Manhattan meeting

Imagine my face as this girl from Brooklyn heard over the ship's loudspeaker as we left St. Johns: "The next stop of the Crown Princess will be Brooklyn." Though the previous berth in Manhattan would've been a lot more convenient for us and all the other passengers, Ira and I managed to get to Manhattan in time to meet our daughter, Bonnie, at Mott St. and Canal.
After buying cookies at the famous Cafe Roma in Little Italy, we dined on Mott St. at the Peking Duck. I love watching the chef carve the duck using that huge cleaver. We demolished that delicious bird. We then explored the Bowery, Centre St. area, Chinatown and Little Italy, bought a knock-off and Chinese cookies on Canal Street as we proceeded to Soho and were sorely disappointed that its now gentrifed and has become just another shopping area. I ;just couldn't bear to go to Ground Zero...Bonnie hasn't been there either for the same reason. It was great though to stroll and chat with Bonnie and we returned to our ship reluctantly.
Sailing out of the NYC harbor is always spectacular. Shot too many photos of the skyline, the bridges ( including the waterfall under the Bklyn Bridge), the ferry, South St. and the Statue of Liberty. My favorite scenes though were of Sea Gate and Coney Island with the iconic tall red painted parachute jump and white wood roller coaster,Cyclone apparent, though the sight of so many huge apartment buildings was a surprise. So many memories as I stood on the cabin balcony watching Coney Island fade in the distance. NYC is wonderful, and being w. Bonnie in NYC even more so.