Monday 28. 5. 12 Just back from a fast weekend celebrating my 70th birthday with Jason and Julia in NYC. It was hot, crowded, busy, stimulating and exhausting. We flew to Newark by the wonderfully civilized Porter Airlines and then took the train into Penn Station. We stayed at the Hyatt Grand central who, on hearing of my birthday, delivered a bottle of champagne and a bowl of fruit to the room!! Saturday we breakfasted at The Boathouse in the park, walked up to the Guggenheim and then back down to MoMA. Jason and I were supposed to do a bus tour in the afternoon but the buses were too crowded so we just walked around town. Ended up up a typical local restaurant for dinner somewhere down on 34th. Sunday morning after a heavy rain shower Jason and I took the bus tour of lower Manhatten and then walked over to the Hudson and took a boat tour of the Hudson and East Rivers in blazing sunshine. We met Julia at the pier at midday and then walked along the High Line garden/trail ending up in the Meat Packing district where we had lunch. After lunch walked back uptown to pick up our bags at the hotel and then back to the airport by train and on to TO. A great weekend!