Early morning today....well, it was supposed to be but the two biggies slept in! So, up, ready and out as quickly as we could! We were heading first to The Empire State! The last time they did this they queued for hours at various points to get up! Well, after catching the tour bus and getting down to the drop off we got in with no bother! Sort queues, and finally ANOTHER security check....bags x-rayed AGAIN and through the metal detector! Then we were off to the lift. We were off to the 86th floor! We sped up rather quickly and after 20 minutes or so from arriving we were there. We had the view we had from The Rockefeller but this time in reverse! We had great views all round Manhattan and round the other districts of New York. The rest of the city is not nearly so heavy on the high rises! New Jersey, to the West has quite a number but Manhattan rules the waves! Skyscrapers that would tower way above the vast majority of most city skylines are dwarfed by the likes of The Rockefeller, The Chrysler and The Empire State. The combination of the old and the new side by side really add to the eclectic mix of Manhattan.
Of course you have to exit by the shop as all attractions have you do! Well, I ended up having a bit if a bear convention! All these poor bears were being held hostage in a large unit and could not freely leave! They were all tagged and were being SOLD! in this day and age? Shocking! Luckily I made it out safe and sound! They liked my kilt though! One even asked if I knew a woman called Susan Boyle?? I just shook my head and high tailed it out of the slave section!
The crowds were looking for the ideal photo op and we moved round from side to side looking for any view or highlight we had missed!
These 'attractions' are manned to the hilt by people! I think they must have at least three people in every job to ensure that there is overkill all the time! They bark instructions, commands and ask you continually where you are from! (Scotland? Not Celtic or Rangers I hope one said! Scotland? Hey Jimmy! Scotland? Do you have any haggis with you? Scotland? Susan Boyle!) But they stand and speak constantly to each other, they smile and say, 'Have a great day!' or 'do you need.....maps, tickets, bus tour tickets, a guide, someone to phone your Mother or BEAR sitter!!'
Anyway, we made it in good time and then went off on our next adventure! First order of the morning was .....breakfast! We found a little street vendor outside Macy's and we got something to eat and drink! We sat in a little garden area and enjoyed the shade! Then we were off to Macy's - just for a look! Kelsey was immediately hooked! 'Oh, this is my kind of shop!' we are going to have to go back, but I don't know what will do as they trawl through all the multiple floors of ladies fashion! Something for me to look forward too!
From there we went back to the hotel! We dropped off the souvenirs from The Empire and Lauren got changed after having spilled something on her t-shirt!
Soon we were off again! This time back on the bus...but on the Up Town tour bus! We were heading for The Natural History Museum and Central Park and then The Guggenheim!
Ok, this is not what I call fun!
We got the the museum but then went on a hunt for a deli to get some lunch! Easier said than done up town as it is residential! But we found one next to a very popular place that was out the door with a long queue so we went to the quieter of the two! But we had a nice lunch in the museum grounds and they viewed the pigeons, birds and the squirrel that came across and decided to have a nap under the bench next to us! The girls also viewed a rather odd pigeon that had a broken tail! Well, the tail is obviously integral to the birds balance and this bird continually fell over or got bullied by the others!
Anyway, off we went to the museum! Kelsey was excited....this is the museum used as the basis for the movie 'Night at the Museum.' Well, the museum was not quite as she expected in layout like the movie and the exhibits were not really like the real ones! But both girls enjoyed the different sections we saw and eventually, after a long hunt, found The Easter Island figure known as 'Dumb Dumb.' Kelsey got her picture taken next to it so was happy! I even met some distant relatives - but they were a little fierce!!
I got a few outings there but it was difficult to set up photos in the museum! Anyway, it was fun but now we were heading to Central Park!
It was very hot and the park was a real sun trap and the air was very warm there! We wandered about 'The Rambles' section and ended up a little bit away for where we were aiming! Once in the park it's a bit like being in a maze! You guess as you go along and at least we did not end up back where we started!
However, I did see the park as we went but ended up with the worst of all pictures possible from Central Park! This won't make the post card rack!
But, we crossed the park and saw a wide range of sites as went! This included the mummy who was still going to have her daily run through the park but had to push the baby as she went! These yummy mummies have to keep up appearances!
So, another busy day! We passed the houses of Yoko Ono, Bono, Mick Jagger, Madonna and Denzil Washington and NONE of them asked us in for coffee!
Never mind, there is still tomorrow!
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