Memorial Day Parade

Monday 25th May 2009

The morning begun with the search for breakfast. When looking for something, it just becomes more elusive. Chocolate chip from Dunkin Donuts was what was on my mind. Cheap and delicious. Normally found abundantly but it was not on our route up to Times Square. 

Settled for Fillet-O-Fish from Macs. As we people watched. Traffic was not blocked off like yesterday and to summarise a funny sight- "girls queueing to take pictures with a man and his cowboy hat and holding a guitar". Upon returning again in the late afternoon, I noticed another such act. This time by a woman in her golden years. The picture above is the of the overhead tracks of the subway at Inwood.

After choosing the annual Memorial Day Parade held at Broadway at Dyckman over the awesome-ness of walking the Brooklyn Bridge, I was slightly disappointed by how small scale the event was.

Other than a small group of people sitting on the kerb and a little league baseball kids at the pavement, the only real thing that looked like a programme was a small junior band. Playing among other songs, a BEP medley. 

As I ran through some shops to search for a cool drink, I saw a Pipes and Drums contingent. I had a coconut flavoured ice stick because the juice with Acai berries was way too expensive.

Just minutes before the parade, the Navy band arrived. Parking their vehicle and setting up with near military efficiency, the Parade begun on time at 1pm. Marching up Broadway and holding up traffic, the contingents were greeted with thankful waves and smiles. A small parade does have its perks and I enjoyed the mobility of walking up and down at close proximity to the contingents. 

It was really heating up in the afternoons and ice cream was the answer. On the way back, searched for Haagen Dazs. No $4 pint so we shared a regularly priced pint of Rocky Road, which by the way is still much cheaper than in Singapore. Above picture was taken during one of the nights at the nyu apartment and our fantastic hosts kept insisting Vincent and I to help ourselves. And, I did. 

Everything proceeded on schedule and we caught a cab to JFK at 5pm at the doorstep of Gareth's apartment. The capacity of the normal sized cab was amazing to be able to fit luggage from the 3 of us.