Season's Greeting

Massanutten Resort

A trip to Massanutten Resort with friends concluded our busy year.  A log home on the top of the mountain, magnificent view of ski slopes, 4 days staying with friends, excessive drinks and foods, water park splash and first snow in the ski, life is good!

It was Alvin's first time to ski and he did well beyond our expectation.  After 4 hours group lesson, he and his good friend Anthony insisted practicing more ski on the slope for another 3 hours.  They reluctantly left the ski slope when they called for early closure for Christmas eve.  At the end, Alvin told me, "I enjoyed it very much."

 

 

The Big Apple & Philly

Alvin had longed for seeing the tallest buildings in North America since our Chicago trip so over a nice Autumn weekend we took the boys to New York city to see the Empire State building, Bank of American Tower, Freedom tower, etc.

We bought a "All-around-town" sightseeing package which includes Downtown tour, Uptown tour, night tour, cruise on Hudson river, ferry to Stature of Liberty and Ellis island, Brooklyn tour and New York City Museum.  We have learned so much about the city - probably most of the New Yorkers don't know building the 102-story Empire State only took 410 days.  It was a project to stimulate the economy during the Great Depression.  But the owner could only rented out 10% of the space so it had a nick name "Empty State Building".  The revenue from the observation deck was more than the rental revenue.

=== Night Tour ===

 

the tallest building in New York - Empire State Building and Freedom Tower.  At the time of our visit,  Freedom Tower (still under construction) just surpassed the Empire State Building.

We dined at the world's biggest McDonalds and shopped at the world's biggest toy store on 42nd Street.  What a record breaking day!

McDonald's has a red carpet Broadway theater look and has enormous dinning table.  ToyRus host a Tyrannosaurus and a Lego Empire State building with KingKong climbing to the top.

===== Philly =====

For us, the symbol of Philadelphia is the Liberty Bell.  But to Alvin, it is Comcast Building and One Liberty Two Liberty.  His passion in skyscrapers is indescribable.