![Coney Island](http://todaysthedayi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p1020458.jpg)
New York boasts hundreds of national landmarks – but I never expected to find one among gaudy rides and neon prizes at an amusement park.
Today Noah and I jumped on a train to Coney Island, where we headed to the Cyclone, a huge, rickety rollercoaster that was erected in 1927 – and which has landmark status. While ‘rickety’ is hardly how you want your rollercoasters, the higgledy piggledy wooden boards were actually what made the experience.
![Coney Island](http://todaysthedayi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p1020434.jpg)
![Coney Island](http://todaysthedayi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p1020460.jpg)
It was brilliant to see that the boardwalk and the park have got back on their feet after Hurricane Sandy barrelled through last October. I thought that the Cyclone, which is a little rusty and surrounded by high fences, might not have opened following the storm, but thankfully it was up and running.
When we jumped in the hand-painted carts, something else gave away the ride’s age – how small the seats were. A portly gentleman in front of us was turned away because he couldn’t get the snug-fitting bar to lock in his lap. Noah and I are pretty small humans, but it was even a squeeze for us. I guess people were much tinier back in the 20s.
But when we got going, I was glad to be held tightly in place. We plunged, bumped and jiggled. And my bum was hardly on my seat. Throughout the ride, Noah was giving excited commentary – ‘Ooh my goodd, did you seee that, did you feeel thaaat, this is soo gooooddd’ etc – but I couldn’t even catch my breath to utter a sound. It was amazing.
We gave some of the other rides a go, the Tickler (another rollercoaster which was a little too slow for us after the Cyclone), the Brooklyn Flyer (where we sat on a huge swing and spun over the park) and the Electro Spin (a massive disk that turned and rocked).
![Coney Island](http://todaysthedayi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p1020480.jpg)
![Coney Island](http://todaysthedayi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p1020430.jpg)
![Coney Island](http://todaysthedayi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p1020441.jpg)
![Coney Island](http://todaysthedayi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p10204371.jpg)
![P1020491](http://todaysthedayi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p1020491.jpg)
While the more traditional rides at Luna Park have been swamped by cheap game stalls and hefty ticket prices, this is a must-see in the city. I’m glad that we went today – when the skies were blue but the winds were still high enough to keep massive crowds away – because I bet it gets so busy in the middle of the summer.
And of course we fit in some snacks too!
![Coney Island](http://todaysthedayi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p1020493.jpg)
![Coney Island](http://todaysthedayi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p1020496.jpg)
![Coney Island](http://todaysthedayi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p1020498.jpg)
![Coney Island](http://todaysthedayi.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/p1020499.jpg)
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