Boxing Day

Monday was a very different Boxing Day. No lying around watching cricket or basking in the sun, this Boxing Day was spent wandering around Manhattan.

The boys went to the Central Park Zoo for a look around while Tracey and I went to the Fairmont for hot chocolate. We met up and went to FAO Schwarz, this is a huge toy shop covering 3 floors and has lots of stuff! It is where Tom Hanks played the big piano in the movie Big - you walk across the floor and the notes play. We didn't have a go as the queue was too long but it was an interesting shop. Other highlights included a big pink Barbie fooz-ball table and Lego versions of Jack Sparrow, Indianna Jones, and the Statue of Liberty.

Afterwards we headed down towards the East River to see the UN Building. 5th Avenue was packed with people but once you get off it to one of the other streets the crowds weren't too bad. The building was closed so we missed the opportunity to queue and go through a security screen but it was still good to see.

We headed back up 42nd Street as the boys wanted to see Grand Central Station - very impressive.

We dropped into the Lego shop in the Rockerfeller Centre, one of my favourite shops. The Rockerfeller Centre must be one of the most perpetually crowded places in New York ... of course it was packed.

By this time we had had enough of the crowds and headed back to the apartment for an early night.

Tomorrow we get out of Manhattan ... and we also get wet!Read more