July 4th

Before the unpleasantness of Sunday, I would have been tempted to say that the weekend was actually great. I rode down to Battery Park on Saturday morning; it was the perfect day, sunny and warm with a breeze, awesome to ride in, although a little crazy in the city (for some reason I thought people would leave the city for the holiday weekend, but of course, in NYC, it's always nuts). There were free concerts in the park, with a view of the Statue of Liberty. It was very nice and relaxed, people sitting on the grass, reading, having a picnic, smoking pot, listening to the music. Sadly, I had to leave before Conor Oberst took the stage, but I got to hear him sing one sing with a singer called Jenny Lewis, who was actually really good, just too bad I had never heard of her before.



Riding home was an adventure. I had totally forgotten that the fireworks were going to be over the Hudson this year and started up in the West side bike trail, which is really nice, wide and usually not super crowded with pedestrians (not true on July 4th). At 26th St., there was a huge police party - well, it looked like it at least, there were about 1000 cops roaming the streets, closing the road, telling people to go away. They were totally useless when I asked them where I could ride up north. I had to turn East on 26th St, and then I was looking for a north-bound bike lane and found one on 8th Ave. Things were going well until I got into Midtown, where the bike lane just suddenly disappeared and I was stuck between 2 cabs. I am convinced that NYC drivers are out to get bikers. They are angry and bitter and want to take it out on someone, and it's easier on the bikers than on the pedestrians I guess. Anyway, after getting a little panicked at Columbus Circle, I got to Central Park and once I crossed over to the East Side, it was totally deserted.

Then I headed back to West Side for a fireworks/birthday party. It was my friend, Goretti's bday on Saturday and I was invited by some of my host relatives to watch the fireworks from their roof so I took my friend along. What better than to watch fireworks being put on for your birthday :) ? The view was amazing! I took many pictures, here are a few:




My wonderful host family even got a bday cake for Goretti and had perfectly coordinated colored dessert for the holiday!