Financial

After a speedy ride into Manhattan from JFK with taxi driver Lionel Alexis, we were ensconced in our 18th floor room overlooking the former World Trade Center site by mid-afternoon. Just time to dump our stuff and admire the fabulous views out the window before heading across the road to Burger Bill's for food and a beer and to catch the second half of the England Columbia game. A lot of yellow-shirted  families in the place and it felt like it meant so much to them that I almost felt guilty as they all trudged out afterwards following England's victory. But no time for guilt, we had sightseeing to do! Up the Freedom Tower observatory for some fabulous views and, although it was a bit drizzly and hazy, I think my girls were mightily impressed with it all on their first ever visit to New York. That building didn't even exist last time I was here in 2002, but now it, the surrounding area and the memorials are very much part of the landscape and it's all been done in such a way that you can't help feeling quite moved by everything.

A little bit of walking round the muggy, baking streets in the neighbourhood and then a street cart soda for the girls and a balcony beer for us grown-ups while we watched the sunset. And at 9.30pm we could all stay awake no longer. 

New York