Day #2 NYC and the Rock.

I'm pretty sure the boys want to change the name of the business study tour to walking across America as I had a few grumbles today after our second long day of walking (18ks day #1, and today 15ks #2 + plus a couple more days walking around NYC to go) where will be pretty close to now 50 - 60 kms in four days around NYC. So it's been a journey, but one that the boys will never forget.

Today started with a Metro ride up to 59th St and a morning walk through the lowwer end of Central Park. Strolling passed many family on a Sunday morning, runners and even houre&buggies. Stretching for about 5 km one way and 2 km another way, it is an enormous area inside this wonderful city on an Island.

Once out of the woods, we walked up to 5th Avenue and the typically, the boys most pressing question was "where does Donald Trump live?' (away from the White House). We went to the Donald Trump building on 5th Ave, where there used to be a very large Nike store called 'Niketown' inside, BUT due to the police/Sercet Service presence in nthe building, a drop in patrons, the store closed down.  After walking the rest of the way down fifth Avenue passing the Louis Vinton (excuse the spelling please), Dolce Gabbana, Bulgvia? and all of the other big name brands stores that were too expensive for us to walk into, we got strolled down 5th Ave to St Patricks Cathedral. The main Catholic Cathredral in NYC, and home to many famous wedding and some Movies (ie Ghostbusters). Across the road, we discovered the Rockefeller Centre, and a huge Lego store. Further down the street, the boys discovered the NBA Official Headquarters store. With many bball fans, they all wanted to check it out, look at the new season gear, and even purchase some one-off memorabilia.

Next stop the wonderfully iconic Grand Central Station.

This building is truly magnificent with its high high ceiling paint celestial stars and marble archways (please have a look at the photos to just take in how beautiful this area is). The boys were blown away by the size and the magnitude of this 'train station'. As a gift to New York by the Vanderbilt Family, it truely is a place everyone needs to see.. Underneath Grand Central Station is a wonderful food court where we had some lunch today and enjoyed a range of all different nationality type foods.

Upon leaving the station we walked down Park Ave, looking at the most expensive housing in NYC. From here we headed west, across 34th st, towards Penn Station shopping precinct, and finally our Hotel. Today was 'Gay Pride' Day and New York holds one of the largest Marches in the World. We did get caught up in this briefly, as the boys seems very 'interested' in seeing what this was all about. Plenty of sights and colours to see, and overall, thousands of people around South Manhattan. Followed by some more retail therapy through the mid afternoon before returning to Hotel for a quick shower and prepare for dinner in Time Square.

We once again jumped on the subway all the way up to Times Square. Here we enjoyed our first team group dinner, overlooking Time Square itself, at Bubba Gumps themed restaurant. A lovely meal for everyone to enjoy and have a bit of a laugh about the tour so far.

After this delicious meal we walked around to the Rockefeller Centre and went to the 'Top of the Rock' Observatory. This for me personally was the highlight of the day being able to get up above all of the city skyline looking down to the south where the Empire State building is and looking up on the north to where Central Park. Interestingly enough, being "Gay Pride' day, all of the major highrises coloured their towers. Look at the Flickr page to see the lights.... The Big Apple at night is a spectacular and alive. Please have a look at the photos on our Flickr website.

Following a long day, at around 1100 we headed back to the hotel in preparation for another exciting day in New York. First up we are going to Macquarie Bank to chat with an Old Boy, and off to Yankee Stadium for the afternoon Tour.

A tremendous few days and the boys have been excellent. They have really engaged and enjoyed the trip so far and starting to make new friendships amongst others in the group they don't know. It has been a pleasure so far, and the staff have enjoyed seeing the boys really enjoy it as well.