Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...

Nope, not me rambling - singing! Tonights Broadway fix was a show called Spring Awakening. It was certainly a bit darker and more impactful than Altar Boyz, although that is no great surprise. I will keep it short so Andy doesn't moan about my blog being too long...

Essentially, it's set in a German school in the 1890's, when sex, fun and free thought were all taboo. The play follows the story of Melchior (played by Hunter Parrish) who is miles ahead of others and reads books that he shouldn't about the adult world. He enlightens his best friend who is failing at school, and later commits suicide. Dead Poets style the school blames Melchior and expels him. Around the same time he and his girl friend start misbehaving and she ends up pregnant. During the 'abortion' procedure, she dies (i'd hate to think...). Upon discovering her death Melchior experiences his "Spring Awakening". I've basically cheated the play of any impact here - but just take my word that it was actually amazing, both musically and in story. I'd see it again and again.


As for the rest of my day today... It started around lunchtime with a trip to Madame Tussaud's. It was pretty good, in fact the photos I have posted don't do it too much justice. The wax figures actually look more realistic up close when you don't get the flash reflecting off them. Real clothes, real hair and all that jazz. If the photos had have worked out better I would surely have tried to convince you that I met Leo Dicaprio in some fancy bar. Somehow I think I missed a floor on the way through, but never the less I wasn't disappointed. My cool little New York Pass let me skip a pretty huge line to get in which I was quite pleased about.

I then wandered down to the Empire State Building where the line to get into the observatory was over 2 and a half hours long! Some dude then told me that if I went to the NY Skyride show thing first, I'd be able to get into the observatory within 20mins. So off to the Skyride I go, its a tacky helicopter ride simulator that flies you around New York. It was still nice to see, gave me an idea of where else to go over the remaining few days I have here. I actually got all patriotic when they announced that they still show the WTC towers as a mark of rememberance, and then talked about how the Empire State Building is the pillar of freedom and hope. I have to confess I'm pretty sold on this whole Western democratic thing we live in and I'd be lying if I didn't admit to feeling pretty proud to be an Aussie, in America.

So, onto the observatory? Well, no. No New York pass was getting me through the lines of thousands, the guy downstairs pretty much lied to get people into the Skyride which obviously wasn't selling so well. Having booked tickets for a show tongiht, I didn't plan on waiting over two hours to look out a window and go wow. Actually, show tickets or not, that just wasn't going to happen. So I jumped back on the train and headed back uptown to get ready for the show.

Doesn't sound like much of a day, but I did spend more time wandering around 'real' New York and soaking it all in. Veronica (temp PA) wasn't far wrong - I do love this place, a whole lot... but I will come home. I do know for certain though, that I will be back - perhaps ahead of any other international adventures, I feel like I have found another 'home' here so the desire to jet off to London or anywhere else for that matter is dropping away.

Tomorrow, a cruisey day in Central Park I think. Maybe another show, because I can. I wish we had as many options in Melbourne to see decent Broadway shows. Shame, but I guess that's why they call it Broadway!

Much love...