Just Jul Lee

Harlem Gospel Tour, Central Park and Chinese Food

Harlem Gospel Tour, Central Park and Chinese Food
DATE: July 31, 2005

Sunday dawned and we were, somewhat, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as we went to meet the Harlem Gospel Tour.

We stopped at a bakery and nothing looked appetizing to little bad attitude me and thus I went to McDonalds.

I have to say that the woman that helped us was the nicest employee I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I felt like a lump on a log with my black cloud of low-blood sugar, wits end, tired beyond all get out hanging above me. I tried to chipper up but she put me to horrible shame with her genuine joy. Bummer.

Anyway, I munched my McGriddle meal and we headed over to the bus. Our tour guide was a sweat and awesome woman that reminded me of Bernice Moore, the Pastor’s wife in Africa.

We went to a church and joined in their praise and worship but left before the service got fully underway. We then headed back to the pick-up point.

We went to Papaya Dog and had hot dogs. They were mighty good…lots of ketchup. Then it was off to Central Park.

Ah, Central Park! I absolutely loved it! I have to say that Central Park was my most enjoyable, least stressful afternoon the whole trip. I sat on a bench while my mom and PJ went their own and I poured myself into a book. I saw a blue poodle (yes, blue!) and a wedding party pass. PJ saw play and the wedding party as well.

About a half hour before I was supposed to meet up with them, I realized that I hadn’t seen Belvedere Castle. I gathered my things and started off to find it. PJ saw me, somehow, and fell into step beside me.

“Where are you going?”

“I haven’t seen Belvedere Castle yet. I can’t leave NYC without seeing Belvedere Castle so I’m going to look for it.”

“Okay.”

And we were off.

We found one of the lakes, lots of lovely bridges, the John Lennon memorial and, eventually, Belvedere Castle. I had to call my mom to let her know what we were doing and that we’d be late meeting her.

On the way back to meeting my mom, we saw police taping off a large area and having people vacate it.

“We’ll have to go around, PJ.”

“No, look,” and we watched a man on a bike attempt to cut across where the tape hadn’t been placed yet. The officers yelled at him, he yelled back and then continued on his merry way. I saw the look of intense frustration and anger on the officer’s face as he talked to his partner.

“No, PJ, I don’t think I want to be yelled at by a NYC officer.”

We then heard someone saying that there was a strange package in the grass and PJ and I agreed to go up to the street and go the long way back to the meeting point.

We told my mom about it and she said she saw all the emergency vehicles speeding past and she had no idea why.

My mom managed to find the petting zoo but she didn’t have cash so she couldn’t go in.

We went back to the hotel and ordered Chinese food, sorted through our purchases and attempted to pack, during which my mom and I discovered that we definitely needed another suitcase.

We decided to go looking for one first thing the next morning.