What a surprise! I’m sneezing! It could not have been that I’m getting through the winter with just one cold. So there it was the full load of running nose and soar throat.




And weekend was near, so what could I do else then try to prevent myself from getting sick completely and missing the Bronx Zoo we planed to visit on Sunday? I stayed home on Saturday, doing the housewife stuff: washing, cleaning, and buying groceries. This day was initially intended to be relaxing but at some point I got carried away and ended up carrying home 6 bags full of heavy bottles and stuff from the supermarket (I don’t complain Tobi I’m just telling facts). But to be honest I got my relaxing later. After having eventually found the time to read in my book for about 1 ½ hours (which I didn’t do since I left Germany) I dedicated myself to my new favourite activity: TV! But who could resist almost 400 channels and loads of really good films. This day was Nora Roberts Day, meaning one romance following the other (want can a woman want else??). So that’s where Tobi found me in the evening when he came back home from his lonely (I think that’s my interpretation) New York trip (Bodies Exhibition, Central Park, 5th Avenue, not bad): I liked sitting in front of the TV watching happy ends ;). And who wants to believe it, I got him watch a full film, too. Ok, he did make fun of it the whole time but he finished it. My respect for that, because Nora Roberts is strong stuff for an anti romantic as he is ;)
Let’s move on to more interesting stuff as the Bronx Zoo trip on Sunday. It was like a real family trip: Mary Jo and her children Evelyn and Tobi as well as her niece Giovana and MJ’s colleague Michelle with her family.




At least 3 of the 5 kids who took part that day... ;)

First stop was a diner on Route 22 to get breakfast and strength for the day. After a 40 minute ride we arrived at the Bronx Zoo a real big kind of oasis in the middle of the big city New York. After a nice family photo shooting at the entrance we started our walk to “hunt” after all the animals living in this huge park. We saw birds (not they would have impressed me),




the tigers (very majestic),




the Camels (puhh did they stink!!), the bears,




the giraffs




the knut


and the funny sea lions, just to mention some. But at the end of the day there was big disappointment: we did not manage to see any elephant (we didn’t even find out if there were any). But all in all it was a really nice day, not only speaking of the weather. And there is another thing I have to mention here: If Tobi should ever be unable to find a job, every kindergarten will be happy to have him as animator. The three kids loved him. The two girls because he made a horse for them and the boy, yes maybe just because Tobi impressed him by being old and cool!!! ;) So everybody was satisfied and exhausted from a day full of walking and excitement. As nice finish of the day we met MJ’ husband and had a very good Mexican diner. So now get up for a new working week!!



But the working week only lasted four days. Since the weather did not want to be nice at the weekend we decided to reschedule our week end after the nice weather. What does that mean?




We went to Philly on Friday and planed to work one day of the weekend from home as all the cool American workers do ;). And it was very wise to decide so. Friday was a beautiful sunny day even at 5:40 when I had to get up. The early cat catches the bird, so did we and arrived in Philly about 10:30. Equipped with maps and my guide we began our sight seeing tour through the town.




Did you know that Philadelphia is a highly historical place?




The declaration of independence (pic of constitution hall)

was signed here and famous Benjamin Franklins influence can be seen all over the town. Not really impressed by history (we both couldn’t really explain why) we took a rest and had one of the





popular south street *uhhhhh*


popular Philly cheese steaks

(which are not thaaaat different from our all loved Döner ;)). With new strength the second half of the day began. And the older the day got the better the city became. Walking along the Delaware River with a great look on




Benjamin Franklin Bridge




and almost more popular, the great.. Moshulu!!! *g*


(as I told you he (and she, too) is everywhere) was just the beginning. The next thing we saw was a very slow boat crawling up the river every moment ready to sink as it seemed. We should find out the reason for that later as we were walking down the street not expecting any bad, when exactly that boat came driving down toward us. What, sorry???? Driving???? Oh yes! This thing is some kind of hybrid between boat and bus and serves as tourist attraction for sight seeing tours. Unfortunately we didn’t have enough time to take a ride on that vehicle. We had to see the fabulous




City Hall,

the




shopping mall with an organ of 300 pipes,

the Benjamin Franklin Parkway (here he is again) and the big and




impressive Museum of Fine Arts.

And I tell you what, we were done with walking but happy to have come to Philly.
Saturday, let me get some sleep and give my feet a rest!!! NO, we didn’t. New York, New York we come!




This time the Statue of Liberty was our target. Since the weather was friendly to us we really enjoyed our




15 min trip by boat to Liberty and then Ellis Island.




From Ellis Island to NY-Manhattan (this is the Aida I guess)






Tobi and...*mhhh* who there in the back??? I don't know! ;)



But at least I myself, with one of my best looks on a picture !EVE!R *hi*


The statue is impressive and looks nice on photos but somehow we didn’t manage to get her and us on the same photo all the three of us looking good. But no time for sorrows.




The Immigration Museum on Ellis Island was our next stop.


Very interesting how people in different times for different reasons entered the US and which process they had to go through. Walking through the building could really make you feel like you were the immigrant hoping to be allowed to enter the land of possibilities.
But enough of history let’s get to the present again. Souvenirs had to be bought for our left behinds! And thank-you-gifts for the ones we will leave behind soon and who did so much for us. Thank you again in this place.
And Sunday came! Oh there was something, yes right, we rescheduled our weekend. That means we have to work today. Not that we wanted but we had to. So after a strengthening breakfast we managed more or less (Tobi keep your eyes off the TV!!) to work on our thesis for university. Not the exact fun activity you want for your Sunday but looking back on the past days what an eventful, beautiful but also exhausting weekend!