The Big Apple

New York City - There was an unusual sight in New York City today. A semi-sane woman was followed around the City by four rather rambunctious children. I surruptitiously followed and have recorded their antics.

The group drove a large red Suburban into uptown New York City, prepared to pay an arm and a leg for parking. Then then piled out of the automobile to venture out on foot for a few blocks before boarding another large red vehicle...a double-decker, pepper-red tour bus. The bus wound its way downtown, passing by such sights as Times Square, the Empire State Building and Greenwich village.

The pack disembarked the tour bus to board yet another vehicle - a ferry boat bound for Liberty and Ellis Islands. Before getting on the boat, soft pretzels and drinks were consumed while the girls ran circles around their mother. Not prepared for the long lines waiting to go through security, the mother resorted to silly voices and crazy antics to keep her giggle patiently waiting in line. Security guards did NOT know what to do with this Californian woman who set her youngest daughter in a belongings bin instead of letting her stand on the floor. (Because, of course, all children this girls size can clearly walk.) After a minor scuffle with a female guard, everyone made it through the metal detectors with no other incidences.

The ferry ride to Liberty Island was uneventful, and the quick jaunt around the base of Lady Liberty was full of photo opportunities. There were a few explainations as to why she was green, not copper, and passers-by repeatedly looked at the group in awe.

After another relatively uneventful ferry ride back to New York City, the group once again settled in to the top of a tour bus to finish gazing at the Chrysler building, Central Park and Rockefeller Center.

Dinner was large slices of cheese pizza washed down with soda at a small pizzaria near Times Square. Copious amounts of money were spent on chocolate at the Hershey store, and reclaiming the car at the parking garage.

The trek concluded with PJs and Daddy kisses (the chocolate variety) at the Round Pond Recreation Center, near West Point. All are safe, happy and still semi-sane.