Hi guys,

So Monkey and I have been to a fair few places since I last wrote including the three states in the blog title: Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. I am now in Washington DC in Maryland so that is a fourth state but I haven't done anything here yet to actually write about.

Plymouth and Salem

The last time I left you I was in Boston and had explored the city. Just south of Boston is a place called Plymouth where the pilgrams first settled in America. Plymouth today has a living museum that I went around to learn all about the British and other nationalities that came over to America on the ship the Mayflower to start a new life in the "New World". Because it was a living museum this meant that we would walk into a reconstructed Native American village that would have been around at the time the British started settling (they were actually stealing the land of the Native Americans). They also had a village that the pilgrams built and they had actors there that you could walk around and ask questions to. We also went to the Mayflower 2, a reconstruction of the Matflower, to see the conditions the people travelled in (not good). Whilst I was there, I met a girl who is a singer and is going to be releasing a song in the UK, Kara Mann, so if you hear of her, I met her!

As well as Plymouth I went to Salem, known for it infamous witch trials and pirating! I went to lots of museums; in the pirate one I got just a tiny bit scared, (well very scared) as one of the pirate manikins was actually a real person! I also learnt that the witch trials all happened basically because a few silly girls wanted some attention and lied saying they had seen their neighbours use magic.

Conneticut

I then moved on to Conneticut to stay with another friend I know from cam, and whilst I was there I was shocked to find out that my friend who moved to the USA when we were 6 lived only 15 mins from where I was! So we met up and had a good old gossip (you all know how I like to chat!)

I also went to a Mets baseball game , which although it wasn't particularly high scoring we did see a record broken.... the Mets pitcher stuck out the first 8 batsman of the game, that broke the Mets record and matched the all time baseball record!

New York

In New York I stayed in two different places, one just outside the famous part we all know as Manhatten and then in Manhatten itself. I spent a large amount of my time in Central Park, it is even bigger than you imagine and a beautiful place to relax or walk or run. Aparently it is the most filmed location for movies! So I got a few photos at those spots (check out the photos). I went to the Mets museum (not connected to the baseball team) and I got to see some art by some very famous artists e.g. Van Gogh, Cezanne and Monet. But the collest thing happened when I left the Met!

As I was leaving we noticed that the road we were crossing was closed off and there were a lot police around. We went to the nearest barrier and asked what it was for...it was the president! So after a few minutes waiting and lots of cops on bikes flying past we saw him pass by in his car with the flags on.

One of the biggest things for me in New York though, was that I managed to get my Chinese VISA! A lot of you will know that it has been tricky for me to get it but alas it was simple and I am now happy that I can continue my travels!

But even bigger than the VISA was that I was able to go to Central Perk! Yes from F.R.I.E.N.D.S! Last Saturday it was the 20th Anniversary of the first episode so there was a temporary Central Perk Cafe set up in NYC. After a lot of waiting with my 30kg backpack, I was near the front, if only I could get in to get to the famous orange sofa to get a photo I would be happy. However I had a bus to catch 45mins away. It was 12:15 and my bus was at 1:00! I wasn't going to make it!! But do not fear! A kind security guard, who knew that I had been waiting a long time and that I had a bus to catch, spoke to his colleagues through his ear piece and mic in this sleeve (like someone from the secret service) and got me to the front. I ran in...sat on the sofa...smiled...got my pic! And don't worry I made my bus, with one min to spare and after a lot of running (which I certainly hadn't trained for and could feel it!)

So that brings me to the present. I am now in my hostel in Washington writing this. Tomorrow I am going to explore the sights and in just over a week I will be flying to China! Scary but exciting.

I hope you are all well, enjoying school, work or what ever you are doing in life at the moment. Keep in contact we love hearing from everyone!

Love Monkey and Miss Bayne