My 2nd week in NYC started off pretty good. On Saturday, I moved in with Kristen. She's got a cute little studio in East Harlem. It's been good. She's been a great host, and so far sleeping on the couch 2 feet away from her bed has been fine.

On Sunday we, along with 2 of Kristen's friends, went to Fire Island. It's an island that runs along the southern coast of Long Island. No cars are allowed, so the only way to reach it is by ferry. So, we got up early Sunday morning, took the a 2 hr. train ride to Bay Shore in Long Island, then caught a 30 minute ferry to the beach. The part we went to was called Ocean Beach. When you first arrive, you walk off the ferry to this cute little village, and racks and racks of locked-up wagons. Apparently everyone on the island has a wagon, and uses it to transport everything and anything.

One of the girls with us asked some "locals" where the beach was. They gave us directions, and said "There will be a beach to your left, and another to your right. The one on the right will have a lot more people, because it's the drinking beach." We, of course, chose that one...even though i was fairly nervous about drinking on beach, after reading the signs saying NO EATING, NO DRINKING, NO GLASS - $500 fine. However, everyone around us seemed to think it was fine...so I gave into peer pressure. And, no ticket.

We layed out, went swimming and laughed at all the buff Long Island meatheads with funny accents. I think I saw a jellyfish. After the beach, we headed back into the village for dinner. We randomly picked a restaurant, and ended up having the lobster special, as well as Rocketfuel, the official Fire Island drink (a pina colada with a shot of amaretto poured over it.) Of course the one girl who had a hamburger, and wasn't wearing a lobster bib, was the one person who kept getting hit with flying lobster bits and juice.

After dinner, we got got back on the ferry to head back to the train, just as the sun started to set. I tried to take a picture, but some woman stepped into my frame, just as I snapped the shot. It was a fun day, although I think we'll have to find a closer beach....5 hours traveling was pretty rough.