Autumn in Manhatten

Times Square
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Our Travel to the US began with an hour wait in the queue for immigration while 4 officials sat in booths for the (very) occasional US passport holders. Consequently we (along with many others) missed our connecting flight from Washington DC to New York JFK. We were told that the next flight was leaving at 10pm (it was 5.20pm) but there was only one seat, would we like to book it? After a lengthy discussion we were given the options of taking one seat, leaving at 6am the next morning (and sleeping in the airport) or flying to La Guardia Airport instead. We chose the latter as it is actually closer to Manhatten and the airline rep was able to get our luggage changed to the flight to La Guardia. We then whiled away 4 hours until boarding and I even slept as it was about 4am London time and we'd nearly been up for 24 hours! The plane was tiny so got buffeted around in the wind but we landed safely and went to pick up our one sleeping bag.......yes, it was the only thing that made it with us, the rest of our luggage was of course at JFK. After filling in all the paperwork we were told that our bags would be delivered free of charge to our hotel during the night so we left and caught the shuttle into town with no luggage to lug around! Our hotel was pretty impressive from outside and right across from Madison Square Gardens with Macys, Victorias Secret and Times Square right around the corner. The lobby was huge with chandeliers and the rooms were small but had a bath and TV so it was fine. It could have done with a paint job but we really only ever slept there so it was perfect for us.

Victorias Secrets
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On Saturday morning we woke to find our luggage had arrived, we showered then ventured out into the autumn sunshine of New York. It was cold (about 8 degrees) but a beautiful day. We went into Macys Department store but as it was the first day of the Thanksgiving Day sales in was jam packed so we headed for the nearest exit. We walked around the shop to look at the Macys xmas window display and it was really cool this year. Very colourful and sparkly and fun with music and lights, santa on a rollar coaster and even santa travelling around a revolving globe complete with "Down Under" and purple kangaroos! We crossed and I had my first excited look around Victoria Secrets. I was pretty disappointed because their stuff was not half as nice as when Celeste and I went in 2005 so luckily I wasn't tempted to buy a thing!

Central park
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We then wandered down Broadway to Times Square and visited the huge M&M's store and went to find out about tickets for the Broadway musical "The Lion King'. I was very sad to discover that all of the Broadway shows were on strike so I missed out on the Lion King again. We did some shopping, had lunch at a make your own salad bar (really good!) and contined down to central park. I absolutely love that place! Last time I was there it was covered in snow so it was great for me to see it full of Autumal colours, I was in heaven playing with the leaves, enjoying the sunshine and the magic that is central park in the middle of bustling Manhatten. We walked about half way through the park looking at the baseball fields and ponds, lakes and ice rinks. We saw 3 brides having their wedding phtos taken and the Obelisk that is the 2nd half of the matching pair to the one we saw in London on the banks of the Thames. Eventually it started to get dark so we wandered back and along Madison Ave and finally back to our hotel by about 9pm where we had some Chinese takeaway for tea, watched telly and fell asleep.