We just returned last Friday from a week spent in New York City. Dave was there on business installing (shhh.......) some effects for the new Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum in Times Square. Well, he was there watching other people work. The construction site was not ready for him, and so he babysat and made sure his wiring/plumbing/etc. was being properly installed so another Technifex employee, who is going out this week, can finish the job. So, if you could call it work, yes, he worked from about 7am-3pm. He also inspected the site at FAO Schwarz, where they are installing the most darling little miniature Barbie Model Runway, complete with Barbies that come down the catwalk, do a little turn and then go back behind the stage, just like the real models! By the way, that FAO toy store is REMARKABLE, to say the least.
So let me begin by saying this was a TOTAL VACATION for the both of us. Nevermind the few measly little hours Dave had to spend at work. All expenses paid, except my own airfare made this a once in a lifetime opportunity for us. Our hotel was beautiful, and not to mention they put us up in a suite that was about 500 square feet! And I did not lift a finger the entire week. It was so strange for me. No cooking. No cleaning. Nobody else to care for. No laundry. No pets. No responsibilities. And plenty of things to see and do...That's my idea of a "real" vacation! Oh, I did pick up my dirty clothes off of the floor. Does that count as work? This is the longest time I have ever been away from the boys, and it was very hard. I missed them tremedendously. But they were off at Auntie K's house having a blast. And Karen got a reminder of how little boys live on a regular basis! Click here to read her blog about their time together!
So, we began our trip by spending the whole day on Sunday (his one full day off) touring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Unbelievable!! It really is nostalgic to see her in person. To see her stand there in the New York Harbor, and to know what she stands there for. It truly is an icon of our freedom here in this country. Ellis Island was personal for me. My grandfather came into this country there. His name was in the computer database of immigrants who entered there. We also toured most of lower Manhattan that morning, seeing Ground Zero (the former World Trade Center Sight), some amazing cathedral churches, the Stock Exchange, Federal Building where Washington was inaugurated and that at one point housed congress and served as the Capitol, Wall Street and the famous "Bull", etc. etc. Standing at the World Trade Center sight was quite eerie and sobering. To think of the large cloud of debris and the images I remember seeing on TV of people running down the streets of the city were suddenly so real and personal. There is just a sense of nostalgia in the city no matter where you go.
The rest of the days were devoted to traveling around the various other parts of the city, seeing Central Park, the Natural History Museum (seen recently in "Night at the Museum"), the Empire State Building (we went to the top on our Anniversary!), the famous Chrysler Building, riding the Subway, viewing the Brooklyn Bridge from the South Street Seaport, riding the Staten Island Ferry, Grand Central Station, shopping, eating, seeing Times Square, and much more. We really enjoyed the unique energy that is present in the city. Everyone is getting somewhere and fast (except if you are in a car, then you're going nowhere fast). It is such a different lifestyle than we are used to, and I could not and would not ever live there. But it is somewhere I would highly recommend visiting. The city is full of rich history and amazing feats of architecture. Every building is a work of art. Your neck will be sore from looking up (hey, that explains why my neck has been hurting...I just figured that out!) And your feet will be sore from walking. The subway was a fantastic way to get around, and cheap! And we found the city to be extremely safe. Police presence was everywhere and everything is very clean. I felt comfortable walking around by myself even carrying a purse, and I observed many other young women doing the same. All in all, is was such a blessing to be able to see this wonderful place in person. I would certainly love to return someday. And I sure will miss the NY pizza and bagels!
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