Well we have been so lucky to have arrived just in time for the holidays as they call them here. They refer to the as the holidays as there are so many different celebrations depending on your faith. Since we have arrived the hype has all been about thanksgiving. I don’t really know much about it except for goggling . It goes back to the pilgrim days when they would celebrate the abundance of their crops so they would feast of food such as turkey, ham etc. All my close friends know that I don’t eat anything that flies so turkey was not on our menu. I enjoyed watching all the shops displaying them and all the other food that is part of this celebration. My love and I mean obsession has now become pumpkin pie. Yes us Australians think of roast pumpkin or pumpkin soup but let me tell you pumpkin pie is to die for! I don’t like my sweets too sweet so this is perfect. Suffice to say Hugo and I scoffed a whole pie in one day easily.
We were lucky to go down and watch the parade very close to our apartment. It starts down on Central Park west which is up the block from where we live which was great. We couldn’t get too close as the crowds were huge however we did see the floating balloons which were amazing. We raced home to watch it on TV and yes saw Miss Kylie Minogue doing her thing with ear muffs.......I have never seen her with so much clothes on.
Hugo was lucky to have 4 days off during this Thanksgiving Day holiday which most do to. We decided to some touristy things so the Statue of Liberty was first on our list. The ferry trip that takes you to Liberty Island involves a security screening exactly like airport security. I felt a sense of sadness to think that this is what it takes to keep the evilness of terrorism at bay. We boarded the ferry and it was not too long before I could see the grand old lady and she took my breath away. What a sight she is the symbol of New York and maybe the whole of the United States of America and their she stood proud and tall. I stood there holding onto the stroller just in awe of her presence when reality once again sets in and I see the two helicopters circling her and it seems they do this24/7 to protect her. She is obviously prime target as was the World Trade Centre.
After we got back to Battery Park we decided to go to Ground Zero. It’s something I have wanted to do for many years and especially now that I too was a New Yorker. It was not curiosity but more wanting to pay my respects. The whole 9/11 thing is devastating to everyone but to me it’s a time in my life where I also had some major turmoil so it’s a very dark place for me. We walked up to the area and I have to say I was just re-living all the footage I had seen the morning I woke up in Osaka in my hotel room on September the 11th 2001. I just kept imagining what this area I was walking around would of looked like just covered in dust and with all the horrific sights of death and destruction. It just broke my heart to think of all the lives lost. We walked up to the fire station that was the first to respond and there is a plaque there with photos of all the fire-fighters that perished. I did start to cry but how can you not.
New York most certainly has let go and moved on and this was evident with all the plans they now have for this area.
Now that Thanksgiving is over all the wonderful Christmas decorations have come up. It’s just beautiful as even down in our foyer we have a Christmas tree and some Hanukkah candles which we have had to explain to Isabel. Jewish celebrations are on par here with Christian celebrations so I am really happy to learn and embrace it all as its just wonderful to see everyone here living in harmony.
Took the girls for their annual Santa photo and this year it was Macy’s so what a wonderful photo it is.
We plan on going into Rockefeller over the weekend to see the tree and finally it’s starting to feel like Christmas. All we need is snow!!
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