Life in the 'Deen: Letters From America: A Day in Central Park

Hello Everyone,

Sunday was a day of ups and downs (as well as many, many, many TV and film references). I accomplished some childhood dreams, and it was a beautiful fall day. However, I had to say goodbye to the family and New York. It was a weekend of dreams, and it flew by.

The morning was spent with some pictures on the roof overlooking Central Park. Funnily enough, I was better with being on the roof than on the balcony. I'm not sure why. It might have been the beautiful view of Central Park that calmed me. Afterwards, we headed to the nicest little deli across the road where I had a cinnamon bun and a white hot chocolate with caramel. Sugar overload or what?

Although we had already had breakfast, it was time to head to Tiffany's for me. Although it took us a while to find it as Fifth Avenue is a rather long street. It did take quite some doing for me not to go in and ask them to engrave something for me, just like Holly Golightly. This was partially aided by the face that I didn't have anything for them to engrave. I can't wait to go back to Fifth Avenue and explore a little more, it looked like a really nice street, with so much to see.

And, we were onto Central Park, passing by the Apple Store on our way. We didn't go in, but it's pretty cool, this huge clear glass box surrounded by this mix-match of old and new skyscraper buildings. Passing by the zoo, the parents reminiscing about the times where they would not have been able to pass by a zoo without us craiking to go inside, I was more interested in another childhood memory that I have carried into adulthood. Balto. I remembered seeing the animated film of Balto where they visited the statue in Central Park and wanting to visit. My Mum, Gran and Auntie then went to New York, where they visited the statue of Balto and took a picture for me. My sister and I had this photo stuck on our wall for a good nine years I think, give or take a few years. I knew that if I ever visited New York, I would go and visit that statue. I have tried to recreate the photo that my Auntie took for me below (its the one without my sister and I in it). I hope I did it justice to that original photo. So that was another childhood dream completed.

Now, Central Park was just one of the coolest places I have ever been (taking the rest of New York out of the equation). So many movies have been filmed there, or based there. It is pretty difficult to meet someone who hasn't seen a film that was filmed there. So it was pretty difficult to get me to shut up with quotes (or heaven forbid for my sister, song lyrics) from movies and TV shows. Enchanted, West Side Story, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Annie, An American Tail, Oliver And Company, A Troll In Central Park, the Avengers,The Amazing Spiderman, Captain America and Captain America 2 are just some that went through my head. But none more so than the famous Friends. I may or may not had to recreate some scenes from the show. I also may or may not did a Phoebe run down one one of the paths. I'm not even embarrassed about it.

Just walking down the paths, we found so many things. Like the Alice in Wonderland sculpture. It was pretty unexpected to me, we just turned a corner and there it was. I could have stood and taken pictures at one of the ponds all day. And speaking of Ponds...

My Dad had mentioned we were going to see something and he expected me to recognise it. However, when we finally found it, I don't think he expected the words 'Doctor Who! The Angels Take Manhattan!' to come out of my mouth. Of course, it was Bethesda Fountain, a beautiful fountain depicting the Angel of the Waters, used in many films, and to you Whovians, where Amy and Rory had their last afternoon with the Doctor. I am not going to explain the plot of that particular episode, you can find it online. When I realised this, I may have fangirled a little bit and insisted of a photo with me sitting underneath it, and also taken a picture of a rock which was where they shot another scene of that particular episode. This was one of the highlights of the stroll around Central Park. Another was visiting the Bow Bridge, which looks like it has been taken straight out of a romantic movie (which it probably has been).

Lunch was spent at a traditional American diner before we walked back to the apartment to get ready for the flight back to our different locations, me to Albuquerque, and Mum, Dad and Lil back to Glasgow. I had such an amazing weekend, and I definitely didn't want it to end. I love Albuquerque, but it's no New York, and seeing my family was amazing. I do miss them, and saying goodbye doesn't get any easier the more I do it. Love you lots guys, and thank you for being there for the best weekend of my life so far. I wish I could do it all over again. We did so much in those two days, and we barely scratched the surface of all the things to do there. I can't wait to go back and explore some more.