More Travel...

Nana and I just returned from a trip to Strasburg, PA and New York City.  Her idea, not mine.  I've never had a desire to go to THE city as my Grandfather Flint referred to it.  He worked there for many years.  Many in my family were born, lived their lives and died there.  They are buried there.  My cousin lives in Queens and works in Manhattan.  Other first cousins once removed live in Greenwich Village and elsewhere in the city.  No thank you.  Even Staunton wears on me some days.  But, we went.

First, on Thursday we left home early and we went to Strasburg/Ronk, PA to the Millenium Theater to see "The Miracle of Christmas".  It was a pretty good show and Nana and our friends really enjoyed it.  We then went to Shady Maple Smorgasbord for dinner.  Great food, we were back there this morning for breakfast.  Oh, yeah, we ate too much.  It is always very good.  We had stayed the night at the Clarion.  Nice hotel and VERY nice staff. 

On Friday morning we met busses at the National Toy Train Museum.  It isn't far from the Rail Road Museum of Pennsylvania and next door to the Red Caboose Motel.  Boarding the bus, we were soon on our way to Patterson, New Jersey and the New Jersey Hi-Railers model railroading club to see their huge layout.  We had a light lunch there and then off to New York City.

First, we went to Macy's to see the Santaland train in a tree.  They actually made a purpose built tree to support the load of O-gauge trains running around it at different levels.  It is part of an elaborate show meant to entertain people waiting to see Santa.  Yes, two bus-loads of 50+ year olds in line to see a train...  Of course, we had to see the rest of Macy's as well and Nana had to buy something.

Nana's happy to have shopped in Macy's!

Then we got bussed down to Rockefeller Center, well it was SUPPOSED to be to Rockefeller Center but we got dropped at Broadway and 51st Street.  So, Nana and I had some food at the McDonalds, used the can and then walked down to One Times Square and back up 7th Avenue to 51st and back across to our pick-up point at the McDonalds.  So many people.  I was not amused.  Nana loved it.  We walked 21 blocks.  We wanted to go to Rockefeller Plaza but were given the wrong directions by the bus driver (not a good sign).  Just FYI, but the plaza is really on 6th Avenue, i.e. between 49th and 50th.  If we'd only gone two blocks northeast.  Oh, well.

At 7:10 we were back on the bus and on the way back to Strasburg, PA.  I was relieved.  Nana was tired.  We got back to the motel at about 10:30 and slept in until 7:45.  Then we got up and went back to the Shady Maple for breakfast and from there home.  I was very glad to pick Bailey up from the boarder's/vet's.