I LOVE NY

So, I love New York City.  I don't want to live there, but I love it.  Dave had to take a three week trip to New York for work (end of November and beginning of December) and Jordan and Jenny offered to tend our kids for a weekend while I went to NYC!  I've traveled a little in my life and growing up in Idaho (in the same house my entire life), I never thought I would enjoy traveling much . . . then I went on my mission, loved it, and now I have huge ambitions to travel . . . still haven't been to many places, but I have big dreams :).  By the way, Becca Batt, if you are reading this, please know of my envy every time I read about one of your big trips.  

Anyway, Dave and I had two full days in NY, so we tried not to waste one minute.  Aside from going to the Museum of Modern Art, I got to do/see all the things I wanted to do most . . . Dave was very good to humor me and he made me plan everything I wanted to do in advance.  However, I think I could have been there for much longer and still been excited to see everything there is to see in that city.  Aside from all the cool things we did and saw, I think my absolute favorite thing (as mushy as it sounds) was to just be there and think about the history of that city.  I got teary eyed multiple times like when I saw the Statue of Liberty and when we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge.  When I saw the old buildings and heard about the history of the city on our bus tour, I loved thinking about how many people came to NY looking for a new start.  I loved hearing of their sacrifices to build something new or start a daring new business.  I didn't expect the feeling I had while I was there to be my favorite thing, but it was.  

So, below you will see some of the fun things we did.  Please note, that for much of our trip it was FREEZING cold and raining so my hair and attire are not at their finest!

Here we are with David and Veronica.  David and Dave (my husband) were on the trip together for work, so it was fun for Veronica and myself to travel on the plane together and then meet up with our husbands.  This was our first night there and we ate at a yummy Brazilian restaurant. 

 

Here we are on the subway that we rode multiple times . . . was it scary?  Not really, except for when we were waiting forever for the wrong train . . . it was just Dave and me waiting . . . and occasionally a scary looking person would walk past . . . but we survived and even enjoyed taking the subway. 

Here we are just outside of St. Paul's cathedral in the cemetery . . . these graves are OLD.  Patrick Henry was buried here.  FYI . . . St. Paul's cathedral is right next to where the twin towers were.  Many survivors and rescue workers stayed there after 9/11.

9/11 site.  They are constructing a new building here.  We went to a small memorial nearby and saw pictures and video of that day . . . another one of my teary-eye moments.

Here we are on our bus that took us around on a tour.  It was POURING outside . . . so we loved seeing some things from inside the bus!

Here we are in front of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree!  We were so cold and drenched that we just hurried and ran over in front of the tree, had David and Veronica snap some pictures, and then we were on our way . . . have I mentioned how cold and rainy it was??

Here I am in St. Patrick's cathedral . . . AMAZING.  The picture is horrible, but the building is incredible.  They began building it in 1859 and it was completed in 1906.  It had a very gothic look and it made me feel like I was in Europe or something . . . never been to Europe, but I plan to someday . . . so it was fun to pretend like I was somewhere that could possibly be 

Europe-ish.

We went to a Broadway musical . . . L-O-V-E-D it.  We saw Ragtime which I had heard very little about, but it was one of the shows we could get at a discounted price, and we were not disappointed.  The singing and acting were amazing . . . and the story just brought the whole NY trip full circle for me.  

Sorry for the sideways shot . . . I'm not sure if I mentioned it was cold and rainy, but if you are in doubt, this is Dave on day #2 blow-drying my gloves . . . they did not fully dry overnight.

Here we are at Battery Park looking over toward the city.

The Brooklyn Bridge . . . one of my favorite parts of the trip.  This bridge connects Manhattan with Brooklyn and is incredible.  The architect who dreamed up the bridge, died while surveying the area.  His son who took over, was paralyzed from an accident while going underwater to help with the bridge.  Many others were killed or injured while building this structure.  It took 13 years to complete and was finished in the 1870's or 1880's.   I agree with a tour book we had that said, "The greatest engineering feat of its day, it remains one of the most breathtaking structures in the city."  

Here we are at Central Park where we went ice skating . . . just like in the movies.  Loved it.  Central Park was so fun, but I would have liked to see more of it and in daylight - we were there at night.

And our last night, we ate a delicious Italian Restaurant.  What a trip . . . and congrats if you read this whole post!!  I really do love NY.