Back from NYC

It's been awhile since I've written in my blog. For anyone who checks on a regular basis and has been wondering at the lack of posts, that's why. I've been meaning to write a post about my New York City trip this whole week, but I've been a) busy with work stuff that required my evenings and b) too tired to write it. In fact, I'm nearly falling asleep at the computer as I write this, but I wanted to at least post something.

The trip was wonderful, exhausting and exciting all at once. We walked an average of 10 miles per day (almost 13 on the last day) and saw as much as possible in the few days we had. And completely wore ourselves out in the process, but it was worth it. I loved having the opportunity to visit some of the most famous sites in the world and getting to experience the concrete jungle for myself. I must confess that it was quite a change for a small town country girl like me to see the really big city for the first time, but I'm very glad to have had the opportunity to do so.

I'm sure you're wondering what my favorite part of the trip was. Truthfully, it's hard to say, but I can tell you that I loved, loved, loved visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. I've wanted to see Lady Liberty since I was a teenager so it was a fulfillment of a dream to be able to do so. I found Ellis Island to be one of the most compelling places that we visited. But I also loved Times Square (surreal for me to realize I was there on the first day!), seeing a show on Broadway, walking down Wall Street and into Tiffany's (even though I was pretty sure one tiny piece of jewelry probably costs more than I make in a year), doing an endowment session in the Manhattan Temple, seeing Greenwich Village and visiting Central Park. I must confess though that as much as I enjoyed myself, I was very much ready to come home when it was time. It's great visiting the city, but I don't know that I'd want to live there.

Please enjoy these pictorial highlights. For anyone who is friends with me on Facebook, I promise an album is coming soon, hopefully this weekend. :) Please excuse the wonky spacing that I'm sure will result from putting these pictures in. It happens every time no matter how careful I am, and I have yet to figure out how to fix it. Dang it!

Times Square in New York City. The first thing we visited after some much needed rest time following our flight in. So exciting!!

Welcome to Grand Central Station. After having visited Penn Station on my way out of the city, I'm now glad that I didn't have to try to find my train here because it's really big, although I'm sure I could've figured it out.

All of us just outside the New Amsterdam Theater where we saw Mary Poppins on Broadway. Fabulous!

Let's hear it for Lady Liberty! I was price-is-right excited to get to see her, even if we didn't get to go to the crown. It was still amazing to walk all the way around her.

Welcome to Ellis Island. Millions of emigrants passed through here as they entered the United States for the first time. I LOVED this museum. We spent about three hours here, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

The view from the Empire State Building Observatory at night. It was awesome to see the city all lit up.

Eating New York style cheesecake for the first time. Sooooo good but incredibly rich, especially after going so long without such a high concentration of sugar. I didn't end up finishing my piece, but it was okay.

The whole group (sans one member who had to come back to Utah early) as we were crossing the Brooklyn Bridge.

Just me being silly in Central Park.

The Bibliophile and me on the top of Belvedere Castle in Central Park. It was a fun place to visit.

The group enjoying frozen hot chocolate, a treat we were told we shouldn't miss. Umm, I was less than impressed with it to be quite honest. It was good but definitely not the best thing I've ever tasted by any means.

This is the Hudson River which ran right behind the building where we were staying. We didn't have the chance to go see it until out last day though.

Me holding the world's largest Reese's Peanut Butter Cup--a full pound of peanut butter and chocolate. It almost makes me sick just thinking about it.