A few weeks back, whilst we had the lovely Shantha staying with us, we spent a warm and muggy Saturday at Coney Island in Brooklyn.
The whole place was so colourful and we had so much fun!
It was felt a bit like stepping back in time to a 1950s beach resort complete with boardwalk, amusement park, ballroom dancing and sideshows.
We relaxed on the beach, flew a kite and did some paddling in the sea.
Then explored the beach-side theme park. We didn't actually commit to any of the rides but enjoyed watching. Next time I need to try the log flume!
Next was lunch at the Famous Nathan's (home of the annual July 4th hotdog eating competition!).
Two varieties of hotdog for Dave, classic and corn-dog, whilst Shantha and I stuck with corn-on-the-cob and fries (I'm still put off by all those 'what's really in your hotdog' stories. Eyelids apparently).
We spent a good while walking along the board walk enjoying some of the best people watching I've experienced in ages (including groups of people playing music and dancing on the pier and lots of proper New York accents of the sort you really don't hear very often!)
As it turned into evening we enjoyed a few beers at one of the bars on the boardwalk. The place actually got busier as it got later and it really couldn't have felt more different to Manhattan!
To end our day-trip on an adrenalin high we decided we should attempt the 100 year old wooden roller-coaster, The Cyclone.
Shantha and I somehow ended up in the very front carriage, squished into the little sofa seats with just a rickety old bar holding us in. Eek!
I actually screamed the whole way round but it was amazing!!
We will be back Coney Island!
