My husband and I are entering a new, frightening decade and have decided to celebrate with our family instead of throwing a big party.
Our celebrations began with my son and his family. My grandchildren had never been to New York so we all decided that would be a good place to start. They live in the States so it wouldn’t mean a long haul flight, just an hour with no change of time zones. We only packed hand luggage to avoid any delays or loss of luggage! I found this challenging, as you can imagine! I’m not one for travelling light!
Day one was a toss up between the Empire State Building and the ‘Edge’, which is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere. It’s suspended more than 1200 feet above the ground with 360 degree views around New York. This was the children’s choice. The adults had been to the Empire State Building so happily agreed. It certainly was going to be different!
And it was! I am petrified of heights! I walked onto the deck and looked across at the tops of the surrounding sky scrapers. It was a warm day with little wind, the sky was a deep, cloudless, azure blue. The sun beat down on the visitors as they made their way to the glass platform followed closely by my granddaughter. I watched as she strode fearlessly onto the glass floor and looked down at the streets and buildings below. She was smiling and gave me a thumbs up.
I took a few tentative steps towards the edge and glanced down, immediately stepping back and looking up. I felt pathetic! People were posing or taking selfies either sitting or lying down on the platform. It was stable and looked very solid. Had I come all this way just to hang on to the side rails and look up? My granddaughter called out to me. I inched forward, staring straight ahead. I felt the glass underfoot as I stepped onto the platform.
I joined my granddaughter and sat beside her, not daring to look down. My husband took a photograph. Now there is proof of my bravery! My granddaughter decided to lie down on the glass and suggested I join her. In for a penny, in for a pound! I remained transfixed to the glass railing a few yards away. I lay down beside her and felt the warm sun’s rays on my face. I could feel perspiration on my forehead. I shut my eyes, desperately trying to avoid thinking about the 1200 foot drop.
Suddenly I panicked and sat up. Unfortunately I inadvertently looked down at my feet as I stood up. I could feel my heart thumping and felt dizzy. I held out both arms to balance myself. What on earth was I thinking? I had to get off ASAP! I saw my son and husband a few feet away and rushed towards them. I almost collided with a couple holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes. So they also weren’t looking down!
When I was back on solid ground I turned around and saw my daughter in law hanging on to my grandson’s arm as she gingerly stepped on to the platform. The difference was she was looking down at her feet. This is not the way to do it!
‘Stop looking down’ I called out to her. ‘Just keep walking and stare straight ahead. You’re doing really well!’ I felt significantly braver on the other side!
After lunch my son had arranged to meet a friend at the highest rooftop bar located in the heart of New York City. My vertigo challenge wasn’t over yet! We all climbed into a large black uber and headed off to 230 5th street, to visit this chic bar and lounge nestled up amongst the clouds! After waiting in a long queue, then on through security, we climbed into the lift and shot up to the top of the world. The lift ground to a halt and we walked into a darkened corridor, climbed a flight of stairs and out into the open bar area.
There, etched against the still cloudless sky, majestic and proud, was the top of the Empire State Building! I wasn’t expecting that! Luckily a high wall surrounded the bar so I had little choice but to look up or across at happy people enjoying drinks at the end of their working week.
But our excitement for the day was not yet complete. After a couple of drinks we made our way back down to ground level and had a meal in a restuarant before catching a ferry to sail around the Statue of Liberty. We had barely finished eating when my son’s friend told us to leave the restaurant immediately and head towards the river. He’d received a warning that there were riots in Union Square and thousands of youths were making their way towards us. When we got outside a number of helicopters were flying overhead and police cars, sirens blazing, were rushing past. Traffic had ground to a halt and the atmosphere was electric.
My son ordered an Uber and we made our way to the agreed meeting place. Barring my grandson, who was buzzing with excitement and my husband who takes everything in his stride, the rest of us felt very anxious. We wanted to get as far away from the rioters as possible! Apparently cars and shop windows were being smashed as thousands of young people had started moving into the surrounding streets. Our restaurant was targeted within a few minutes of us leaving so we were very grateful for the timely warning and felt we’d had a narrow escape.
A popular ‘live streamer’ had announced a ‘giveaway’ of PlayStation 5 consoles and an assortment of other gifts to any of his fans who showed up. He had advertised this on his Instagram account. He was late. Six thousand plus fans waited impatiently then began to climb on hoods of cars before clambering up lampposts and traffic lights. Several set off fire crackers which caused mayhem. The celebrity eventually arrived but had to escape the crowd and take cover, driving off in his large black SUV, leaving the police to disperse the crowd, the majority of them young teenagers wanting a freebie!
Our eventful day ended with an enjoyable sail along the Hudson River to see New York by night and the magnificent, illuminated Statue of Liberty. She looked resplendent, a neoclassical copper sculpture, etched against the black sky line. This is the statue of Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty. She holds a torch above her head with her right hand and a tablet in her left with the date, 4th July 1776, the date of the American Declaration of Independence from Britain.
We all slept well that night, exhausted yet grateful that we were safely tucked up in bed. We were far away from riots or having to plough through masses of people who all seem to be walking in the opposite direction! Our first day had certainly been a memorable adventure! And that had only been the start! 👠
Jenny Burrell 