Farewell to the Big Apple

Sadly today it was time to say farewell to the Big Apple & travel home to the West Coast.

First though there was time for one more unique visit - to Carlo's Bake Shop in Hoboken, the original bakery of TV's 'Cake Boss'.

We arrived at 9:30am to find a long line outside the store already!  But we had enough time for everyone to visit the store & purchase baked goodies - some for immediate consumption, some to take home (I wonder if any made it...).

From the bakery it was time to travel to JFK.  We hoped to have time to make one more food stop, at White Castle in Brooklyn.  Unfortunately we hit traffic & had to abandon that plan to be sure the group made their flight.  Our drive did take us through a bustling Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn though & so proved to be very interesting, the streets full of traders & shoppers in different traditional attire.

At the airport we were able to check the group in smoothly & efficiently - as far as it is possible for 49 people! - & then it was time to say goodbye.

We had a fun time in New York City this week - seeing many iconic sights, traveling around the city how the locals do, eating a variety of cuisines.  But most importantly the trip was highly educational.  We discovered New York's amazing history - from its original native peoples to explorers & rival colonial powers, & the arrival of different ethnic communities including enslaved Africans & impoverished immigrants.  We learned about the way the city has changed, the gradual expansion of the city northwards from its original Dutch settlement to the Uptown neighborhoods around Central Park, & more recently the 'cleaning-up' of the city in the 1990s & the devastation of 9/11.

Midtown Manhattan

Today was dedicated to discovering the 'Uptown' neighborhoods of Central Park & Midtown Manhattan.

We began with a relaxed 'walking tour' through Central Park, starting at the Dakota Building on Central Park West & ending at the MET on Central Park East.  En-route we saw the John Lennon-inspired Strawberry Fields (& saw Yoko Ono walking by!), the Daniel Webster statue, the Lake & Bow Bridge (where a Doctor Who scene was filmed), Bethesda Fountain, Conservatory Water, & the Hans Christian Anderson & Alice in Wonderland statues.

We spent almost 2 hours at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, allowing the students to split into smaller groups to visit the collections of their choice.  On my wanderings I met students visiting the Arms & Armor, Egyptian, Greek, & photography collections.

From the MET we rode the subway again, to Grand Central Terminal.  There we admired the spectacular central hall before having free time for lunch in the food court.

During the afternoon we took another casual walking tour - this time through Midtown Manhattan, from Grand Central Terminal to the New York Public Library & Bryant Park, the Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Fifth Avenue, & finally Grand Army Plaza with F.A.O.Schwartz, the Plaza Hotel, & the Apple Store.

Dinner tonight was in the Empire State Building itself, followed by a visit to the Observation Deck on the 86th floor!  Although very windy & a little cool, the views over Manhattan & further into the distance were fantastic.  Another great end to a great day.

Islands, Neighborhoods & Broadway

Today we had a long day packed with sightseeing.

We began the day with a short drive to nearby Liberty State Park in New Jersey.  This was our departure point for the ferry to Ellis Island & then to Liberty Island.

At Ellis Island we learned more about the generations of immigrants who arrived in the USA through this gateway.  And on Liberty Island we came face-to-face with the iconic figure that greeted those 'huddled masses'.

After arriving back on Manhattan we rode the New York subway to 'the Meatpacking District' where we had free time to explore Chelsea Market & get lunch.

Chelsea Market marks the beginning point of the High Line, the city's newest 'city park' built on an elevated railroad over the streets!  We walked most of the High Line, as far Uptown as 28th Street, then crossed town to the Subway & rode to Times Square.

There was time for a little more free time in Times Square before & after our pizza/salad buffet dinner, then we spent the evening in a Broadway theatre as we enjoyed our excellent musical, Matilda.

The show was spectacular in every way - very funny, with great singing/dancing/acting from a cast including many young performers.  It was a very enjoyable show & a great way to end our day.