rest for a while. There were thousands of people in the square. It was mad! Many people love to be in the city, but I think they need these parks to keep their sanity.

I walked north until I got to Time’s Square. This is the place to go if you ever want to people-watch. Every kind of person is here, including this man whose name is Jason Hunter. This is his song/art piece called Ignore. It’s was catchy, albeit annoying. You can Google the words ‘Jason Hunter Ignore,’ and this same song comes up on YouTube. It seems as if he’s been pushing this same art piece for a while now.

Finally, it was time to make my way to The Gershwin Theatre and see Wicked. My seat was next to a girl who was visiting from Pahrump, Nevada. She told me she is in town for a continuing education seminar, something to do with nursing. She’s traveling by herself and says this is her first time in New York City.

This cast of Wicked is probably the best cast I’ve ever seen! The girl playing Elphaba had an incredible range, and she did some things with the high notes that I’d never heard before. This is my fourth time seeing this musical, and every time it just gets better! The first time was with Colee when she came to visit, the second time with LaDawn, the third time was when the traveling company came to Louisville, and I went with friends Ashly and Tammy.

Every time I see this play, it just gets better! There were even moments when I got goosebumps or a little bit teary-eyed. I know the storyline, and I know what’s coming, but this cast did so well, I was in constant chills!

I grabbed a Lyft outside when the play was over and rode back to Jamaica. This was a long ride and one that cost me about $60! So much for saving money- I only did this because I wanted to get back faster. I’m not sure how late the subway runs, but I knew that even if I rode back that way to Jamaica Station, I’d still be getting a ride for that last 3 miles.