In one day, a trip to many countries.

There are days in which I get really restless and I just have to get out of the house, with the little one of course.
So today since I had to go to Jamaica, Queens for an errand, I decided that we should make a day trip out to Long Island (again). Since I have decided to drive less or very little, I took the bus to Jamaica. Or two buses to be more precise- the Q15 and the Q44. I transferred at Flushing.
Walking in Flushing is like a mini-trip to the far east. Jamaica, on the other hand, is black. A Caribbean mix of all sorts.
Exactly when I was done with my errand and we were at Jamaica the baby fell asleep, and I proceeded to take LIRR to Oyster Bay and make a beach day out of it. Oyster Bay is as America as it gets, the home of the Roosevelts, white, orderly, rich, exclusive, sailboaty, private, and probably very boring...

Flushing, Queens, Main St

Views from LIRR train on way to Oyster Bay, NY

Oyster Bay Beach

It was exhausting but totally worth it. Ava discovered little beach pebbles, seaweed, tiny fish flocks, Long Island sound water and seagulls who by the waywere not afraid to approach and ask for our snacks. Their loud insistent "ah ah" would lull me to sleep tonight.
So for the duration of 10 hours of a day trip, we visited two different continents and many, many different cultures and countries.
Also, despite the heat, general loudness of city traffic and train operations, despite going over bumps and holes and crossing numerous streets and going up and down in elevators, and bumping into people, the baby slept for 2 and a half hours without waking up once. Yes, and I had to wake her up so she gets some beach time... Imagine falling asleep in busy busy Jamaica and waking up on a serene beach.
She was also curiously and concentratedly people watching and generally entertaining herself by pointing at people on the bus and the train and I can only imagine how big, interesting and wonderful this world beyond our little home must have seemed to her.