Paulette & Brian: 2008

Camping trip in July 2008. Paulette thought we were heading to Cape Breton, however, Kayla and Brian had make a few alternate arrangements. It was time to see the bright lights of Times Square and see the

Big Apple!

a brief stop at Magnetic Hill in Moncton

a picnic lunch in Woodstock...

we love Maine

not such a big deal

driving up Mt. Washington in New Hampshire

steep roads, no guard rails..

at the summit

my kinda stove!

a bit foggy at the top

heading in the right direction

we were heading for a KOA campground north of New York City just outside of Newburgh, NY. The KOA offered a tour of NYC via tour bus from the campground, so we thought this would be a great way to see the city on our first day.

before checking in to the KOA, we had the afternoon to cruise the back roads, which led us to the old Woodstock Music Festival grounds in Bethel, NY.

there is now a fully developed facility on top of the hill, which includes indoor and outdoor concert venues and a museum. Concerts and shows are held here regularly now.

"Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is a $100 million outdoor performing arts center and museum located approximately 90 minutes from New York City at the site of the original 1969 Woodstock festival in Bethel, NY. The 15,000 seat outdoor performing arts venue and The Museum at Bethel Woods are set within nearly 2,000 bucolic acres.

The Pavilion Stage can accommodate 15,000 guests both under cover and on a natural sloping lawn, while offering unique backdrops including the original festival site and the majesty of the surrounding Sullivan County countryside. Other venues at the center include a 1,000-seat outdoor Terrace Stage, the museum Event Gallery – an intimate indoor space for performance, lectures and special events, and the original Woodstock concert site, which holds a permit for 30,000 concertgoers to attend major musical events. This season marks the 12th anniversary of the Harvest Festival, an annual event celebrating the bounty, talent, and beauty of Sullivan County and the surrounding area.

The Museum at Bethel Woods explores the unique experience of the Woodstock festival, its significance as a culminating event of a decade of radical cultural transformation, and the legacies of the Sixties and Woodstock today. Through personal stories and profiles, immersive multi-media exhibit displays and experiences, engaging programs, and educational events, The Museum will encourage inter-generational dialogue about important ideas and issues relevant to today. It will also help preserve the historic site on which the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair took place. The Museum at Bethel Woods is an impressive facility with a permanent exhibit space, a special exhibit gallery, Event Gallery and museum retail store.

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts' mission is to enrich, promote and improve the quality of life in our community through culture, education, history and the arts."

http://www.bethelwoodscenter.org/about.aspx

the stage in 1969 was located on the gravel patch behind us

imagine, 500,000 hippies...lots of peace, love, drugs and rock n' roll (and rain and mud)

the view looking up the hill

Day 1 in New York was via the tour bus and included stops at the Empire State Building, a drive by Ground Zero, the Status of Liberty, Ellis Island, Pier 17 and Times Square. A very busy day, but the tour bus was definitely a great way to pack it all in

pictures taken from the tour bus

first stop - the Empire State Building

taken from the observation deck on the Empire State Building. That's the Crysler building

another view from the Empire State Building... looking towards Central Park

a closer shot of Central Park

in the lobby

street level looking up the Empire State Building

Ground Zero ... hallowed ground

billboards at the back with potential new building designs

you definitely feel the emotion here

what an awesome sight

lots of tourists coming and going via ferry boats

the land of the free! an incredible presence in New York Harbour

What a great day to be in the harbour

can you imagine 15,000 yellow cabs honking at the same time

the Brooklyn Bridge
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge

at Pier 17

the Empire State Building again. quite a sight from all over downtown

another famous landmark

http://www.radiocity.com/

and another. 30 Rock
http://www.rockefellercenter.com/

Times Square

Times Square. last stop before heading back to the KOA for the night

on Day 2, we drove to Beacon, NY (across the Hudson River from Newburgh), parked the Element and took the train in to NYC. Got off at Grand Central Terminal and took the subway to the Museum of Natural History

we could have easily spent two or three days inside this museum, worth a return visit someday!!!

http://www.amnh.org/

home on the range, lots of nice murals

lots of bones

I'm not afraid of a T-Rex

Central Park across from the AMNH

A small section of Central Park named in honour of John Lennon who lived across the street in the Dakota Building. John was killed on the sidewalk in front of the Dakota Building while walking with Yoko Ono on the evening of Monday 8 December 1980. What a senseless tragedy...