MANHATTAN!!!

After parking next to the Julliard School of Fine Arts, we crossed the street and this is the first thing we saw.  Beautiful and serene. We have been sheltered and are now becoming cultured and educated to the finer way of life.  This is part of Lincoln Square.  As we walked a little farther we came upon the opera house.  WOW

 This is the Metropolitan Opera in Lincoln Square.  There were tons of chairs set out so people can sit outside in the cool of the night and watch the performance on the huge screen.  We passed this later that night and it was filled!!

This beautiful fountain is in the same plaza.  As you are facing the chairs, you turn around and there is the fountain.

I do NOT know what happened to Angle Moroni cuz in our picture he is there but this is the Manhattan Temple!!  The tall building to the left also belongs to the church.  This is across the street and about a half a block from Lincoln Square.

Our personal guides were the Molano's,  They did all the driving and scheduling.  We arrived ahead of our temple appointment so we stopped for a delightful little brunch that was next to the temple.  Sidewalk cafes are everywhere and the service and food is usually wonderful.

This is a view of 5th Avenue with CNN in the center.  We loved all the busyness and lots of vendors with their colorful carts selling everything from hot dogs to hats to scarves etc. 

Fun vendors with lots of "stuff" and food!

Another shot of 5th Avenue with their bike trails.

Entrance to Central Park on the South end.  This is the Maine Monument to remember 266 seamen who perished in the American battleship Maine by fate in 1898.  
Too many other things to see and have to move on!

Enough walking, we finally got a ride of our lives in a cab.  While in the cab we drove by the Washington Square Arch. SOO MUCH HISTORY!!  We found out that the lines indicating lanes on a road are optional WOW, WOW, WOW!!!

This is the NEW replacement of the twin tower.  It wasn't open or completed yet but it was beautiful and looks down on the Twin Pools.

The Twin Pools are much more impressive in person than in pictures  Very impressive!

The museum starts out as a single floor building but progresses down below the ground six stories.  Each level had an abundance of memorabilia.  This was a enlarged photo.

This is what is left of the the only huge antenna on top of one of the towers.

Another view of the fire truck.  

This was one of the long ladder fire trucks.  

This diagram show what level we were on.  One can see the cement walls with huge bolts.  Compare the person standing on the right.  We did make it all the way to the bottom where the footing were still in the ground. 

It was all very interesting and we have a lot more pictures but toward the end it got a little depressing to think of so many lives that were lost here.  

After leaving, we met up with Kimberly's brother and his "partner" at a wonderful Mexican restaurant, Rosa Mexicana.  It was across the street from Lincoln Center.   We were all starving and the food was INCREDIBLE.

Kendall (on the right) is Kimberly's brother and is on the staff at the Julliard School of Fine Arts.  He teaches and composes.  Louis has something to do with "Lion King".  This is a million dollar apartment that was GIVEN to Kendall by a crazy wealthy older lady that really likes him.  Liked him enough that she also gave him another one that he uses as a studio to compose his music in.  The monkeys match the chandelier over the bed.  Very unique.

This is a  secret private garden in the complex where Kendall lives that is gorgeous!  There is a fountain and decorative benches.  It was so quiet and peaceful.

The garden was between two apartment complexes where only the occupants could get to it.

Hill Cumorah Pageant Trip

This is one of the "Finger Lakes", Seneca Lake.  It is 37 miles long, narrow and quite beautiful.  There are at least two salt mines in caves down under the water.  We are with the Fairalls (George and Betsy).

Very nice boats/yachts. The view from this hotel is gorgeous!!

In the center of the picture on the shore line is one of the salt mines.

Further up the lake, we found the Belhurst Mansion built in 1871.  It was later made into a hotel for the upper class patron.  The inside has hand carved elegant wood work.

There was an addition built on to the side of the Mansion many years ago that was just as elegant.  The grounds were so peaceful and beautiful with fountains over looking the lake.

The gift shop in the foyer of the hotel had lots of unique, fun stuff.  George is checking out the wine.  We passed acres and acres of vineyards and wineries.

We arrived early to the Hill  like many others where we carefully chose and saved our seats with blankets.  Then we were off to see the town of Palmyra.

Of course. we stopped first at the Book of Mormon print shop for a quick tour passing lots of protesters trying to get us to repent of our beliefs.  

This is not a very good picture but it is an original copy of the Book of Mormon.  Very awesome.  We would love to actually hold it but they kinda frowned on our mentioning it.

More of the printing press.

Walking to the intersession where the four churches are still standing and in use.  The picture only shows two of them.

This sign was attached to a large trailer that drove around Palmyra all day then went to the pageant at night., What Mormons Dont Tell .Com.    There was a very loud speaker yelling about how horribly wrong we are about our beliefs.   They were yelling right up to the very second before the opening prayer and then they stopped.   Why don't we ever see others attacking other religions?   We know why.

Just a half a block behind one of the "four churches" on a small hill we found Alvin Smith's grave in a small dilapidated grave yard.  He had the best marker, most of the stones were unreadable and they were very far apart.  A lot of people overlook this site, we thought it was really awesome to see.

After leaving Palmyra, we drove to another beautiful lake called Canaduigue Lake (don't know where they get these names)  It was smaller than Seneca but just as pretty.

We had fun feeding the seagulls our leftover fries.  There were several that were diving after pieces catching them in mid air at times.  The fries were from a wonderful place in Palmyra called Chill N Grill!!!  Three thumbs up (hey, wait)!!

                                                       NOW FOR THE PAGEANT!!

Before the pageant, the cast members would wander the early audience with a Book of Mormon in their hands to hand out but also to visit with anyone that was friendly.  

Have you ever wondered what Mormon may have looked like?  We met him, his wife and little daughter in person.  When they aren't wandering the Americas, they live in Idaho.  Very impressive.  

There were 800 cast members and they were all running every direction.  Notice the pure white figure, he slowly descended on to the stage.  We sat in awe.

The night was filled with tons of fire several times and lots of water.  This is Nephi's ship that amazingly
appeared with water cannons depicting the storm.  It was awesome.  This was a night to remember.

                                                 AFTER A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP............

            We did a session in the Palmyra Temple.  It is the only temple with clear glass in it, the clear glass overlooks the "Grove".  We were very fortunate, we watched the third "newest" of the movies only out for three days.

The flowers and grounds everywhere we went were incredible.  These were on the temple grounds.

Next, we went to the Hill Cumorah. This is the path up the hill.

The last time we were here, Jean Hair fell on that front step and popped her fingers backwards.  What memories.  It was a beautiful day. 

At the base of the monument were four brass plaques .

This is the view from the top, down on the stage and audience chairs below.   So GREEN.

Finally in the Sacred Grove and of course, it was very serene and peaceful.  We have done a lot of walking and we are tired!!  This is Betsy Fairall, we do have a good time.

Ross took two dozen pictures as we walked.  How do you choose a favorite?

This tree was maybe hit by lightning, splitting it and then the branch grew back into itself.  Very unusual and interesting.   We have a map of all the trees of interest that a non-member horticulturist made.   What a great day!!