New York

We have been staying on Manhattan with Paul Johnston and Sharon Addington. Sharon is Ju's first cousin who came to Heidi's wedding. They have serious jobs with big hours. It is typical of those living on the island.

They have been extremely warm and generous and we have lived, dined and seen the attractions like royalty.
Times square, Ground zero, Empire state building, Central park, Chelsea markets, Highline park, Niki world, Christian Dior, Trinity house, and Macy's..
just looking thank you..... I say to the male attendant  with a weird hair cut, funny voice and pink lip stick.... .. .. ... well I think it was a male.... the distinction is not always obvious.
.....No you don't want to mortgage your house to own a Loui Vuitton set of shoes, even if they are a limited run of black crocodile skins with ivory buckles ... my wallet screams, as the attendant shakes his head in disgust that I would pass up on such an investment opportunity.

But Random Margaret was getting worried that our experience of New York was too one dimensional and we have now relocated across the water to the Brooklyn district where the tone is a little  different.

...... We are back on bikes again sliding through the traffic like water around rocks in a stream as we desperately try a keep pace with Margaret's on her fixed single speed.
There seems to be only one rule regarding cyclist in New York. Don't ride on the footpath

. ...anything else goes. Down one way streets the wrong way, around the policeman,through the red light we dash and puff every trying to keep her purple helmet with the clashing pink back pack in sight.
Past the the old black man sitting on his step rolling a cigarette and the young lads huddled together with hair and clothes that haven't seen soap in the last 12 months.
We wave at the little girl with her beautifully pressed uniform, scrubbed face and tight black curls holding daddy' hand and her lunch wrapped in a brown paper bag as she goes to school.

Flying through a large Jewish district we see more Orthodox Jews than we saw in Israel. It is sukkot time and there are sukkah's erected on balconies and front lawns and footpaths.

Into the old hipster area we drift and screech to a halt for the girls to go Op shopping. The same clothes we saw up down selling at 1% of the previous price

Bronni is in her element. A 99% sale.

We charge through china town across Manhattan Bridge then cutting up the left side of the vehicles waiting for the lights, the purple helmet turns right across the front of all the waiting traffic and slides into a dedicated cycle/ walking path on the right to cross the old Brooklyn bridge
. ... With fingers crossed that the light doesn't change  and a 150 heart rate, Les and Bronni stick tight  on her tail as she scatters the wandering tourists with her ring bell, pumping legs and demanding 30km/hr pace.
..... what a ride.... what a girl.

For those not familiar with Margaret she came out to NZ in '03 and '06 and stayed with us for a while. In 06 she worked at Waimapu in kiwifruit for a season.
Margaret is studying nutrition at Uni in New York and works 5 nights a week in a high pace restaurant that turns the tables 4-5 times a night. She has matured into a lovely person with an extremely unique and quirky personality that clicks very much with my dear wife.

Now onto San Diego