Leaf peeping

In case you didn't know 'leaf peeper' is the name given to those who visit New England in the fall to admire the beautiful colours of the leaves as autumn comes to an end. I have just returned from such a trip and hope to give you a flavour of some of the places I visited. This trip was an organised tour and I was slightly apprehensive as I am not good at sitting still and the thought of travelling for hours in a coach was a little daunting. However, I needn't have worried because the tour manager, Darren, the driver, Richard, and the other forty people on the tour made it great fun. It was my friend Tina's idea (in the photo) to take this trip, partly because she was hoping to visit an uncle, living in the Boston area, who she hadn't seen for many years (more on that another day) and also to see wonderful scenery and learn something of the history of this part of the states which is very much linked to England. Over the coming week I was not to be disappointed as you will see.

We started off in New Jersey staying overnight at the Double Tree Hotel and the following morning we had a choice of a sight seeing tour around New York or heading off alone. As I had spent a week in New York, earlier this year, I was torn between a morning of shopping or to go on the tour with the majority of the party. I finally decided to do the tour but in hindsight this might not have been the best choice, as the shops in Boston were rather disappointing (no Abercrombie & Fitch and they do not have a retail outlet at the shopping mall we visited either.. I'll know next time).
The first stop was to the John Lennon memorial Strawberry Fields
Not a good photo too many people to get a good shot and I didn't cheat by using a previous shot. This will give you more info.

We stopped for coffee at Trump Tower and took in many of the land marks such as Times Square and Rockefella Centre with ice rink (it had been an outdoor restaurant last time I visited).

A lot of work had been done on ground zero since I saw it in June and the tributes, laid out in the church, to those who tragically lost their lives made very emotional reading.
View of Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island both from Battery Point




We had lunch on Southstreet Seaport Pier 17 next to Brooklyn Bridge and this had not been on the itinary on my last visit.
It was very touristy lots of quick lunch options and a few shops. There is a lot of fake designer gear on offer alongside the coach drop off- I was not tempted.

We left NY travelling over the Brooklyn Bridge (I walked it on my last visit) through Queens and the Bronx and headed for Boston arriving early evening (lots of sight seeing on the way). The view from our bedroom is not too bad considering it overlooks part of the car park there are some trees visible.


We spent three nights here (these first two hotels had pools which was a bonus but unfortunately after my first swim the chlorine affected my skin so badly I decided not repeat the experience). I'll tell you about Boston tomorrow.