Did you think our vacation was over?
Hardly
The fun is just beginning.
Hardly
The fun is just beginning.
This day we ventured into the heart of New York City. I felt brave.
I normally hyperventilate while shopping at the grocery store, so taking on the crowds in NYC was a huge feat for me.
Added to that anxiety was the fear that I would loose a child, or be pick-pocketed, or get separated on the subway, or not be able to find a public restroom and pee my pants.
I normally hyperventilate while shopping at the grocery store, so taking on the crowds in NYC was a huge feat for me.
Added to that anxiety was the fear that I would loose a child, or be pick-pocketed, or get separated on the subway, or not be able to find a public restroom and pee my pants.
Although none of those things happened (thank goodness), my opinion of NY has not changed.
It still scares me.
It still scares me.
Here’s a panoramic (almost) view of the most intimidating place on Earth
There are skyscrapers EVERYWHERE… every corner, every turn, a skyscraper. I know you all knew this already, but it blew me away.
Reagan, waiting to get on the Subway. The subway system was dark, dirty, crowded, and stinky. We made the kids hold our hands (except for Reagan in this picture, apparently), and made sure they didn’t touch a single thing.
Really, it was gross.
The newly built One World Trade Center
If you stand at the bottom, and look directly up at it, it appears to go on forever into the sky. Then you have to look down quickly and get your bearings because you’ll feel like you’re about to fall. Is there such thing as a backwards fear of heights? When you’re on the ground, looking up instead?
We walked around the grounds of the World Trade Center Memorial. We opted out of the museum, we felt the kids were too young.
The memorial left enough impact on us. It was massive and humbling.
It was overwhelming to see the nearly 3,000 names carved in stone.
Should you smile? Or look serious?
My kids next to the “Survivor Tree.” This tree was found in the rubble of the World Trade Center. That anything survived that attack amazes me! It was severely damaged, but they were able to relocate it and nurse it back to health. Now it’s been replanted in its original site. What a beautiful symbol of resilience and survival.
There are skyscrapers EVERYWHERE… every corner, every turn, a skyscraper. I know you all knew this already, but it blew me away.
Reagan, waiting to get on the Subway. The subway system was dark, dirty, crowded, and stinky. We made the kids hold our hands (except for Reagan in this picture, apparently), and made sure they didn’t touch a single thing.
Really, it was gross.
The newly built One World Trade Center
If you stand at the bottom, and look directly up at it, it appears to go on forever into the sky. Then you have to look down quickly and get your bearings because you’ll feel like you’re about to fall. Is there such thing as a backwards fear of heights? When you’re on the ground, looking up instead?
We walked around the grounds of the World Trade Center Memorial. We opted out of the museum, we felt the kids were too young.
The memorial left enough impact on us. It was massive and humbling.
It was overwhelming to see the nearly 3,000 names carved in stone.
Should you smile? Or look serious?
My kids next to the “Survivor Tree.” This tree was found in the rubble of the World Trade Center. That anything survived that attack amazes me! It was severely damaged, but they were able to relocate it and nurse it back to health. Now it’s been replanted in its original site. What a beautiful symbol of resilience and survival.
We had plans to go to Central Park, the Empire State building, maybe even Times Square, but instead decided to visit Little Italy.
Don’t ask me why. It was an impulsive decision that I regret now.
I don’t necessarily regret going there. I regret HOW we got there.
An officer at Ground Zero suggested that we walk to Little Italy, “It’s about a 15 minute walk” he said.
More like 15 minutes as the crow flies… wearing a jet pack!
Don’t ask me why. It was an impulsive decision that I regret now.
I don’t necessarily regret going there. I regret HOW we got there.
An officer at Ground Zero suggested that we walk to Little Italy, “It’s about a 15 minute walk” he said.
More like 15 minutes as the crow flies… wearing a jet pack!
1 1/2 hours later, after walking over 20 blocks, we arrived.
The kids were amazing. They didn’t complain at all.
My mom and I were expecting to be time warped back to the 1920’s, with Italians bustling all over the city, hollering Italian and waving their arms at each other, men wearing zoot suits, and women at the markets with loads of children at their skirts.
Instead we found a huge tourist attraction. There were venders selling cheap Italian souvenirs, Italian ice and gelato. I’m sure the restaurants are divine, but we didn’t stop to eat.
We did however see this awesome Italian flag-painted building that made it worth the walk.
The kids were amazing. They didn’t complain at all.
My mom and I were expecting to be time warped back to the 1920’s, with Italians bustling all over the city, hollering Italian and waving their arms at each other, men wearing zoot suits, and women at the markets with loads of children at their skirts.
Instead we found a huge tourist attraction. There were venders selling cheap Italian souvenirs, Italian ice and gelato. I’m sure the restaurants are divine, but we didn’t stop to eat.
We did however see this awesome Italian flag-painted building that made it worth the walk.
I’m being too sarcastic.
The truth is, I enjoyed walking through the city.
I enjoyed walking down Mulberry St. and imagining the way it was during the early 1900’s.
The culture and architecture are still intact. It is far from the modern parts of NYC. I enjoyed seeing Little Italy untouched.
It was romantic… even without the zoot suits.
We had lunch at Broadway and Park Place. It was a monopoly dream come true!
The truth is, I enjoyed walking through the city.
I enjoyed walking down Mulberry St. and imagining the way it was during the early 1900’s.
The culture and architecture are still intact. It is far from the modern parts of NYC. I enjoyed seeing Little Italy untouched.
It was romantic… even without the zoot suits.
We had lunch at Broadway and Park Place. It was a monopoly dream come true!
The closest we got to the Empire State building.
Can you even see it in the background?
Can you even see it in the background?
At this point we had seen enough platform shoes, and enough of NY. We were ready to leave.
Central Park would have to wait for another day.
I saw more people this day alone than I have seen in each day of my life combined!
Central Park would have to wait for another day.
I saw more people this day alone than I have seen in each day of my life combined!
We got in the car and headed south towards DC.
We were greeted by the DC Temple. We’d been told it was beautiful, but wow!
Maybe it’s the fact that it’s RIGHT THERE as you drive down the highway.
We were greeted by the DC Temple. We’d been told it was beautiful, but wow!
Maybe it’s the fact that it’s RIGHT THERE as you drive down the highway.
Going to DC is more exciting to us than Disneyland (well, at least for a few of us).
The fun was really about to begin…
The fun was really about to begin…
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