THE END OF THE LINE ......

Today is our last day and since we have covered so very much ground on the other days, today is quite low key. We went uptown to see the Guggenheim Museum. We only went in the foyer, we didn’t tour the museum, but it was good to get out and see it. The premise of the building is that it is a multi chambered nautilus shell. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It had a very modern and interesting façade and was across the street from Central Park and in amongst so many old style brick and concrete buildings.

We are such experts on the subways now, we even ventured on the bus today. No trouble at all - just travels a bit slower than the subway system. The traffic is always horrendous any time of the day or night…the horns honking….the millions of yellow taxis…..and black hired vehicles…..limos…. pedestrians who cross the street any time….doesn’t matter what the lights indicate, if they figure it is safe to go - they go! There is very visible police/security presence all over the city. I can honestly say there isn’t a time we felt uneasy no matter what time or where we were walking.

So we came back to get ready to go see a matinee play. Today the play was “Lend me a Tenor” and starred Tony Shaloub (Monk) and Anthony Lapaglia (Without a Trace). The rest of the cast had familiar faces and the acting was reminiscent of the old screwball comedies. At one point it sounded like “Who’s on First… It was very funny and quite enjoyable.

After the play, we went for dinner at a nice French Brasserie Restaurant that was right around the corner and we had a delicious meal. The tables were quite close together and we ended up sharing lots of good conversation with the couple at the next table. They were from DC and in the city with university students for the weekend. The students can come for a very low price and do some academic/art activities which includes 1 play and a trip to a museum. They are pretty much on their own for the whole day other than in the mornings when they do some academics.

After dinner we hopped the uptown subway and went to Columbus Circle and walked around for a short while, but the wind is bitter tonight, so here we sit in Starbucks - warming up with a couple of lattes and about to leave to go back to the hotel and pack up. It has been a whirlwind 4 ½ days and hard to believe that at this time tomorrow we will be home again!
See you soon.

WHO KNEW YOU COULD FISH IN THE MIDDLE OF A CITY!

Today for us began about 10:00 and we were out of the room by 10:45 and on our way to a Starbucks to use their WiFi - what a difference! We could actually get connected and get the blog done and the pictures loaded in minutes instead of hours. The hotel internet is really pathetic! After we had yoghurt and lattes we made our way downtown to see the big hole that was the twin towers - however, there is so much construction that there is no hole anymore. It was amazing just walking around it and over it just how frightening it must have been. There is a Marriot Hotel right next door - can’t imagine the terror that the hotel guests would have felt especially if they were away from their families. We did not visit any of the memorial sights. There are several scattered around the different boroughs.

Saw a man fishing right in downtown New York. He wasn’t fishing for fish, he was fishing for money. He had a string with a magnet on it and he was just wandering down the street peering into the grates. He was making cat noises and at first we thought that a cat was trapped down there, however, we found that he was just a bit strange. He told me that a good was to lose my camera would be to take his picture. I just clicked, smiled and wished him good luck and we were on our way. (I knew I could outrun him if I had to)

We hopped the subway and went to explore the garment district. What an interesting area. So many shops with fabrics and trims. There are stores with beautiful silks, brocades , sequined fabrics, linens, wools and amazing fabrics made of all kinds other fibers. It was an amazing area to walk about in.


Then we hopped a different subway and got off in to Chelsea and walked the High Line Park which is an old unused elevated train track. There are gardens and benches and a lovely walkway. As the weather was changing today, it was cold and breezy so it was good to get down to ground level again. Then we walked around Chelsea for a while. Found a really old style diner. Only seen those kind in movies. So we wandered around a bit more until the weather began to turn and then it was time to come home - rain was starting but we were fortunate that it was only fine drizzle and it wasn’t enough to dampen our spirits or our clothes thank goodness.

After some down time in the hotel, we wandered over to the Olive Garden for dinner. It was as good as it is at home - but a little more expensive. Times Square has its own mark ups! Did some shopping at the M and M store and then it was home to put our feet up for the night.

One more day so we will visit the Guggenheim Museum and see another play and then it will be time to pack our bags and come home. Weather is only supposed to drizzle - so we might still be ok for one more day.

E-chat with you again tomorrow

SHOES ARE FINE - BUT FEET ARE FAILING

Well, what a day we had today! Didn't get up especially early but when we did we headed to Katz Deli (of When Harry Met Sally fame)for LUNCH! What Sally had was not on the menu so we had a hot pastrami and pickles. That satisfied us!



We then hopped back on the subway and headed to Central Park. Once we agreed on our directions we toured the lower third of the park. Birdwatched, saw Alice in Wonderland sculpture, watched model boats on the pond and saw a couple of street mimes. Also serenaded by a woman extolling on her hatred of America and all things American. The lyrics went something like "I hate America, I hate Americans, references to Iraq, bombs, Obama, etc - all to the tune (we think!?!) of "God Bless America" - fitting . . .


From there we went to Rockefeller Centre and the top of the Rock. I was not pulled off by my vertigo and got some wonderful shots of the New York skyline. Had great burgers at a Grill in the Concourse. By this time our dogs were dying!! We returned to the hotel in time for a 15 minute break before heading out to "Wicked".

"Wicked" was spectacular!! The special effects were mind boggling and the comedic skills of Glinda were a highlight. I am now practicing the art of hairflipping so I can be popular too.

Then came the challenge of finding a nightspot for a nosh and a drink. You'd think it would be easy, but we keep finding places that have just closed. Asked a policeman to advice and he tried to send us to the Hershey's store for hot chocolate. Why would he do that? Sophisticated ladies drink alcohol. Went to a rib joint and ordered martinis. They got the order right on their second attempt.

Then to bed.

GOOD THING THESE SHOES WERE MADE FOR WALKIN'!!

Today was amazingly sunny and beautiful. We started the day by taking the subway down to Battery Park and finding the Wafels and Dinges truck. We found him, and the waffles were as wonderful as I thought they would be. We were talking to a fellow on the subway and he told us that after were found the waffle truck we should take a walk down Stone Street. This was two short blocks that were filled with tables and chairs for the Financial District lunchtime crowd - and filled with a ton of atmosphere. It was a real find!

We took the Staten Island Ferry to the ‘the lady’ in the harbour. Then we began our walk uptown and covered so much ground. We walked through Little Italy, SoHo, Chinatown and into Greenwich Village. We saw Washington Square and ate Pizza at Lombardi’s (the oldest Pizza Parlour in North America ). We saw so many beautiful old buildings, narrow cobble stoned streets and a real eclectic mix of people, sights and sounds.


After our feet got so tired we could hardly take any more steps, we found the subway and headed back to Times Square to pick up half price tickets for a show tonight. We saw South Pacific at Lincoln Center. It was great. We hopped the subway to come home and when we got on, the door shut on my bum - so I wiggled in and my coat was still caught but managed to free it with Sandra’s help. We ended the night with cheesecake at Roxy’s Deli in Times Square. I think that was dinner.

Tomorrow we will head up town to Central Park and see what is up in that direction. Weather is supposed to be 70 degrees. We are so fortunate with the sunny days.

START SPREADIN' THE NEWS . . .

Sharing a room with Sandra gives new meaning to “Sleepless in Seattle”. It wasn’t the snoring oops excuse me - “purring” as one might suspect, but the inane alphabet memory games we were playing in the middle of the night. It all began when she whispered ….”are you awake?” and then A my name is Annabel - my husband’s name is Arnold - we have two children named Ashley and Alex - we live in Alberta - we raise alpacas that like to eat apples - and so on. We both decided that Xavier and Xaviera - sadly were unable to bear children - were homeless and therefore couldn’t have a pet.

So now as I type this we have failed dismally on puzzle #1 of the new sudoku book we have to share. There is a lot of turbulence on this flight making typing difficult and I think we are about to try a brainteaser puzzle that Sandra picked up to challenge us - yes it will be a long flight indeed.

Well the flight eventually landed and then our bus was battling rush hour traffic to get to our hotel…and what a beautiful hotel it is! The Best Western President Hotel ½ block away from Times Square. So after checking in and dropping off our things in the room, we were ready to go at about 5:45. So we walked and walked and didn’t quit (except for a bite of dinner) until 11:00 and here we are now back in the room and ready to put up a couple of pics and put the blog to bed!

Must tell you though, after walking for blocks and blocks and blocks we finally found the Tim Horton’s and when we got there at 10:30 we found out that they close for the day at 10:00.




Among the successes today, we experienced Times Square both in the day and the night, we walked around Grand Central Station, we did get great tickets for Wicked for Thursday night, we patted a NYPD horse and took lots of pictures. More walking planned for tomorrow to see more sights!

Good night and talk with you tomorrow zzzzzzzzzzzzz

MEET OUR NEW YORK TRAVEL GUIDE - CEDRIC

Arrived in Seattle at 3:30. The drive down was uneventful. The hotel was easy to find but was much smaller than their internet ad implied. However, it is adequate and the staff (of 1) was accommodating and friendly. The bars on the windows turned out to be only mullions.

In our room I opened a travel pack that Sandra put together to find our travel guide … Cedric T.G Brownbottom of the Brooklyn Brownbottoms.

We drove around to find a couple of stores and only got lost once. The quilt store was a bust, the yarn shop closed last year and is now a piercing parlor – (actually it is a hair salon that has free ear piercing) and the scrapbooking store was huge and full of wonderful stuff. Then it was off to dinner at Red Lobster. We enjoyed a Berry Mango Pina Colada mmmmmm and a most wonderful dinner. After we were sated, we wandered over to Border Books and had a look around.

So now the alarm is set for 4:45 am so we can catch the 5:30 shuttle for the airport.

NEW YORK ADVENTURE COMING SOON ....

Soon my cousin Sandra and I will be winging our way to New York, NY. Can't begin to imagine what delights are awaiting us! Our lists are made and our packing....omg! gotta run and pack. Look out New York, we are about to land on your doorstep!

E-Chat with you soon!