Experiencing the 2012 Ryder Cup Adventure

Chris Boothman
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3
Experiencing the 2012 Ryder Cup Adventure

Sunday September 30th, 2012 was the scene of the most amazing comeback in golfing history as Europe fought back from 10-4 behind midway through Saturday’s Fourball section to seal an astonishing 14 1/2 – 13 1/2 victory over USA in the 2012 Ryder Cup.

Only a week after travelling to the TOUR Championship in Atlanta, GA, we were unsure as to whether we could justify the 9 hour drive on Friday night knowing that we would have to do the same drive on Sunday evening following the golf. Knowing that the Ryder Cup is only once every two years, we decided to purchase two Sunday tickets for a little over $400 and venture north to Chicago, IL.

Facing a deficit of 10 – 6, Europe were serious underdogs heading into the final day singles but captained under the Spanish maestro, Jose Maria Olazabal, the strong European contingent continued their never say die attitude in a desperate hope that the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ could prevail.

2012 Ryder Cup

The scene was set on the practice green and first tee with the vociferous American crowds chanting ‘USA, USA’ and the European ‘Ole’s’ struggling to make any sort of impact.

No fear, what USA did not possess was a certain Mr. Ryder Cup – Ian Poulter. The Londoner is an absolute legend in Ryder Cups and truly shows his patriotism with his heart on the sleeve reactions. He certainly set the scene for the Sunday play with a delicate chip-in for birdie on the first which gave the Europeans the slightest of hopes that this could be their day.

2012 Ryder Cup

Throughout the morning, we walked around the course catching glimpses of pure class from the Europeans and the Americans struggling to stay in touch with the apparent comeback. Even so, the US team still remained favourites with the likes of Phil Mickelson fighting back against Justin Rose after falling 2 down early in their encounter and Webb Simpson taking the initiative against the inspired yet inconsistent Poulter.

We found an excellent spot at the furthest point of the course around the 6th green, 7th tee, 9th green and 10th tee all within close proximity. We spent the majority of the early afternoon here and then moved over to the 15th green which was a key hole on the course, a driveable par 4 with water lining the right side of the hole.

Immediately after we arrived, Keegan Bradley drove his ball left against Rory McIlroy not far from where we were standing giving us a great opportunity improve our view. Watching Bradley hit an impressive flop shot to a pin location just over the greenside bunker was soon followed up by the cheers of McIroy holing his putt to win the hole sending the European fans into uproar. The slight chance at the beginning of the day for a European victory was now becoming a possible reality. This became even more possible when Paul Lawrie followed Luke Donald, Ian Poulter and Justin Rose in becoming the third European winner to reduce the score to 10-9.

We watched all the remaining groups come through including Lee Westwood’s 15 ft birdie putt which saw another European roar sending shockwaves across the course. With the scores tied at 13 – 13 and only two matches remaining on the course, we headed to the 17th and 18th where we saw Steve Stricker fail to get up and down against Martin Kaymer to go 1 down. With Tiger Woods in the final match struggling to see of the spirited Italian, Francesco Molinari, Stricker new that he had to win the 18th to salvage the American’s disastrous meltdown.

We lucked out as we approached the 18th green finding an excellent viewing point to the left of the green among the loud European following. After Stricker sent his first putt wide of the target, we knew that Kaymer had two putts to secure the Ryder Cup but we were left biting our nails as Kaymer slipped his first effort 6 ft beyond the cup. With thousands watching, Kaymer held his nerve to send us into raptures.

2012 Ryder Cup Medinah

Now I know that I keep referring to us as I am a die-hard European golfer but Heather, with her American heritage, couldn’t help but follow the passionate European supporters especially when the atmosphere became electrified following Kaymer’s winning putt.

Summary

What an amazing day and probably the greatest sporting event that I have ever been part of!!

This will long live in our memories along with all those typical European chants such as “Ole, Ole” and “There is only one Ian Poulter”!!!

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A Guide to Exploring New York City Part 2

Chris Boothman
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3
A Guide to Exploring New York City Part 2

So….after our morning and afternoon adventures, we decided to spend our early evening venturing to the top of the Empire State Building. We wandered down 34th St passing the infamous Macy’s department store (a brief visit leading us to see masses of shoppers was sufficient for us to turn around and continue down towards the landmark skyscraper.

Arriving at the foot of the Empire State we were visited with plenty of ticket touts trying to sell us VIP passes that would apparently ‘expedite’ and ‘enhance’ our experience both at the summit and on the Sky Ride that is offered.

Empire State Building

Undeterred by these folks, we entered the basement of the Empire State which on it’s own is very impressive with the entrance hall providing plenty of excellent photo opportunities.

Empire State

Entering the first elevator is a little misleading as you are only doing this to go to the first level where you begin the lengthy waiting game to go first through security and then the ticket booths to purchase tickets.

Again, we realized that purchasing the Go Select tickets was not particularly beneficial as we had to wait the same amount of time as all other individuals who had no pre-purchased tickets. It appears that only the ‘New York Pass’ VIP members were able to skip the long queues and advance through security faster than everyone else. Either way, part of the whole experience was waiting in line hearing the many languages that were there. Heather was probably feeling like the minority as there really were not many Americans present.

After getting through security which is just as tight as TSA in airports we purchased just the basic tickets to view the Observation Deck on the 86th floor though there are a myriad of options available including  the ‘top deck’ which allows visitors to go an extra 16 floors to the 102nd after the initial viewing. Overall we probably waited around 90-120 minutes to get to the 86th floor but this was certainly worth the wait. Visitors are able to be both inside and outside on the Observation Deck with stunning views over the NYC landscape and over into New Jersey.

Empire State View

The early evening on top of the Empire State is a great time to visit as you capture both NYC in the day and then the beauty of the sun setting in the distance as night time approaches and NYC’s vibrant nightlife springs into action.

We would recommend this attraction to any tourist visiting New York as it allows you to piece together all of New York’s boroughs and also cultures together from a bird’s eye view which at ground/street level you may well miss given that the majority of the time you are enclosed within the vast structures present throughout Manhattan. The gift shop offers interesting yet extortionately priced souvenirs and if you are like us you will probably be forced into purchasing at least a small memento of your trip to one of the world’ most famous landmarks.

After leaving the Empire State Building we began walking back to our hotel after realizing it was quicker and cheaper than either a yellow taxi or getting back on the complex NYC Subway system. Walking back we found, or should I say Heather found, a street corner with a group of ‘flea market’ sellers trying to quickly offload some legitimate (at least Heather thought so) Louis Vuitton purses. After a little wheeling and dealing by yours truly, Heather left happy with her new sidekick “Louis”.

Dinner that evening saw us visit a great little Irish pub, O’Lunney’s, just off Times Square and both the food and atmosphere was top notch and a great advertisement for Irish culture and cuisine.

Central Park

Day 2 saw us start walking from our hotel with our third attraction in mind that we had pre-paid for, the American Museum of Natural History which was on the north side of Central Park. Given that Central Park was one of our other attractions we wanted to visit, we decided to walk and get some breakfast on the way at a little coffee shop, aka Friends style….ok so it was just Starbucks but given the volume of Starbucks there are in NYC, it was one of our better options. Walking all the way to Central Park was another great experience as it gave us ample time to see the change from Times Square hustle and bustle, to the more day to day calmness of working life in NYC as you move towards the entrance of Central Park.

Walking around Central Park, sitting on the grass overlooking the “Home Alone” scenes was certainly memorable before we continued through the heart of the park watching a combination of families having fun and people working out on bikes and jogging.

American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History was our destination and upon climbing the steps and entering the building, the vast enormity of this building was the first striking thought. The wait was actually not too bad, maybe around 10 minutes before we presented our pass and got our tickets for the self-guided tour. After reviewing the map, we soon realized that this could be a full day attraction and we probably wouldn’t be able to see the full extent of the displays on offer.

I was particularly interested in the Earth and Planetary Science halls which gave you an IMAX style experience of how the Earth evolved and then you are left to walk out and down the different periods that make up the history behind earth. There are also plenty of ‘hands on’ experiences including an opportunity to stand on scales showing your weight in a variety of different locations, e.g. on the Moon, on other planets etc.

The birds and reptiles exhibits were also interesting as it divided these into their different groups and then provided detailed information on their anatomy, behavior, and various adaptations. We probably spent 2-3 hours at the museum though as mentioned this was probably nowhere near long enough given the magnitude of the exhibits on offer.

Little Italy

We headed onto the subway and headed back downtown to have lunch in Little Italy in a wonderful little restaurant, Il Palazzo Ristorante Italiano. The food was excellent but the standout feature of this restaurant was the unbelievable services by the waiters who were always on hand to refill drinks and meet your needs. We visited several little stores in this neighborhood and also walked around Chinatown just to experience the variety of cultures that spread this vast city. Walking down one street being in Little Italy and then turning right/left and being in Chinatown is enlightening to say the least.

The rest of the afternoon and early evening was spent shopping and investigating downtown Manhattan further before we returned to our hotel around 9:30PM. We initially decided we were just going to grab something but around 10:30PM we decided to venture back out on to Times Square and sample some more NYC food.

We ended up at Planet Hollywood and the food was overall a little disappointing especially given the price. You are probably paying more for the name of the location rather than the actual quality of the food. Leaving here around Midnight and back on to Times Square is certainly worth the late night dining experience just to see how this city truly is the 24 hour city of the world given the number of people that are still walking up and down.

Central Park

Bryant Park

Our final day saw us go to Bryant Park which on a glorious Sunday morning was a perfect relaxing spot to watch some Eastern European’s playing table tennis in the park. We then walked down to the United Nations complex which was worthwhile as we were able to walk through Grand Central Station which was one of Heather’s ‘must-see’ spots.

We visited the NBA Store and then grabbed lunch at Heartland Brewery & Chophouse. I experienced a buffalo burger for the first time here and this is a definite choice for anyone who loves a little extra spice in their burger.

Leaving here brought an end to our New York City trip but this was certainly memorable. The journey back to the airport also saw us use New York’s public transportation system to the max as we used both subway and the bus to get to La Guardia.

Positives

  • Central Park is a great, relaxing location for all ages.
  • The Empire State Building, despite the lengthy wait, is worthwhile with the stunning views on offer over the NYC landscape.
  • Try the variety of local cuisines, especially the Irish pubs and Italian restaurants in Little Italy. I am sure the Chinese restaurants are equally appetizing for anyone who likes this (sorry Heather, I am not a Chinese cuisine lover!)

Negatives

  • Always keep a close eye on your credit card especially in restaurants. A few days after returning from NYC I realized I had several hundred dollars of credit card fraud against me.
  • Plan your days and trips accordingly based on the amount of waits to expect at the top attractions

New York City is truly an exhilarating, 24 hour city that is a must see for EVERYONE!!! WE WILL BE BACK!!!

A Guide to Exploring New York City Part 1

Chris Boothman
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4
A Guide to Exploring New York City Part 1

My first experience in the United States of America was visiting the amazing city that is New York City. The stereotypical 24 hour city of the world certainly lives up to it’s reputation and I was delighted whenever we arranged to go back here so that Heather could experience this vibrant city for the first time.

Times Square

Where to stay in New York City?

I had previously experienced the YMCA’s in downtown Manhattan so it was step up in residence when we decided to stay at the Four Points not far from Times Square and Broadway. Arriving at La Guardia airport on Thursday evening, we spent the night at an airport hotel nearby and then ventured into Manhattan early Friday morning by taking the local bus route from the airport to just north of Manhattan.

Navigating the public transportation system in NYC is part of the whole experience and you will certainly need to have your wits about yourself to ensure that you are always travelling in the intended direction otherwise you could quickly find yourself miles away from your destination. We boarded the subway and headed to the Times Square station where we disembarked and walked towards our hotel.

It is a good point here to state that Expedia and other travel sites are a little misleading when they suggest the Four Points is located on Times Square as in reality it is probably a 10-15 minute walk from the hub of activity on Times Square. Either way, the location is still great and the hotel is modern and provides the perfect location to explore surrounding areas.

Time Square 2

We checked in early around 10:00am and left our bags before heading out on to Times Square. Heather’s reaction said it all as she was more in awe and astonishment at the expansive lights and vibrancy on show even during the day. We walked down Broadway taking in several stores along the way and then headed back to the subway after deciding to head further downtown to visit one of our ‘pre-paid’ attraction, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

We used the Go Select Smart Destinations pass to select several attractions prior to heading to NYC and this proved to be only slightly beneficial given that we still had to line up with all regular tourists who still had to purchase tickets.

Statue of Liberty

After taking the subway to Battery Park we walked around taking in the gorgeous scenery which was enhanced by the perfect spring/summer’s day with not a cloud in the sky. When we saw the line for the ferry to Liberty Island our initial thought was to come back the next day but we soon realized that the line was at least moving in the right direction and the projected wait of 1 1/2 hours may not be too bad.

We were entertained throughout the wait by a Caribbean street performer who was certainly encouraging the crowds to join in with his performances.

Statue of Liberty

We finally moved through security and boarded the ferry to Liberty Island around 3:00PM after initially waiting inline around 1:15PM.  Not too bad a wait after all but I would probably recommend trying to go early morning to see if the queues are a little shorter to maximize your visit to the Statue and Ellis Island.

We took some amazing pictures not only with close-ups of the Statue of Liberty but also of the infamous NYC skyline as our ferry moved further away from downtown. We were able to spend some time on Liberty Island but unfortunately did not have enough time to go ‘up close’ to the statue as we still had to visit Ellis Island and the immigration museum before the final ferry headed back to Battery Park at 5:00PM.

Wall Street

The experience on Ellis Island in the museum is worthwhile and interesting though towards the end it can get a little boring (maybe this was just my personal opinion as my first trip to NYC required me to do a case study on immigration groups in NY).

We caught the last ferry back to downtown and then started walking towards Wall Street. Seeing the “Charging Bull” was interesting especially given the location and the police escort that was moving tourists from the pavement to the center of the street for photograph opportunities.

The Charging Bull

Walking down Wall Street was another eye opener as it gave us an opportunity to see how people employed in NYC’s financial district get from one place to another. Nearby to Wall Street is the 9/11 Memorial site which although we didn’t pay to go and visit, just being in the area where the Twin Towers fell was a worthwhile experience, just feeling the initial somber mood but at the same time noticing how the area has re-developed and moved forward since the disaster.

For anyone interested in finding some real bargains, you have to visit the Century 21 store located near Wall Street.

Positives

  • Statue of Liberty is a must see despite the long wait to take the ferry. The photo opportunities are amazing especially of the NYC skyline and up-close pics of the statue.
  • Times Square is a 24 hour strip with so many things to do – probably spend a whole day there and still not see everything!
  • Wall Street is decked with history and the infrastructure is particularly worthwhile seeing.
  • Public transportation is great once you establish how it works – buy a subway/metro pass and load your card to save money.

Negatives

  • Don’t really agree that we should have to pay for the 9/11 Memorial.
  • Volume of people, especially tourists, makes it difficult to plan to do all the attractions especially if you buy a pre-paid booklet (BEWARE – just purchase those that you definitely want to see because you won’t have as much time as you think to do everything)

Part 2 of this trip will see us visit the Empire State Building and the Museum of Natural History

Stratford Upon Avon – Home of Shakespeare

Chris Boothman
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1
Stratford Upon Avon – Home of Shakespeare

Stratford Upon Avon, located in the heart of England’s beautiful countryside would normally just be like any other small town aside from one person who changed the way this town is perceived – William Shakespeare. Probably the most infamous writer, playwright and poet, Shakespeare was born in England in the middle of the 16th Century. The town is a popular tourist destination owing to its status as birthplace of Shakespeare but there are still plenty of other attractions full of culture and history.

Our experience in this charming town was short but worthwhile as we were able to experience the church bells ringing as we drove around the heart of Henley Street and along the river front which houses plenty of historic buildings overlooking the river and beyond into the Cotswolds countryside.

DSC_0286

Aside from this being the home of Shakespeare, Stratford is also famous of being home to Anne Hathaway who was Shakespeare’s future bride during his time in Stratford. Anne Hathaway’s Cottage is a thatched farmhouse with stunning grounds and gardens, which overflow with beautiful blooms, and traditional shrubs.

DSC_0301

The cottage is in Shottery, a hamlet within the parish of Stratford Upon Avon standing at just over one mile from the town centre but can be accessed via a pleasant, well sign-posted footpath. Our visit was just from the outside but this provides plentiful views of the idyllic house, however there are guided tours available including options to purchase tickets to all of Shakespeare’s associated residences.

Much of the beauty in Stratford is made up of the architecture surrounding the buildings that make up the town. Many of these houses and commercial transformations date back to the 16th and 17th Centuries, emphasizing that the locals and town council want to maintain the heritage that is clearly present here. Hopefully Stratford will never lose this aspect because this will always continue to flourish as a perfect relaxation hotspot for those tourists looking to learn more about the history and background of probably the greatest playwright of all time.

Positives

  • You have to visit Stratford even if you are not interested in Shakespeare’s work. The way the town has developed but yet maintained the history and heritage is particularly eye-catching.
  • There are pleasant, scenic walks available throughout the town and even outside into the countryside as you head to more infamous attractions such as Hathaway’s cottage in the nearby hamlet of Shottery.

Negatives

  • Stratford is a little out of the way especially if you are heading north via the M6 motorway. However, it is worth the trip going out of your way to take in the heritage present here.
  • Parking is potentially difficult especially in high peak season.

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