I love NYC ....for a little while at least.......

Tori and Collin watching random people
play video games on the subway. 

What an amazing view of the Manhattan Sky Line we had from our RV site. We stayed across the bay on the Jersey Side and took either the Metro into the city or the ferry across the bay. I still can’t believe we took all 5 kids on the subway and that no one got lost … there were times  when the subway was soo packed that I had a difficult time corralling all the kids close to me. People push and shove their way in and out of the subway , not even looking up to see that they are shoving a child. On the other hand there were the select few that would give their seat up the let one of the kids sit down. 

Collin Listening 

We went to Grand Central Station, and got to see the beautiful architecture and witness the packed dining area where strangers share tables and others hover over you waiting for your table like a hawk circling its prey. Wes’ brother Jon who lived in New York tipped us off on the “Whispering Gallery” found in the Terminal. You stand with your face toward the wall and another person stands diagonally 40 feet across from you on the others side of the arch way and you can whisper facing the wall and the other person can hear whatever you say.

Ally and Shelby talking to Collin 

Jon happened to be in town that week so we were able to visit with him and we all went to the Museum Of Modern Art together. It was hard to grasp that we were actually looking at the originals of some of the worlds most famous pieces of art. We saw Vincent Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and The Three Musicians, Henri Matisse's Dance, Salvador Dali’s The Persistence of Memory ,Jackson Pollock's works and so many others.

 

 

Brothers found each other at Grand Central Terminal 

Top of the Rock/Central Park below

We went to the “Top of The Rock” which is the top of Rockefeller center , in my opinion it is a  better view then the top of the Empire State Building, and much less crowded.  It is bizarre seeing Central park’s huge rectangle of green amongst tall buildings. A perspective that is hard to grasp when walking through the park itself . The night that we went up to the Empire State building  was super cold and windy but still a sight to be seen all light up and towering over the bustling city. 

We walked the jammed packed city streets and went to time square where the ball is dropped on New Years Eve. We watched people skate at Rockefeller Ice Rink. Although the kids were more interested in playing with the toys and dancing on the BIG piano  at FAO Schwartz. We watched an IMAX movie on Sharks at the Museum of Natural History and found “Rexy the Dinosaur” from the movie Night at the Museum. 

We happened to be in town the weekend of the NYC Marathon and we joined Jon to watch the inspiring event in Brooklyn . The kids cheered the runners on by giving out high fives while I was wishing I was running along with the mob of people.

We took the  mile long   icy cold walk across the Brooklyn Bridge rewarding ourselves with a delicious hamburger from Shake Shake.

Finish Line

Jon also showed us around upper west side  and treated us out to some good NYC pizza at Patsy’s. For dessert he took us to a local favorite "Levain Bakery,” where they serve huge decedent cookies. We all loved them although, I think we loved the banana cream pudding Jon got us from Magnolia’s even better.

Brooklyn 

Brooklyn Bridge

Wes enjoyed going to NBC where the Tonight Show is filmed and also seeing where the Today Show is taped . He also gave the kids a lecture on how stocks work while standing in front of the NY stock exchange. 

Toward the end of the second week we finally made our way to the Statue of Liberty, we learned so much about the statue that we hadn’t known before. From the Crown of her head to the broken shakels around her feet , the statue's every detail represents something specific. It was interesting going to Ellis Island and tracing back our ancestors that came over by boat.

"Had to fight like a bull" to get a pic in front of this guy!
New York Stock Exchange.

Freedom Tower from the ferry

The last day we were there we went to Ground Zero, a very sobering experience. The museum was well done. It honored the victims, as well as educated the public about the events of that day.  It seemed that the Freedom Tower could be seen from anywhere in New York.

Last beam removed from Ground Zero 

We all were fully exhausted by the end of our two week visit and thoroughly great full that we don’t live in a big city.