So, unfortunately it didn't turn out to be such a "goodnight". David spent most of the night in the bathroom with a stomach problem. That resulted in zero sleep for him until about 0700. He fell asleep about 7 and we just decided to sleep until check out time at 11:00. That gave us a kind of a late start on the day and we did not get to do as much sightseeing as we had hoped in the New Hope area. And the way David was feeling, it really didn't matter.
We did however take time to go see Bowman's Tower. Backing up for a moment, it might be interesting to know that the New Hope area is generally believed to be the locality where General Washington crossed the Delaware River during his surprise nighttime attack on Trenton, New Jersey. We aren't sure if anyone still knows the exact spot, but it was close to here. There is a State Park here named Washington's Crossing.
That brings us back to Bowman's Tower. This stone tower was built on the highest piece of ground in that area and was used as a lookout to keep an eye on British troop movements on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River. The tower was first built in 1776 and lasted until 1930. It fell down and was rebuilt in 1930 to what we see today. It is quite massive for the time and place, standing 125 feet tall and is equipped with the required slots for riflemen to use to keep the invading troops at bay.
One of the nice things about the tower is that it was actually open! That is of course because, once again, it is in private hands and the government is not involved! Karen just elbowed me and said to be sure to tell that this was my thought and not hers! :)))
This is the home of Benjamin Perry, who was called the "Father of New Hope." I think they called him this because five generations of his family lived in this same home. He was not the founder. This is very representative of the beautiful stone homes in the area.
After leaving the tower, we made a quick stop at the New Hope Starbucks and then it was off to the Big Apple! It is just a short two hour drive from New Hope to Manhattan, and we made pretty good time. Once you get to Newark, New Jersey, the skyline of NYC appears on the horizon. It is quite a spectacular sight! You may wonder if there was any traffic? Oh yes, you might say that. :) New York traffic is everything you have ever read or heard about. Congested, hectic, impatient, assertive, animated. But believe it or not, generally fairly polite. I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.
Karen's daughter, Pamela, lives in the Murray Hill section of mid-town Manhattan, which is pretty close to Grand Central Station- about a fifteen minute walk. We chose the Westin Hotel Grand Central because it was close to her apartment and convenient to everything we wanted to do and see.
We forgot to mention that Uncle Chuck was going to be joining us in NYC. He had actually driven up the night before and was waiting for us when we arrived. After checking in and freshening up, we walked to Pamela's apartment to meet up with her, and then it was off to dinner. Pam had chosen a nice (affordale) Persian restaurant she enjoys that night. It was, once again, about a fifteen minute walk from her apartment (you do a LOT of walking in NYC!!!). We enjoyed a great meal of kashkh bademjan (an eggplant dish), mast o musir (yogurt and shallot dip), Sultani Kabob (ground beef and filet migon served with rice and grilled tomato), and gheimeh (beef stew with eggplant, tomato, yellow split pea and spices served over crunchy rice). For dessert we had tea and baklava, of course!
After dinner it was off to Broadway to see "Jersey Boys!" This time, we took a cab because it was just too far to walk and arrive in time. Our cab driver was polite, spoke with some type of Slavic accent and pointed out landmarks and items of interest as we drove. Then, instead of just waiting in traffic and running up the meter, he kindly suggested that we walk the last block or so, which we did.
Yep, just like the placard says, it was too good to be true. We absolutely loved it! It was basically a biography of Franky Valli's life and a good deal of information about the other original members of the Four Seasons. The play left you with the impression that every young Italian boy in New Jersey was a hoodlum, which is most likely not the case. Or maybe it is! Who knows? Especially in the 1950's. Anyway, the young man who first brought Franky into a musical group was in and out of jail frequently, along with most of the other members of the group. Putting that iffy aspect aside, the music was fantastic! Especially if you are of a certain age and grew up with these songs. Who knew they had so many hits?
After the show, we walked a few blocks to somewhat get away from the Broadway crowd and try to get a cab. One thing to learn right away - you never get away from the crowds no matter what you do, and no matter what time of day or night it is! So, we just waited for a cab. In NYC, you can tell if a cab is available when the cab number on the roof is illuminated. Of course, very few are actually illuminated. And yes, the stories you hear about people stealing your cab are true! You need Apollo's wings to outrun the others. This is a common scene in NYC. There are way more cabs than other cars. They are everywhere, but they still seem elusive and inadequate in number.
Now off to bed! We have had a long day! And remember, David had about 3 hours of sleep the night before and had a stomach problem! Will he recover tonight? Wait and see!
Love to everyone,
David and Karen
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