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Jackson (age 11) and I went down to 34th street around 1 am last night to see elephants march down the street. The elephants were from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and they were on route to Madison Square Garden. They're unloaded off train cars in Queens and then walk through the midtown tunnel and continue across 34th Street.
It's actually quite a sight. People line up hours ahead of time just to get a spot to watch. Some of these people are quite territorial, too. I won't go into the ugly details, but I got in a bit of a scuffle. A grumpy, old man said Jackson couldn't stand next to him because he had been waiting at that spot longer than we had. If you want to see a kind, quiet Southern woman like myself morph into Teresa from the Housewives of New Jersey, just tell my son he can't stand next to you to watch the circus elephants. If there had been a table there, I would have flipped it over, too.
Did I also mention that it was raining? I don't think rain brings out the best in people.
Jackson and I actually had a blast. It was unbelievable to see traffic stopped so ELEPHANTS could walk down the street. We'll definitely come back next year to see it again.
Here's a short video so you can see what it was like.
Elephants in Manhattan from six in the city on Vimeo.
14 comments:
just the two of you? very cool. very brave. very memorable.
Yep. It was just the two of us. He was the only one who wanted to brave the rain:-)
Another great reason to live in NYC...you just don't see elephants walking down the street in the middle of the night in the midwest...LOL!
How cool for the 2 of you to experience that together!
Not a fan of the circus - or the life of those poor elephants. At any rate, that grumpy old man blocking the view for a child is the limit. Similar experiences at Disney World. Childless grown adults blocking small children's view during the parade. All I could think is what the hell are you doing at Disney with no kids??? Trust me - as much as I love vacationing at Disney with my kids - that is not where I would be on vacation if I was childless.
That is sooooo cool! No way my mom would have done that with me growing up (if that were something that would happen in our neck of the woods...or beach)
What an awesome memory for you and Jackson!
that is so neat!! I live in NYC and never knew they did that. I'll have to try next year.
That is an awesome experience and one I am sure Jackson will remember forever. I would have gone with you and my sons:) I am curious...were there any protestors? Where I live, sometimes PETA comes out to protest the circus.
3 Peanuts: I heard there are usually protestors. But on the corner where we were standing there weren't any. I had prepared Jackson though just in case:-)
I remember coming upon this scene many, many years ago when I had moved to NYC and lived on 35th and 5th (no man's land) -- I was in a taxi coming down Fifth and there they were, the elephants, up ahead crossing. It was weird and wonderful and I thank you for reminding me of it!
I would have copped out and sent my husband. I think all the fun stuff was for him especially if it cut into my sleep. Bad mom, I know!
What a great and fun thing to do! Trust me, we only have cows on our streets!
Wow, now that's quite the sight to see! Suburbia never has such exciting events.
That's the best part of living in the city...those things never happen in the burbs!! What a great mom/son night!
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