Return from NYC

We're home! Okay, we've been home for a week now but it took a while to get back into the swing of things and to find a few minutes to myself.

NYC was lovely. We walked all over town and became quite proficient in the subway. Maddie really knew where we were going much better than I did. Thank goodness she's getting better at her reading. The only time it was a problem (and it is my fault) was when we were tracking the stations and two lines had the same stations. It wasn't until we were two stops off that I realized we were on the wrong train. That made the whole experience a little more interesting.

I spent Saturday on my own. I wanted to go to two shops. I decided one of them (Town Shoppe) was for another time. I was going to focus my attention on the other shop (Purl). While I was searching for Purl, I got a bit lost. I walked, walked and then after not finding what I was looking for I had to sit down. I sat for 20 minutes watching people walk by. It was fascinating. The constant stream of people intrigued me greatly. If I didn't have to work for someone, I think watching people would a perfect job for me. I can make up stories of the people who are tootling by and send them on a different track.

Once I had enough of the insane lives of people who don't really exist, I started my search again. When I had walked 15 blocks, I decided to step into a deli to get directions. With a bit of laughing and admission that I had no idea where I was, they sent me on my way to the tiniest shop I've ever stepped into. If I stretched out my arms I was inches away from touching both walls. I immediately gravitated to the chunky yarn and grabbed three skeins of yarn. As I was trying not to knock yarn off the table, I saw the scarf that would be perfect to do while still in the city. I asked how to recreate it and here is the little she told me: Odd number of stitches, start with knit and end with knit. Then she walked away. I guess no more information was needed.

I headed to a pub and started working on the scarf. I got to have a beer and watch fotbal...all by myself! Very joyous. While I was on my adventure, Maddie and Justin went to the Museum of the Native Americans. Apparently pan-flutes were high on her shopping list (we didn't let her get one though). We met up easily and continued our walking tour of the city.

The highlight for Maddie was the Statue of Liberty. I had no idea how much security you have to go through just to get on the ferry. The excitement on the ferry was almost a glow. Everyone was bubbling with anticipation of the the island. Maddie kept shouting out "Lady Liberty!" After having a rainy tour of the island "Lady Liberty" is on, we headed to Ellis Island. This is where I got excited. I have basic information on some of my ancestors who arrived through Ellis Island. What I didn't anticipate was the total lack of interest on Maddie and Justin's part. They did not want to look at every nook and cranny. I don't blame them. I am happy they were willing to give me as much time as I got without a complaint.

Harlem was amazing. I got mixed reviews of what a major mistake we were making by staying in Harlem. Now, I'm the first to admit that I'm more comfortable in "questionable" areas. I would not, however, knowingly put my family in serious danger. My thought was that being in NYC would give us some level of "danger". I talked to three people who had recently lived in NYC. I did research on the web of the area we were staying and read 52 (literally) reviews of the b&b. I felt confident we were going to be fine. When we got off the subway and came above ground we were in a swirl of people, traffic, sounds and smells. All of them enchanting. The only thing that I can say is that I felt quite at home (although, here and now I admit I will probably not ever live in NYC). Even though we were not the majority (whatever that means to you) we were not the only minority. I would highly recommend the Harlem Flophouse as a place to stay while in NYC.

Central Park was a never ending winding sidewalk through lovely grounds. The funniest thing I saw was people taking pictures of squirrels. Why would you take pictures of squirrels? I suppose there are animals out there in a park that I would take pictures of...I'm guessing there is anyway! I just wish it had been warmer and they would have let us on the grass.

NYC was a wonderful vacation. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I would probably leave Maddie with one of her grandparents. I would stay in Brooklyn and probably return to Harlem. I would stay out of the couture shopping of mid-Manhattan. I would go to Little Italy and a few other "neighborhoods" we didn't get to. I would probably bring different shoes and again, leave Maddie at home. For as well as she did this time around it was obviously not a kid-focused vacation and she would have been much happier at Disneyland...who wouldn't have been? So, we'll need to plan a kid vacation and an adult vacation.

Everyone will be extremely happy if that were to happen.