NEW YORK

Here we are on the subway from the airport to our apartment, with all our stuff. We had a really long flight because while Southwest offers good deals, they also take the long way there. We had a three hour layover in Chicago, which turned into almost seven hours when the flight was delayed due to bad weather in NYC. We found some interesting people to talk to, so it wasn't too bad.

The apartment we stayed in was rented through airbnb, a service that connects travelers with people willing to rent out their apartments. Charles spent a lot of time going through listings to find one in a good location. We stayed just a block or so from the 9/11 Memorial in the heart of lower Manhattan. This is a reflection of the Freedom Tower that is almost finished.

This is one of the new reflecting pools built to honor the victims of the 9/11 attack of the Twin Towers.

The names are listed all the way around the pool.

This is the one surviving tree, propped up and fenced in.

A reflection on a building behind the pool.

The museum isn't open yet, but we were able to get a picture through the glass of one of the original beams from the towers.

Another view of one of the pools.

The red brick building next to the hanging blue tarp is the back of the apartment we stayed in. Something was torn down behind it, because it's an empty lot.

I couldn't get the whole bull at once because of all the people around, but this is Wall Street.

We had a good view of the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry.

We also had a good view of the NY skyline.

We were about a block away from this historical church that had a cemetery around it. We was William Bradford's grave. I think he may be an ancestor.

This is an interesting statue of Adam and Eve and the serpant, in the cemetery.

An inside view of the church.

Here's the entrance to our apartment. We had to walk up a flight of stairs to get to it. There is a Subway sandwich shop directly beneath it.

We were able to get some pictures in front of the temple because we found a girl from Aruba who was willing to do it for us if we'd take hers! We had to do it from across the street.

You can barely see Moroni up top. There is also a chapel and distribution center in the building. We checked out the chapel and found it to look just like any other chapel.

Here'a part of the Highline Walk, an old raliway turned into a beautiful respite from the city.

Charles in Times Square.

We got tickets to the Top of the Rock, or the Rockefeller Building and saw some magnificent views. Here you can see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island way in the background.

Here's a view of the Empire State Building, in the center.

Our bike ride through Central Park was a highlight of the trip.

Times Square

We had our picture taken with famous characters- for the grandchildren.

This was taken in the atrium of the new Brookfield Plaza, a beautiful building across from the Freedom Tower. You can see it through this gigantic window. 

Another view near from the Brookfield Plaza.

You could see the Freedom Tower from there.

The apartment we stayed in.

Another view

Grand Central Station