From Harlem to Comedy Club

Sunday 24th May 2009

An omelette breakfast and the rest of the morning was spent browsing shops on 34th Street.

Apollo Theater. Maybe it was too early in the morning because the historic theater was very much closed and did not look that impressive from the outside. Never the less, its prominence was noticed by many tourists like myself. Think Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Jackson 5 and Stevie Wonder.

125th street is also known as Main Street of Harlem. It is also Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard. In photo is Adam Clayton Powell Junior Statue and the Building with his name. He was the first African-American elected to congress. From where I took the photo, I had the time to browse artwork in the Studio Museum Harlem.

Walking south on Malcolm X Boulevard, there were many churches. I liked the laid back feel of characteristic of Sunday mornings. Most people that were up and about were probably heading to church. At the intersection of 116th Street was the above Masjid. I was told by the security officer that Malcolm X gave his lectures here. Impressive! A few blocks east along 116th Street there was a Malcolm Shabazz Market.

Walking down 116th Street(aka Luiz Munoz Marin Blvd) and where it cuts St Nicholas Ave and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd, I couldn't resist joining the queue at Make My Cakes.

Baseball game with sports commentary in Spanish at Morningside Park. In the distance, Columbia University.

Eveningtime was taking in the sights of the lower Manhattan districts. Memorial Day eve was packed with visitors and it was hard to manouvre through the human traffic as we ploughed up from Chinatown and Tribeca to Soho and Little Italy. Festivities in Little Italy included a very lively funfair. The most popular stall had a jackass clown and you could pay $2 or $5 for the opportunity to dunk him by throwing balls hard at a target. Vincent tried.

The sounds of trumpets playing military tunes added to the festivities. During pasta dinner, the waitress belted out her rendition of the star spangled banner.

Ended of the night with some good laughs at Gotham Comedy Club.

SHUCKS!