A Sea of Blue...and Ticker-Tape

When I woke up this morning, I had no intention of going anywhere near the Giants ticker-tape parade. But I started feeling slightly unAmerican in my apathy toward all things football - I have friends and family Upstate who would kill for the chance to go to the parade...and there I was at work, only blocks from City Hall, twiddling my thumbs. I decided that if nothing else, I could surely find my pic of the day among the ticker-tape crowd.

I was trying to keep a safe distance from the actual fans, but the Financial District is tricky to navigate and before long, I was one with the mob. I probably saw as many cops as I did Giants jerseys, which should have been my cue to turn around and go back to work. But I was in pursuit of a picture, and so I  kept on!

Somehow I made it all the way to City Hall (around 10:15 am), where fans were already lining up behind barricades to view the parade (starting at 11am). I figured I could sneak my way down the line, stand on a barricade, take a picture, and skiddadle out of there. WRONG. Seconds after I turned onto Broadway, police blocked the street I had come from. Then thousands of teenagers playing hooky dropped out of they sky and landed beside me. I must have looked as lost as I felt, as I'm pretty sure I was the only body for miles not sporting Giants gear. I snapped a few pictures and then searched for an exit. I realized pretty quickly that even if I could make it through the crowd to the nearest sidewalk, I'd have to jump a barricade to find freedom. That's when I called my Mom and complained about being "stuck in a sea of tall blue men" and wanting out.

Luckily for me one of the tall blue men overheard my plea and came to my rescue. After I was off the phone, he signaled for me to "hold on" and then yelled over the crowd "THIS LITTLE GIRL IS TRYING TO GET OUT!" It was like the Parting of the Red Sea... he gestured for people to separate, and separate they did. I'm sure they were all expecting to see a cute 4-year-old girl walk by...but instead they got me. I made it through to the barricade and not-so-gracefully tumbled over it. I then ran/walk down the street so any witnesses would think something dramatic had called for my exit, and not just that I stupidly walked down Broadway for funzies on the busiest day it will see all year.

Anyway...

Pic #38 - 2/7/12

Since I couldn't make it to higher-ground for an aerial shot of the mob, I decided to point my camera up: Ticker-tape throwers on Broadway, for the NY Giants parade. 

Bonus Pics: