New York 1st July 2011

We are sat in a deli having an early morning cup of tea. It is 0630. Of course we woke early because of time differences. This part of the day is great, it is warm but not too hot, lots of people around either going to business or having an early start to a fun day. Think we will probably mosey around the area this morning and visit Penn Street Station to check on out trains in a couple of days time.

Had a great time wandering around the Broadway area. Started off walking to Penn Station and collecting our tickets all the way to Chicago. This was a bonus picking up both trip tickets at once. We found out where to go and what to do which made Stan feel much better! We walked out of Penn Station which was like a little city in itself and went past Maddison Square Gardens to the Post Office. This is the second time I had come to look at this wonderful building. After seeing Kevin Costner in the film The Postman I've had rather a penchant for the slogan written across the top of the building, the signature for the postal service since it started in America.
Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat,nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.
As if this would ever happen now, in any walk of life!
We sat outside Macy's for a while in the sunshine waiting for it to open. Talking to yet another American, we realised just how friendly they are, particularly on a one to one basis. He was worried that the Americans were being driven out of their homes by the influx of Hispanics who appear to be taking over everything.
I think I now understand why women like Macy's and New York for shopping! This department store was seven storeys high. I went up to L5 and every level was women's clothes of all shapes, sizes and styles. Not being much of the persuasion of clothes shopping I was more interested in the old wooden escalators that kept taking me to a higher level and more clothes!!
Onward, up Broadway to Central Park, which was busy with visitors enjoying the cool of the trees, cycling, walking, playing or just sitting. We got ourselves in a horse drawn carriage and had a nice little trip around some of this vast park. Very relaxing, as the horse, Katie, ambled along at her own pace.
We joined the hustle and bustle once more in 7th Avenue where Stan found a new photographic lens to purchase. From then on it was practice, practice, practice taking photographs, more or less up to bedtime.