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It was an early start leaving Bogota; we were picked up at 5.30am for the drive to the airport and being a Sunday the traffic wasn't too bad enabling our driver to do 90 km in a 60 km area and that was just keeping up with the traffic! Once inside Bogota International Airport it was wall to wall people and before boarding our plane - which was over an hour late leaving - there were numerous security checks. Many more than there were when we arrived at Newark, New Jersey although the wait to get through was longer at Newark. So by the time our taxi pulled up outside our apartment on East 84th Street it was about 7pm. Nevertheless Sande, whose apartment we'd rented, was there waiting for us. And what a wonderful welcome she gave us! There were lots of goodies she'd stocked the fridge with and the apartment was an absolute delight. We are thrilled to bits with it; the minute we saw it we knew it would be a real home for home for the four weeks we'll be spending in the Big Apple.
No sooner has Sande said her goodbyes than we walked the
six blocks to the apartment where Kerrii, Seb, Grace & Rupert live. Cuddles and kisses all round then they all walked back with us to check out our charming apartment. Now we've set about 'doing' New York.
DAY ONE. Kev, myself, Kerrii, Grace & Rupert (Seb was at work) walked to 5th Avenue to Central Park's Ancient Playgound - next to the Met - where the kids enjoyed playing for a while. It was a perfect summer's day, clear blue skies and shorts and T-shirt weather. From the Ancient Playground we walked through the park to the turtle pool (where we actually saw some) and from there across to the West side and lunch at the UNO Chicago Grill. Then it was off to the American Museum Of Natural History to see the 'Ceatures of Light; Nature Bioluminescence' exhibition which Grace & Rupert especially wanted to see. There are many other exhibitions which we'll hopefully get time to see there at a later date.Then it was back to Central Park and a walk through from West to East, back to Kerrii's place where we left Kev & Rupert while us girls went off the have a manicure & pedicure.
Grocery shopping at a huge market - Fairway - two blocks from our apartment, then dinner before we called it a day!
DAY TWO. Kerrii, the kids, Kev & I caught the subway to the Brooklyn Bridge station & then walked over the bridge to Brooklyn. Another beautiful summer's day; clear blue sky with the temperature reaching 31 degrees C. Lots of other people were also doing the walk across the bridge while many others were cycling across; two lanes are provided, one for walking with the other for bikes. Once over on the Brooklyn side we walked to DUMBO - standing for Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass. Brooklyn is situated between the Brooklyn & Manhattan Bridges. We spent some time in the Brooklyn Park then headed off to Jane's Carousel - a completely restored carousel made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1922 and the first carousel to be placed on the US National Register of Historic Places. Unfortunately it was closed on Tuesdays, the day we were there so we'll no doubt be back! Lunch was at Bubby's Restaurant & Bar boasting menus featuring the best local and farm fresh ingredients...but there was far too much on
The American Museum of Natural History
No doubt we'll be back if time permits! each plate, I had to ask for a doggy bag and take back half of my sandwhich! Ice creams at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, another visit to the park and it was time to walk back to Manhattan across the Brooklyn Bridge once more.
Grace came back to our gorgeous apartment, spending the night on a bed made up on the lounge. As if we hadn't done enough walking before dinner Grace & I walked down to the East River and Carl Schulz Park.
DAY THREE. The 4th July and the day started with rain which soon cleared up. Seb picked up Grace around 10.30am and headed off with the kids to see a movie. A short time later Kev & I wandered around the Fairway supermarket which really does have EVERTHING you could possibly need. It's amazing how supermarkets in other countries are so fascinating.
Then it was off to Central Park to walk the 5 km around the perimeter of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, once the source of New York's water supply. Named after the former First Lady following her death in 1994, the resevoir covers 106 acres (43 ha) and was built
between 1858 and 1862. Despite the heat there were joggers galore who passed us on our walk. Back on the street we caught the bus to 33rd Street then walked the considerable distance to 34th and 8th to the New Yorker hotel looking for a mate of Kev's who'd rang and was staying there. To no avail! Catching the subway to 84th we unfortunately took the one to the West side which entailed a walk across the park (quite some distance) to get back to our apartment. Quick shower and change the it was off with Kerrii, Seb & the kids to a 4th July party at Vanessa & Will's 17th floor apartment on W57th. Vanessa used to work with Kerrii at the Australia Council and most of the guests were either ex-pat Australians or Australians on holidays in NYC. We met some very interesting people there including another Vanessa (your Facebook friend Ross). Fireworks started at 9.20pm, a small section of which we watched from the apartment balcony. Once back on the streets, heading towards the subway, we joined the throngs heading home.
DAY FOUR. Kerrii called into our apartment after Grace's swimming lesson and off we went
A view over the Central Park lake - the first landscaped park in the US
The lake, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted & Calvert Vaux was originally a swamp. It was first opened for skating in winter 1858.
again. Firat stop Shake Shack for hamburgers and drinks after which we caught a bus uptown to 103rd to visit the Museum of fhe Ciry of New York. More history lessons for us all! Another hot day which called for a stop at the gelato shop on 92nd on our walk back. Rupert was to spend the night with Kev at our apartment (man time!) while Kerrii & I put on our glad rags and headed off to the Imperial Theatre on 45th where we met Vanessa - the 4th July party planner from the night before. Us girls saw "Nice Work If You Can Get It" starring Matthew Broderick & Kelli O'Hara which was a fantastic fun show with music and lyrics by George & Ira Gershwin. What a night!
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Rachel
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Loving the Blogs!
See you Soon x x x x x