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I HEART NEW YORK!!!

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please, I beg your mercy! I know... I said I would only be gone for ONE day... but the truth is, we left at here at 6:00 a.m. on Monday and walked back in the door at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday -- without sleeping anywhere in there. So, I was a weeeee little bit tired... maybe a tad cranky... and on top of it, had things to do today and just could not find time to blog! I know you all KNOW that nothing in my world could POSSIBLY be more important than YOU, so trust me when I say I feel really bad about not getting back here sooner! And I will be around to visit everyone again SOON! Now... for my trip!


We will not discuss the college tour ... as I really do not like to criticize things that other folks may have strong positive feelings for... so suffice it to say that Krysti and I were not as impressed as we feel we need to be, and she will continue shopping for a college that will suit her. (Damn shame as Amanda and I would LOVE her to go to school just outside NYC! What do you MEAN this isn't about US?)

When we finished at the school, we hopped on the train and headed into Manhattan, leaving our car behind in the "permit only" parking lot! (it wasn't quite that simple - but trust me - you only WANT the Readers Digest version!) Miraculously, the train deposited us directly at Penn Station where we discovered, much to our delight, a KMART! (whoo hoo! LOL!) Krysti, who wore a skirt to the school, and did NOT bring along a change of clothes, was in need of a CHEAP pair of pants... and Kmart filled that bill! From THERE we were finally able to begin our ADVENTURE!!! (and oh, we DID adventure!) While Krys was trying on pants, Ricky and I were picking the brains of various Kmart employees to find out 1) how far away we were from Central Park, 2) what would be the easiest way to get to there, 3) how much do busses COST in NYC? (it has been YEARS since I've used any public transporation other than the DC Metro Rail) So, we hopped the bus on 8th and TRIED to pay the 6 bucks (for 3 of us) with cash -- but that's a no no! NO MONEY ALLOWED!!! Only tokens or fare cards! (why didn't i knOw that?) So the driver very kindly explained that we would need to either go back to Penn Station to buy fare cards or token, UNLESS there happend to be someone on the bus who had enough on THEIR card and would scan it for us! DON'T you KNOW, someone stood up and said they had some EXTRA fare cards -- he sold us 3 $2 fare cards and off we went, down 8th street, with me wondering why in the HECK people complain about New Yorkers being so UNfriendly and rude??? Everyone I'd met was friendly, kind and courteous!


Okay... so we got to Central Park!

I was rather taken by the large gold statue adorning the entrance to the park (on the WEST side, I'm told)... but I didn't get to read about what the statue IS OF because ... well... that stuff would be BORING to teenagers. LOL! So... we scurried along into the park where Krysti found something totally UNboring to teenagers! A horse drawn buggy... that would just LOVE to give / sell us a ride! Having done this twice in San Antonio last year, it has kind of lost the big draw to me... but I am not a teenage girl visiting New York City WITH my boyfriend in tow... so what do I know? I know they would have had a much more ROMANTIC ride had "the mother" not been along! LOL! But they enjoyed it anyway! And I developed a few new brain wrinkles on this ride! I had NO idea that Central Park was AS BIG as it is! I mean, I knew it was BIG! I've seen it on TV, and I've read about it in books ... but I just don't think it strikes you until you SEE it... it's HUUUUUUUUGE! You could spend days in there! As a matter of fact, I'm not sure that another park is required in the entire state of New York! It was great fun! SO much going on! Artisans, and volley ball, and a little chess garden... so much you DON'T hear about on tv or in books! The famous Ice Skating Rink becomes an amusement park in Summer! I never knew that! Very neat! Thoroughly enjoyed the park! Did not go to the Zoo - but would sure like to go back and do that!

To be continued...
(sorry... it's 11:00 pm and I gotta get some real sleep!)
Tomorrow... I promise!

posted by Melli at 9:28 PM