Click on photos for a larger image and on red underlined phrases for further info, pics and websites.
Saturday, May 4: Ground Zero, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park
Click on photos for a larger image and on red underlined phrases for further info, pics and websites.
Saturday, May 4: Ground Zero, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park
Perfect spring weather! The day was in the low to mid-70s.WTC/GROUND ZERO
Our tickets to the WTC viewing platform were for 10 AM. The line was pretty orderly and hassle free. They allowed each group about 10 minutes to view the area. You really couldn't see a lot, but it was worth the experience. All the surrounding skyscrapers were covered by shrouds to protect them from the elements, since all the windows were broken. I assume a number of the buildings are condemned and/or will require a lot of work.
BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN. .
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A Correa Creations Magnet and formal herb gardens
Dogwoods and Liliacs in bloom
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Bluebells!
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Resting under the Cherry blossoms and deciding where & how to get to our next adventure.
X marks the spot 
Rule #1, don't lose your head when traveling in foreign countries.
BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDENS
After a nutritious breakfast at Dunkin Donuts, we hopped on a subway to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Spring is definitely the time to visit. Everything was in bloom and green. I'm not used to seeing so much green living in drought affected So. California! As you can see from the pictures, it's a vast and beautiful garden. A must see, especially during spring. We spent most the day shopping in the gift shop, wondering the gardens and trying to figure out if this plant or another would survive in our gardens. When we first started going through the gardens we were intrigued by a plant with blue flowers that was scattered here and there. None of the plants had tags. I took a digital picture to show a garden worker, but the one we asked she had no clue (big help). Duh... they were bluebells. Later, we were amazed when we walked over a hill and saw 45,000 bluebells planted under the trees.
OK, just what is Diva selling?
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Views from the Brooklyn Bridge & another CorreaCreations magnet :-)
Oh, sheese, is she ever going to put that camera down?
We skipped lunch and decided to go for an early dinner instead. What a concept, dinner before 10PM. After conferring with our tour books and our Palm Pilot Vindigo NYC database, we decided on the top rated Mexican restaurant, Rosa Mexicano that was located on the Upper West Side. But instead of taking the subway back to Manhattan we walked over via the Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge was filled with tourists, joggers and bicyclists. If it's a nice day, it is a unique and worthwhile experience and great view of Manhattan.
I really enjoyed the dinner at Rosa Mexicano. Wonderful Margaritas and fresh guacamole made table side. The food was upscale Mexican, rather than the usual refried beans and rice fare you normally get. I had the enchilada special - 3 sauces - Mole, Verde and a traditional red sauce. Yummmm.. It was probably my favorite meal that I had in NYC.
CENTRAL PARK
Since it was still early and light out (6:30PM) we decided to walk though Central Park. We couldn't resist we stopped for a bit to watch some guys play fast pitch softball. We determined they must be playing with really soft/mushy balls because they weren't hitting as hard as we've seen most guys hit 'em. I can't believe that NY Softball players are wimpy hitters. ;-) Walking through the park at dusk was pretty basked "Monetisk" light. On the way back to the hotel we stopped off at a gourmet grocery and picked up desserts to eat back at the rooms. A quiet evening in, eating cheesecake with Starbucks mocha cappuccinos and watching Sixth Sense on HBO, trying to catch all the clues... We also said good-bye to Adele because she had an early flight back to Dallas. Love her and all, but we were not waking up at 5AM just to say good-bye. :-)
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