Dude 86 floors up

Too tired to even think about uploading camera photos to the iPad so am posting one of the few I took with the iPhone. We left early again this morning for a tour up to the Empire State Building - the same outfit that treated us so enthusiastically to the Statue of Liberty had a 50% off promo coupon since they are just getting started in NYC ( city wonders. : have lots of European city yours ). How could we refuse - to bypass all the lines - and we were the only ones to sign up today so it was a private deal!
The weather turned cloudy of course after 3 clear days and the light was rubbish but what the heck - good to see the Art Deco building built in 1931 . We met at the flatiron building for more of the architecture here .
Perfect lunch at Westway diner on the way to the Intrepid aircraft carrier museum with the space shuttle Enterprise ( long line. Boring for me ). Nik had to go have a rest after that

Here's what we have learned about. 11 year old boys. ( at least this one!):
He posts and checks his Instagram often ,
Gets text messages and FaceTime with wifi in the room- long spare conversations. Girls involved.
Is a bit hard to get up in the am - but we always managed to get there on time .
Checks his hair in every reflective surface he passes( hates the way it is in this pix. - not standing straight up in front.)
Likes to have a good conversation at dinner - about what we did usually or are about to do)
Complains about his feet hurting - all the time - looks for benches to sit in. ( h and I are the old ones here - we don 't get this !). Says it 's his only complaint about. NYC. - too much walking, he could never live here ). ( we did NOT walk all that much !)
Orders more food than he can eat .
Is generally good natured and ready with a laugh.
Pretty independent ( will take a museum map to go off to find the bathroom )
Talks to anyone, asks lots of good questions. Very polite and complimentary to waiters etc.
Thinks we are very "fit" grandparents. ( same with his his other set )
Likes weird tv shows. (Fortunately we had. 2 TVs in our hotel rooms!)
Goes thru enormous quantities of Kleenex (he did have a cold) - we had to buy a box.
Loved learning about Banksy. Was looking for Keith Haring - unsuccessfully.
Loves hanging out in hotel rooms-would have liked a swimming pool(!) ( I wonder if he would have had that energy...)
Insisted, against granpa's advice, on carrying his $20 in his pocket with his iPod and Kleenex-and yes, lost it while getting something else out!
Loves his new NYC shades where you can see yours truly and our guide - not H)

Tomorrow late we go home to Seattle - after a 2nd short visit to the nearby museum of natural history . Might not get a blip up. Nik says he is not going to walk 2 steps on Sunday. I suspect H and I will have a long sleep too!! Whew. ( we survived , learned a lot, and were happy to spend this time together!)