Day 2: NYC

Day 2 was not hard to get up for... one, because we were moving hotels - back to the one we originally booked at, and two, because there was sooooooooooo much we wanted to see and do, that we knew we had to get started.


My Mom unfortunately had a rough first night, and was plagued with a bad headache. PC suspected that it was most likely because the first item on our morning agenda was to head over to St. Patrick's Cathedral to attend mass. We left her in the room to sleep it off, and PC and I went with my Dad to the cathedral. What a place... very nice - I have to say without my dear old Dad on the trip PC and I may not have stayed for mass, but I was actually quite enlighten by the priest and the service - he was an old New Yorker (Yankees fan)... and seemed like a bit of a grumpy old thing, but was actually quite comical in his delivery. After the service, we toured around the place and took some photos, and then decided to grab some breakfast near by.


By the time breakfast was done and we returned to the hotel, it was a miracle - my Mom was up and walking, and ready to take on the world. She didn't seem too rattled that she missed church - but as presbytarian, I guess she wouldn't be!


We got settled into our new rooms, and we were really amazed at the fantastic view of Times Square from our windows. By this time it was pushing close to noon, so we headed out in Times Square to activate our 48-hour hop-on hop-off tour bus passes. It seems like a corny thing to do - ride a double decker tour bus with a bunch of other tourists - but it was honestly one of the highlights of the trip because we got see so much of the city, and learn a lot about different areas of the city that we would have otherwise never gotten to. The tour guides on the buses were pretty good... they shared with us a ton of tid-bits on different buildings and really gave us a good overview of the history of the city.

We started off taking the Uptown Loop... and got see Central Park, Trump International Tower, Harlem, and the Columbia University Area. We got off around Columbia and headed over to Tom's Restaurant for lunch - Tom's Restaurant is known for its appearances on Seinfeld... where Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George would hang out. It was actually a pretty decent lunch, and not pricey at all.

From there... we got back on the bus and finished the loop through Harlem... and 73rd St. E - where Carrie from Sex and the City resides in the show.

It rained on and off again during the afternoon, but by the time the tour was over, it had basically stopped. We decided to head over to 5th Avenue to check out some stores... we landed in Niketown, which was 5-story store... and filled with everything Nike you can imagine. On the 5th floor you can make an appointment to design and make your own pair of shoes - for a relatively decent price (I have feeling if we ever go back to NYC, PC will definitely be doing that).

After we shopped a bit... we decided to take a carriage ride in Central Park - this was something my Mom and I really wanted to do, and it was well worth it. Our driver was good and gave us all the little details about where scenes from a variety of movies were shot in the park, I thought it was really cool.

By the time we walked back from Central Park... it was getting dark - we passed by the David Letterman Studio... and saw some other neat things on our way back to the hotel, including a car office in which a lady was working out of, complete with fax machine, photo copier, desk lamp, laptop - you name it, she had it in her car, it was pretty funny.

After a brief stop at our hotel room... we decided to take the tour bus on the Night Tour, which crossed the Manhattan Bridge and went into Brooklyn a bit - it was really nice to see the city at night, the Empire State Building all lit up... and just the different little villages. Our tour guide was a little over the top on this ride, but nonetheless... we saw quite a bit and best of all was the view of Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge - it was really breath-taking.

By the time the night tour concluded, we were exhausted, but stopped for a quick slice of Pizza before calling it a night. It was a long day.... a good long day, but not quite as long as Day 3 would turn out to be!

Here are a few pics from Day 2, with more on Day 3 and 4 to come later.
Enjoy!

View from our hotel room - just an average Sunday in Times Square!

A short stop at Trump Tower and Trump Bar - didn't see the Donald though!

Safety first... always lock up your bike in Manhatten,

but try not to leave it on the same pole for more than 3 years!

A funny display in a wine store window in Times Square.

Even the NYPD drive Chargers/Tony Soporano Mobiles - PC was quite impressed.

Niketown at Fifth Ave. - quite the scene from the inside.

My Mom contemplated buying these snazzy shoes!

The Plaza! Most expensive hotel in NYC.

PC with the Plaza's Rolls Royce.

Making the Band... P. Diddy's Office.

PC, and PC and I outside of the Seinfield Restuarant.

Our horse and carriage getting ready to take us on our tour in Central Park.

A group shot of us on the carriage, taken by our driver.

PC and I at St. Patrick's Cathedral - proof we were there for Mom C!

Us again, outside the huge doors to the Cathedral.

Proof Baby Coleman was there too!

PC and I outside of the Late Show!

My Mom and Dad outside of the pizza joint that David Letterman

always airs during his late night show.

A shot of Harlem... a really interesting neighbourhood.

The crazy woman working from her car office!

When we are done with our Escape, we can sell it a cab driver in NYC!

Comical sign in Times Square, given that all Taxi Driver's do is HONK!