The Playgrounds of New York

Let's see what else our photos tell us we did in New York. It looks like we went to a lot of playgrounds - 4, I think

We took Bluet to the ancient playground a couple of times, where of course she played on the swings. She loved the playgrounds in New York, probably because they are both awesome and full of other kids.

And then we also went to Charles Shultz Park, near our old apartment, where Bluet played on the swings

And then we went to Tompkins Square Park, where Bluet played on the swings. This is one Bluet had never been to before

And finally, on our last day, to the Imagination Playground, where there are no swings, but there are hula hoops and sand

After the imagination playground, Ilona was knackered, and fell asleep on a seat in a restaurant.

Central Park

So let's see. We were staying in our old hood, Yorkville, on 88th and 1st. Of course the first thing Bluet managed to do was get her fingers caught in the door of the lift. They were stuck for what seemed like several minutes, but was probably 10 seconds. We thought she was going to have to go to the Hospital, but we realised she was ok when she started asking for Hello Kitty plasters. And although 2 fingers swelled up, the next day they were not bothering her at all. Phew!

One of my favourite New York things is to walk many, many blocks to get somewhere. We started with breakfast at PQ, then as one of Bluet's favourite things is to run around, and another is to climb stuff, we took her to Central Park (unfortunately only one time, although she did go to the Ancient playground later in the week). Bluet was thrilled to have the long, winding paths to run down without us telling her she had to stay close to us. Then we walked all the way to the Lego shop in the Rockefeller Centre, and she made three Lego people. Then she fell asleep in Ilona's buggy (Ilona was in the carrier), allowing us a quick trip to Bloomingdales. Emily has good photos of the latter part of the trip.... In fact, Bluet was so happy in New York (as were we all - Ilona was definitely stimulated by all the things to see around, her little head would poke out the carrier, eyes wide open) that we were sad that she isn't living somewhere so walkable right now, but thrilled to be moving back to Europe where places like New York are the norm, albeit on a smaller scale.

Stay tuned for tomorrows exciting installment of 'What we did on our holidays'

Breakfast in PQ

To the park! Wrap up warm

All aboard the Alice in Wonderland Statue (Bluet was a little apprehensive of giant Alice)

Snug as a bug in a rug

Asleep in Bloomingdales, Lego bag held tightly in hand

Ilona wakes for coffee time

A sort of homecoming

This last week Bluet and Ilona's daycare was shut for 'Spring Break' so we took the opportunity to return to the city that never sleeps, the big apple, the place of Bluet's birth, New York.

What a week that was.

Whilst we also didn't sleep so much (so many places to see, so many people to meet, so much to do, and a small one bedroom apartment with 4 people and steam heating*) but we had a wonderful time, and it makes us really excited to be moving again to a real city (Zurich) rather than the never ending suburb in which we currently reside.

So it is going to take some time to sort out the photos, but never fear, they are coming. In the meantime, here is a video of Bluet hula hooping at the imagination playground. You may recall, this is something she has wanted to be able to do for a long time, and now she seems to have mastered it.

*the only bad thing about New York is the steam heating, which heats all the apartment buildings through radiators. Unfortunately the temperature appears to be set for the oldest person in the building (i.e. much, much too hot) so you have to have the windows open all winter to adjust the temperature, and then in this apartment Bluet and Ilona were in the bedroom with windows, and Emily and I slept on the sofa in the room with no windows, and anyway, I digress. I also feel I might have written this before. 

New York 2014

New York 2014, a set on Flickr.