103rd St Station, 1 Train...or have spacesuit, will travel

Empire State Building. Yes, we went to the tourist traps. Ellis Island was cool though, had a "Hands that Built America" type moment. Heh. Didn't get to see a concert, sad. Belle and Sebastian were at Battery Park the 4th, and we got there the 6th, left the 1oth. Yo la tengo and Nortec were at Prospect Park the 13th and 15th. Damien Rice is playing the 26th, but I won't get to go. It's a bummer, but I really couldn't afford to stay more days, and flights were pretty full.
Anyway, had a really good time, can't wait to go back. The people watching was superb, so was the shopping. And you get the feeling, the same one you can get in Mexico City, that this is it, you're in the center of everything, standing on some random street corner or in Grand Central. I like San Francisco better I think, it's a cleaner place and the hipsters have an eco-friendly vibe that's really funny to me sometimes, but you don't get the rush of make it or break it baby. SFO is a bit snobbier, kind of like Boston in that sense.

Chinatown was hilarious, every third person kept saying Louis, Louis, Coach. Except it sounded like eelou-eelou-ee, couch. Diana kept asking, what the fuck are they saying? They're selling purses, sweetie. Well, it sounds like they're trying to sell powdered cat testicles or something. You know, for male enhancement.

We found a street fair on sixth avenue, around 33rd st. Don't remember exactly where but we went to Manhattan Mall for some a/c right off the fair, so it must have been around there, maybe it was Broadway. There was some reggae music, This stand with Indian type skirts and blouses, and we bought some. I bought this lovely black wraparound skirt with silk appliqués, that I can also wear as some sort of strapless tunic, if I decide I look like the India María when I wear it as a skirt. Must find appropriate silvery belt.

One thing, Belkys is just like I imagined her. When I say Belkys I'm lumping the whole ethnic group. I know, I don't care. They are also visually loud. Heh.

We went to Little Italy after the World Cup final, and Diana and I have decided to go to Italy in December, if it's not too cold. A couple days in Roma, then down to Positano or some other place in Amalfi. I want the whole shebang, the foreign girls getting off some bus or taxi to this colorful cobblestone street, children playing and women in kerchiefs, cute guys in Vespas, a courtyard in the background with washing on the line, soft accordeon music. Ana Delfin advises against it, says Italian men never get mussed and it's annoying that they're so pretty, but hey, who cares. Diana and I have agreed, I point and she shoots ; -)
Here's a pic of Mulberry Street after the match. It's a pretty crappy pic and you only see the back of everybody's head, sorry. Anyway, Forza Azzurri! We have to see the real thing, by the Spanish Steps, and take pic of the Fontana di Trevi, etc. I have no idea how I'm gonna get enough people to cover me without owing three months of Sundays, as I'm supposed to go to Egypt in Sept-Oct with la Lupis . But, if those people keep shooting at each other and the conflict moves farther south, as in near the Egyptian border, the whole thing might fall apart. As it is, we can't really go to Petra now cause it's in Jordan and that's way too freaking close to Lebanon for my peace of mind. And my parents too, for that matter. I watch the news and try to rationalize that Egypt isn't involved in the conflict, it's not in the Middle East it's in Africa, and they're much more tourist friendly than the rest of the Arab countries. And this whole thing could blow over in a few weeks, and of course they'll have a no agression pact for Ramadan which is when we're going, etc. Still trying to decide if my self delusion can get me killed. We can go to Morocco maybe, but it won't be as cheap 'cause we'd go via Spain. Any suggestions, as well as tips on how to win the lottery or beat the casinos, are welcome.