The first morning in our hotel room, we woke up and turned on the news.

There was a on about how they close Park Avenue on Saturdays.

We wanted to go, but were so busy we didn’t make it.

Not again.

We were looking for a bike rental place, we found ourselves at Grand Central Station again.



It was so weird, so quiet, so wonderful! Except it felt like I am Legend all over again.



As it got later, more and more people appeared. There were free bike rentals advertized, but the lines were SUPER long!



The Route:

People doing Ti Chi



People on bikes everywhere!

Across the street from the Mac cube and FAO Schwarz we met a guy attracting tourist to come and rent bikes. He said he was paid, so we didn’t have to tip him. He picked up a banana peel out of the gutter on our way. He may have been from like the Sudan. He may have been one of the lost boy. He was very helpful. We made it.



Another amazing t-shirt.



And we were off! It was seriously amazing.



The further south we got, the more crowded the streets became.



Old Chinese grandma on a sweet bike.

There were cool event stations all the way to the Brooklyn Bridge.

Families!

There were these sweet men building a huge sandcastle of the Brooklyn bridge.

The NYC Courthouse. I have never seen the whole building before. Dang, it is HUGE!



Sand boxes for the kids.



We were having a total blast!



So, we just turned around and went back.

This time we made a stop at Madison Square Park.

The the Flat Iron Building.



The whole thing:



It is a place I have always wanted to see.



Ever since the Never Ending Story…



We Couldn’t stop smiling.

We just wend straight down 5th avenue and found ourselves at:





Washington Square Park.

Again really cool. You could see the house that the guy on I Am Legend lived in.

We asked a passing group of speed walkers to take this one for us.

Back on the bikes, I saw something that made me miss home:

Almost there again. Have I said this? That the Met Life Building used to be the Pan Am building?





Waldorf Astoria









We sadly had to get off, our 2 hours were up.



We had tickets for wicked at 2:00, so we spent the next hour shopping and eating.

Then we were off to 8th and 51st.

The Gershwin Theater.

Wicked.



The place was green and decked out.

The walls covered in murals.





We stopped and looked at the merchandise:

this shirt, $40.



This shirt, a water bottle, and a magnet, $70.



I bought an $8 magnet.

Worth it.

We also got a sour apple flavor drink. With a pretty sweet cup, $5. It seemed so reasonable, we had to buy it!



I just couldn’t stop smiling! Despite the fact that the tickets were $96 a piece, and that Karl was TOTALLY dragging his feet about going, WORTH IT!



As the showtime drew nearer, even Karl got excited.



And the show?

AMAZING!!!!

Our Cast

http://www.broadway.com/shows/wicked/cast/

We loved it.







Well after that I could die.

But one more this first:

That’s right, real Italian. By a real Italian.









We ate a ton of bread with Olive Oil and balsamic vinegar, just like in Albania.

We had Calamari. Karl Veil Parmesan and I went traditional.

I had a HUGE plate of Spaghetti and meatballs.

It was amazing. Again.

It was about 7:00 at this point, and we saddly realized we were going to be home in less than 24 hours, so we started to wonder around, to get things we knew we couldn’t get at home:

Like a bodega sandwich.

Where a guy in a greasy white apron slices the meat and cheese in front of you.



Amazingly at this place I also found Kinder Eggs:

Karl ate his sandwich:

I ate my egg:



There is a process:

Unwrap:



Then split.

Build your toy, by following the directions.



I got a race car. Karl got a little lady Chihuahua in purse.



We turned in early, packed, and got ready to leave.