NY, NY part 2 :)

i think I'm finally recovered...

i tell ya, this particular "vacation" really took it out of me!

i mentioned that i usually vacation somewhere warm...

i think I'm going to go back to that motto...

don't get me wrong... I loved New York...

as much as i love any city...

for all the great food, energy, and excitement...

but i have a LOT of energy and excitement in my current life...

and the food ain't bad either... :)

so I think next time, I'll go somewhere less exciting...

i digress...

back to days 2 and 3 in NYC...

we started day 2 with something that I really wanted to do,

visit the site of the World Trade Center...

i'm sure that memory still haunts most of us from time to time..

and I wanted to see it for my self...

so off we went.

down to the financial district...

we took the subway...

now, the NYC subway IS as bad as they say...

some of the stops smell like urine.. 

and you feel like your life is in peril as the train approaches...

I seriously stood there thinking.. 

I'm surprised there aren't more accidental deaths on this thing...

we walked around the WTC site to the viewing area...

the site that is under construction is HUGE...

these photos do it no justice and there is no scale..

but here is the progress on the new One World Trade Center...

it was really interesting to find out about the progress that they are making...

check it out here...

they are also building a 9/11 museum and memorial on the site...

check it out here

it was all a lot to take in...

we ate at a deli right across the street that had pictures on the wall taken of the deli on the day of the bombings..

it was surreal to see the exact same seats we were sitting in covered in dust 

with Firemen brought to their knees, taking refuge in the deli...

it looked like a scene from a movie...

it was a heavy morning...

next we walked over to Battery Park.. 

I wanted to see the Statue of Liberty in person...

but we had no time to take the ferry and get up close... 

the funny thing is that we were so close...

and i still couldn't tell how big it was.. 

looked like I could pop it in my picket and take it home with me :)

we headed back to the hotel...

but not before stopping at the Brooklyn bridge..

and walking halfway across... 

before i decided it was a lot longer than it looked...

(my pic, pretty cool huh? :)

ever supportive Laughlin did his best to appease my "walk everywhere" obsession...

 

(I secretly think he wanted to accidentally bump me in front of the subway a couple of times) :)

but he didn't... :)

skipping ahead, 

thankfully (for you) I forgot my camera...

and also lost my phone

 in a cab 

on the way to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway...

so you're gonna have to miss seeing the theater...

and the horse drawn carriage ride thru Central park...

and FAO Schwarz...

and the cool pub where we ate dinner (whose name i can't recall)...

soooooooo..

we'll just skip to Sunday...

this was the best day...

our train didn't leave till 1pm...

so we slept in :)

then got some pastries from a wonderful bakery...

and walked to Central Park...

it was so beautiful!

the sun was shining...

and i got a glimpse..

of how people could survive living in New York City...

parents playing with kids...

boat racing....

the cutest zoo...

really one of the prettier places I've seen...

we even found "Balto"

(just for Ahdee)

she loves the movie and thought it was soooo cool that I got to see the statue :)

ahhhhh, then it was time to re-board the train...

and head home...

i can't even recall leaving the station...

i closed my eyes and was out cold..

next thing i knew we were back at Union Station...

which is MUCH nicer than Penn station I might add :)

maybe it's because it's cleaner...

but more likely because it marked home :)

I need a vacation from my vacation :)

i vote for something like this!