The wax work has never moved or done a days work in its life! Next to our royal family are the presidents, Gandhi and some other important plebs which are little interest to us. In another room we meet Bono, The Rolling Stones and Elton where further down into the museum an exhibition focuses on black people including Will Smith and Malcolm X. Maybe the sculptures dropped some wax in a bucketful of tar and decided to make a few figures from it!
The biggest shock from Tussauds came from Chambers Live where we encountered real life guys dressed as murderers jumping out at us and following our footsteps. Letting out a scream Graham Norton would have even been embarrassed making we ran through the chambers. If you can't afford a trip to the States London's exhibition has a similar experience - perfect for taking your rich Gran in as your heart quite literally stops in some places. The museum (I Suppose we can get away with calling it that) made quite a big deal around their most recent addition, Superman. The man of steel was given a whole room giving visitors a photo opportunity, talking of which guests are snapped with The Incredible Hulk right from the start of their tour and can purchase the results before they leave. Although we didn't waste our dollars! When we left we couldn't help noticing that from the Spring Madame Tussauds will have competition from Ripley's Believe Or Not museum which is having a grand opening in a few months. Give us a few years and we'll give you a report on another entertaining New York attraction, which sadly can't be said about our next port of call.
Just hearing the date, September 11th portraits horrific images in ones mind. The day the World Trade Centre collapsed after two planes crashed into its mighty buildings was one of the world’s most tragic disasters. All which is now left is a large square of rubble and the spine chilling thought that bones may still be buried deep underground just inches away where we are standing. In one of the busiest and nosiest cities in the world an eerie silence creeps around this area. A list of those who lost their lives and the brave firemen is displayed and messages from loved ones can be read and remembered by visitors across the globe. The unthinkable day brings unimaginable thoughts as we witness the emptiness in front of us. Still all around New York 11/11 is still clearly remembered with red white & blue ribbon signs. A fireman waxwork was earlier seen in Madame Tussauds; a bus we spotted near Central park had reference to the disaster and standing here, right now brings the reality home. A memorial garden for the future of Ground Zero has been discussed, but whatever the outcome is nothing can bring back the lives which was so brutality lost back in 2001.
On a lighter and more musical note our next venture in the Big Apple takes us on a guided tour around the city and the out skirts such as Brooklyn and the Bronx. This sight seeing tour wasn't your normal rubbish which your parents used to force you on when you were young. No, this was the New York Hip Hop tour tracing the origin to the music scene so loved by the black community. Regular ABLE2 readers, well both of them, will be aware that we prefer our rock and indie music as opposed to rap, but we are happy to cross the music boarder from time to time. Meeting at the coach stop in below freezing temperatures DJ Casper promises us an educational trip. We are told how important Hip Hop is and that it has four foundations, art, rap DJ and style. How about stabbing and shootings? These were missed out for some reason.
Our first stop was to witness the art, Mona Lisa? Architecture on the roof of St. Pauls Cathedral? Not quite, a school playground with graffiti. Apparently this place is very symbolic and rappers use their 'tags' so others can appreciate their work. Graffiti is art and we are given ten minutes to walk around the school 'yard' and admire this work! Now, without being negative, we don't really see the artistic contribution in Graffiti, a few meters from our home back in England a picture of a penis with over proportioned testicles has been drawn on a lamppost, we don't regard the work from an artist but from a group of teenagers wearing hoodies. Amazingly this school permits a graffiti artist each year to cover the walls with their work! We then pose for a team photo and make our way back on the bus.
Edging ever nearer to the Bronx we pass Tu-Pacs ceremonial place and are even requested silence to respect the prat for a few minutes silence! We arrive at a Basketball pitch where once a year the likes of Jay Z and P Diddy assemble teams for a game watched by adoring fans - gripping stuff eh? Making our way to the Bronx itself Casper shows us a music video he stars in and rattles on about how he came up with some lyrics for the first ever rap song to be release commercially, we couldn't be bothered to take notes. Once in the Bronx and creeping off the bus for a repulsive chicken meal (to be honest, it wasn't that bad) we are aware that we're the only white skins in this troublesome area. Munching down our food our tour ends at a New York museum so we can witness great rappers and their fashion sense.
Ending the day at the members only bar, Soho House we make plans for Day three and over a pint or four tell our party we will be up for ice skating before the end of our holiday. Luckily they are drunk as well and will forget all about our doltish idea by the morning, won't they?
We just time to leave our mobile number on a cubicle in the woman's loo before we leave. It's not graffiti remember - its art!
