Up early again this morning, we've all still got London time in our heads. I didn't plan it but I ended up dragging the family around for a shopping morning. First off these pictures are going to make it look like a beautiful day, and it was. But there was an unholy chill in the wind that blew all day long. I dragged everyone up to the MLB store in Times Square to get a jacket. On the way my zipper broke on my 12 year old back pack. It has been going for awhile, I nearly replaced it in Lucerne with a Victorinox one, but - now I have an Oakley form Times Square.

Whilst in Times Square we went back into the Disney Store, and then to Toys R Us to ride the indoor ferris wheel, Emerson was too young so we weren't there long. Next we had to get downtown to catch a tour boat around the rivers and out to Lady Liberty. In through the subway doors and there are half a dozen SWAT guys with automatic rifles standing in the doorway profiling people, nearby a cliched NYPD character is holding back a police dog. The kids are spooked, won't even go near the police for a photo in case the guns go off.

Once again Gab has the subway sussed and gets us all the way downtown and out onto a tour. Freaking freezing, but inside my jacket, toasty! I'm getting over done with touring, as I sit here I can't remember very much. Lady Liberty was increadible to see in person. But 19m people processed through Ellis Island, that's a little more astounding.

Back into the city we jumped off down in the Battery, the kids had a play in the park while we planned the afternoon. Across to Ground zero we discovered that you can't see anything. The consutruction going on in those great big new towers means you need to pre-book tickets to get in because of the very limited access. Our first New York cab ride takes us back up to Times Square and we make it to the bus stop just in time to get on the last uptown tour of the day.

Despite the what everyone says has been great work from Bloomberg and Guiliani before him, Times Square and downtown isn't pretty, it must be a lot safer now, but you're in a Gold Coast environment. Uptown on the other hand, this is a beautiful part of the city. From Columbus circle it all instantly becomes somewhere I'd love to live. We head all the way down along the park, into Harlem and back up the other side of the park. We have a game plan for tomorrow now, we're doing the museums and galleries around the park.

So we hop off at the lower corner of the park on 5th Ave - Before I even notice it Gab has seen the Apple store, w00t! I take the kids into the plaza before we get on a horse carriage ride around the park - awesome! We head over to Apple and discover its a 24hr store - I love this city! We hold off on Apple and take the kids into FAO Schwarz.

FAO Schwarz puts Hamleys to shame, its M&M World v the Hersheys store. Anyway the toys are increadible, they have displays of all the iconic toys, the Big Piano from the movie "Big" the kids had a ball and they haven't seen the movie. By far the coolest part - make your own Muppet, I think we're going to do it, they look increadible.

In to Apple for an iPad3 and.... a massive iPad 3 queue. Gods are clearly frowning on anymore shopping today.

We end the day in a diner around the corner. A few buds and a Ruben and I'm feeling like a local, I even bought the jacket :)

Tomorrow its predicted to be 7c and rain, first we've seen all trip, they even think it will snow a few hours north of here.