Why I love NY

Well after being settled in a place for more than a few hours it was GREAT to get up early this morning, stop downstairs for that 1st cup of coffee, then take a nice walk to Central Park, along 59th, then back through Hell's Kitchen along 9th street back to the hotel. It was a great walk and a great way to start the day. Then we did something I rarely do, took the GrayLine tour. Got 4 for $49, so works out to be a little over $12 each and what a great way to see the city and get little known (to me anyway) information. Such things as General Worth (for whom Fort Worth, Tx is named after) is buried in lower Manhatten. And the buildings are still there from which George Washington read the first draft of the Declaration of Independence, the fence where the soldiers took the "Royal Crowns" off to signify the defeat of the British, and that Queen Elizabeth was the first English Royalty to visit there since her Great-Great-Great grandfather was defeated. The Mayor of New York presented her with 39 peppercorns to cover past due rent on one of the buildings there. The first tour was of Downtown...took us through Time Square, through China Town, Little Italy, the garment district, edge of Soho and down to Battery Park...close to the WTC site.


We got off the and took the Staten Island Ferry (Free) which went by (not to) the Statue of Liberty, then turned around and came back. Walked around a bit to see the WTC site, but didn't find it so came on back on the tour through East Village, Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, United Nations, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, Trump Tower, 5th Avenue, Madison Ave, then back.







Have to use these four tours within 48 hours so after a short break and lunch in a small deli we took the Uptown tour which went through the upper east side, Central Park, Harlem, MOMA, Guggenhiem, CNN, and back. During this trip we got drenched by a late afternoon downpour...but after all the time without rain in Dallas it felt pretty good. When that was finished stopped by the hotel for a shower, out for a Gyro, then went to Time Square for a bit for some shopping and called it a day.

That about did it for a Friday, will update you more tomorrow.