First let me tell you WHY I went. We have a Finance Academy in our department who takes its upperclassmen to NYC every year. One of the Finance Academy teachers is expecting a baby, so they needed someone to chaperone in her place. I was all for it until I realized our last day fell on Morgan's birthday. They had an evening flight that would put us getting home around 10 PM. At first I wasn't too thrilled about it -- as in considering not going on the trip so I wouldn't miss waking up to my newly three-year-old baby. Then I consulted my husband and mother, who both basically told me that this was a no-brainer -- GO ON THE TRIP. Plus it's not like I wouldn't SEE her on her birthday. So my mind was made up. I was going to NYC. (I can't believe I was considering not going.)
So when I tell people that I went with a school group, people are like YOU GUYS TOOK TEENAGERS TO NYC?! Trust me, the idea made me nervous, too, but it was all gravy. Those kids were so good and were always back where they needed to be on time. Those Finance Academy teachers have produced some responsible kids. Plus, our tour guide was BOSS and was on top of everything. She was awesome.
We did SO MANY things. I was completely exhausted by the end of each day. The itinerary included:
- Central Park
- Times Square
- Broadway District
- Empire State Building
- The New York Stock Exchange
- The 9/11 World Trade Center Memorial
- The Federal Reserve Bank of NY
- The Apollo Theater
- The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular
- Statue of Liberty
- Ellis Island and Immigration Museum
- Tour of Macy's
- Spiderman on Broadway
- Harlem
- Cathedral of St. John's the Divine
- Rockefeller Center (and the Christmas tree)
Our tour guide was around-the-clock, so she stayed in the hotel with us, and we had our own bus and driver. So it's not as crazy as it sounds.
Anyway, there's no way I could fit everything into one post, so, as I said yesterday, I'm scheduling posts for every day this week. I actually did NOT take my camera on the trip -- and that was on purpose. I didn't feel like keeping up with it on such a busy, busy trip. So every picture you'll see is a product of my PHONE.
So here's Day 1. We had a morning flight that allowed us to begin our tourist stuff straight off the plane. We rode around town -- I mean the city (can you tell I'm from the south -- "around town..."), did Central Park, and then our big thing for the day: the Empire State Building.
View
My plans were to take pics of all the beautiful buildings and scenery this city has to offer (and not necessarily people, like I would if my family were there), but I decided I'd at least get ONE picture of myself every day.
Top of the building.
Sunset in NYC
Remember I saw this library back in April ? Was right outside it again, but STILL didn't go in. NEXT TIME.
Another NYC Public Library
Okay, I sorta had a thing for the eating places this first day.
Grabbed some lunch here. Seriously some of the best tuna I've ever had.
I was told these are a local favorite. Some of the kids grabbed lunch here.
Want to know a weird way to end the night? This thing was hanging over the bar of the restaurant where we had dinner:
What the heck? This was around the same time we learned that Bama would be playing LSU for the national championship. I heard the joint was owned by some LSU folk. Ironic.
Anyway, Day 1 was cool, but we were only getting started. Check back tomorrow for the World Trade Center Memorial, the New York Stock Exchange, and the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.
Hope everyone's having a good week!
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