Ruminations on Taxis and other New York experiences

We began the morning exploring our little corner of NY - wandering through the streets to find a coffee shop and observing the local flora and fauna, which included such things as drivers in long lines of traffic reading the morning paper, and, in our little coffee shop, an intriguing stairway that went -well, nowhere!







Then off to Central Park! The kids ran off steam in the "Ancient Playground" for awhile until time to meet my niece, Val, and we all headed over to the Met to view the Egypt exhibit. Jack and Alex each took a cell phone and photographed like mad - a great way to keep them engaged with what they were seeing!






Charles used the opportunity for a snooze!



But mostly, today, I want to talk about taxis!
First: What is it about riding in taxis that seems to bring out the "bathroom talk" (and accompanying giggles!) from a four-year-old and a six-year-old?!
Second: What happened to honesty?! On our ride to the Met the cab driver let me pay (from the front seat -cash) and Erin pay (credit, from the rear seat), thus collecting DOUBLE fare, of which he was well aware (as we were not) and never said a word!!!
And third (most harrowing of all!): On our return to the hotel, we had a driver who swore a blue streak the whole way (ending most accusations with the epithet, "That driver's gotta be from Jersey!") and drove like a maniac - I was amazed we arrived at our destination without having been in an accident (imagine being grateful that the only thing that happened to you was a case of whiplash!)!


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Skating at Rockefeller Center

We dressed, intending to explore the hotel and neighborhood when Jack smelled bacon and we wound up eating a late breakfast instead. Bacon and hot chocolate made for very happy kids! Then we hailed a taxi - a first for these California kids! - and headed to Rockefeller Center for some ice skating.




Jack and Alex each had a lesson (and I was nostalgic - Christmas vacations when I was in college I remember skating at Rockefeller Center!) and really enjoyed themselves!








Charlie, being too young for such things, was a happy camper with his beloved Woody doll! I wonder if the fact that Woody's hat won't stay on and he has to hold doll in one hand and hat in the other will help him stop sucking his thumb?! (he'll probably find a way!)




Then off to FAOSchwartz, where Alex was enthralled with the stuffed animals. So many choices! But she finally found the perfect one!




Charlie, Alex, and I have had a quiet evening while Erin and Jack and Ron are at the Yankee game, More adventures tomorrow!
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Sleepless on the Airplane

Three very excited children boarded the airplane for our New York vacation - the idea of New York less of a reality than the prospect of the electronics we had charged-and-loaded as "kid treats" for the trip! And, sure enough - they were kept busy and quiet -and also awake! Although we didn't land until about 11:30 p.m. - way past their bedtime, even by California time! - they were all three awake! Jack felt that since we were arriving at our hotel in the (very!) early morning, there was no point in going to bed - instead, he would be among the first UP because, after all, it was morning!... Fortunately a combination of fatigue and the little teddy bears the hotel had placed on each kid's pillow helped him give in to the inevitable, and he (they all!) fell asleep in spite of himself! In fact, he and Alex slept so soundly they didn't wake up until10:30!!!!



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