Coney Island

is sooooooooooooo cool!! I’ve found my oasis from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan and it’s only a subway ride away 🙂

Met up with Claire and Jeff, plus Scott who was visiting from DC and his two friends Alana and Jeremey. We all went out ot lunch at a diner downtown and it was really nice ot catch up with everyone cause i ahven’t seen Jeff or Claire since winter break of last year and I hadn’t seen Scott since we were all in Israel together in the spring of 2000. After lunch Claire and I went to this West Indies parade in Brooklyn. It wasn’t really my thing. But she was really excited about going and it was kind of neat to watch the dances and floats and stuff.

Around 5 we boarded the Q for Coney Island. The first thing you see as the train pulls into the station is The Cyclone, one of the oldest wooden rollercoasters. I was surprised ot fidn out that there’s tons of other rides there as well. I knew that back in the day Coney Island had been a big amusment park but I thought it had long since run down. Apparently it’s been built back up again. The developers have such a great marketing

ploy. Instead of shaving hte amusments on a pier liek at the Jersey shore, you have to walk through the carnival to get to the boarwalk. Kids at heart and espescially parents with small children watch out! But actually I foudn it not too expensive. Its $2 per ride, which sucks, but they have a special where you can ride 10 rides for $15. Of course there’s way more than 10 great rides so I’d prolly wind up spending $30. But oh well…

But the thing I like most about Coney Island is that it’s this great beach escape form the city. I always thoguht of NYC as being so urban and figured you had to drive way out onto Long Island or something to find a beach. It’s so cool to know i can get there w/o even a car. It was still crowded (it IS labor day afterall) but compared to the streets of Manhattan it was a relaxing getaway. And the bay actually had waves so it still had that ocean feel. I was more than content to just sit and watch the waves roll by. Happy Steph.

Claire liked the beach part but I think she was a little freaked out by my enthusiasm for all the rides. I so love rides though! We decided to just ride the Cyclone cause that’s the really big attraction. It’s $5 which was a bit pricey but omigod what a cool ride! So many drips and drops. Whiplash city!!! 🙂 Unfortuantley we coudl only stay for a little while because it was getting late and from what I’ve it’s it’s NOT the best place to be after dark. But I’ll defiltey be going back there again during the indian summer when i need a mini-vacation 🙂

Steph