By popular demand...

Many have asked for a blog about Brandon's trip last week to the Big Apple to visit Yankee and Shea Stadiums. I will try to recap his highlights. He flew in on a Monday night, delayed due to tornadoes in the East. He checked in to his hostel, yes hostel, late that night. He was pleasantly surprised to share quarters with young backpacking types from all over the world, mostly Europeans, lots of Aussies. He enjoyed speaking Spanish with a woman from Spain. She said, "You sound like a Mexican." The few days in NY he got in as much as possible. He went to the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, Grand Central Station, Empire State Building, St Paul's Chapel, Federal Hall(where George Washington was inaugurated), Museum of Natural History, Wall Street, Rockefeller Center and Ground Zero. Not to mention the Yankees game and the Mets game. He took too many pictures to post. Here are a few I liked.

Lady Liberty

It pays to live a mile high. At sea level you can pass everyone on the stairs going up to the statue, even with a busted ankle.

Yankees at batting practice

When he mentioned to the cops at Yankee Stadium that he was a cop from Colorado. They let him in to tour the stadium. He went to the bull pens, the walkway down to the locker room, and visited Monument Park where the plaques are lined up honoring past players. He found out that the NY Yankees logo was designed by Tiffany and Co. for a police officer killed in the line of duty and the Yankees adopted it. It is a true brotherhood back east. Click on the picture to enlarge it and read the names on the jumbo-tron.

Central Park
Cute Central Park bridge

This is a memorial left near Ground Zero. Police officers from all over the world have visited and left their department's patches in the memorial. Brandon left his patch in the middle of the pile on the table.

He ate lots of NY pizza. He lost his sunglasses when the wind blew them off his head atop the Empire State Building. He went to Yankee Stadium on a $5 ticket, when their season is now sold out. ( some single seats may still be available) I am happy he got to go. He flew home on Thursday night after another delay due to the 5 inches of snow here at home. If you want to know more, give him a call.