I'll explane my North American Trip

[jastel]

The next morning I checked out and got a Taxi to the airport as there is no train to this one...there is a normal city bus, the 747, but we all know how much fun they are.
I was on an AA flight again so had my status back, but after check in where you have to take the bag to the X Ray part yourself...its not far...and security there was no Admirals Club so had to settle for Tim's again.

A couple hours later I did get priority boarding in group 3 but there was still no overhead space above me. I had a window so had a nice view of all the lakes and the Fall colours as we flew into La Guardia Airport. The very much new and improved LGA has had $8billion US$ spent on it since my last visit...but still doesnt have a train. So a cab again to downtown Times Square New York City.

The first part was easy enough but as we got closer we just were not moving so I got out and walked the last few blocks to the hotel...well we all know how much fun this is in New York with a suitcase and the crowds...but everybody does it as the cars dont move. Checked in and relaxed a bit, could see the Times Square H&M sign from my window but not much else, ended up falling asleep and woke about 8pm and ventured out.

Well after some time in Canada I had forgotten how rude pushy and crowded NY can be! I had a quick tourist look, I have been here before, and soon went down a side street to find some dinner away from the hordes. The only change I noticed is now they have some bike lanes which are mostly used by scooters and obnoxiously loud and hideously decorated electric pedicabs to shuttle the lazy around, they all play Doof Doof music at full volume to attract attention and are covered in LED lights, it looks like some Asian city now around there.

I walked around and took some photos.



This is the same at LGA



This isnt...new walkway overpass, planes go underneath you.



My View



Penn Station and Madison Square Gardens...still a construction Site



peek a boo - Empire State Building



Moynihan Train Hall - across road from Penn now Amtrak and LIRR, long distance trains basically



Giant Button for Fashion District



Times Square





Radio City

 

[Seat0B]

F18 with aerial refuelling probe out

Oh that just makes me feel old - F18's were the new fighters introduced to replace the Mirage at RAAF WLM when I was serving there in the early 1980s - and now they are a museum piece

 

[jastel]

The next day was Saturday and I went out to New Jersey by train after much messing around due to track works to see a friend. I ended up staying the night out there as last train to the city was 8:30 or something early. we had a BBQ and got drunk.

No Photos

Sunday we woke up and drove to here -

Piermont Pier New York “Last Stop USA” Camp Shanks

I included this because this is where most men departed New York from to go to WW2...the Last Step on US Soil that many ever saw. It is located at Ferry Rd Piermont , New York, USA. There are memorials on the end of the pier. You can get there by catching a few different buses and trains over a few hours but I had a friend drive me around. With a car its about 1 hour from NYC proper.

This small village has the famous Pier, which protrudes 1 mile into the Hudson River to gain access to deep water. The soldiers got onto boats here and were ferried downstream to New York City Port of Embarkation where they got onto larger ships like the Queen Mary etc.

Last Stop USA Statue and Memorial is at the corner of Piermont Ave and Paradise Ave, just on the outskirts of Piermont. Search for John F Kennedy Memorial Park on google maps.

Camp Shanks Museum is the old Army Camp where soldiers stayed and were equipped to go to war. It is about 4 miles away at 20 South Greenbush Road, Orangeburg, NY. Its on a little hill near the Council Library and Fire Department, and has an Original Nissen Hut Museum. The museum is mainly open in Summer so I couldn’t go to it.

Camp Shanks Memorial Park is a small triangle of land at the corner of Independence Ave and Lester Drv…full address 122 Independence Ave, Tappan, NY. This is another couple of miles away. It is a small park with memorials to the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Back in New York City itself you can see the Piers 86, 88 and 90 where all the international ships departed from in WW2…these are still used today by cruise ships. Pier 86 is home to USS Intrepid Aircraft Carrier with a Concorde, many other planes and the Space Shuttle Enterprise…though the Concorde part is closed for renovation.

We had a lateish brunch of bacon and eggs at a roadside Diner and he dropped me back at the station around lunchtime, where I trained back to NY and did the Piers and walked along the Hudson checking out some new parks and developments there...it was a nice day.

After dark I did the Night Bus Tour of the Landmarks from Times Square, got some dinner at a food truck and back to the hotel.



Last Stop USA





Could be the Original War Pier??



Piermont Pier Memorial









New York is around the bend



Full zoom, not sure whats in the middle, maybe a wreck?

 

[jastel]

Closed for winter, except a few special days.
This was the site of the soldiers camp.



Doubt its original but they would have needed signs for the 2000 acre camp.



Camp Shanks flagpole





This park is few kms away, maybe the other end of the camp back then...



Air Force



Army



Navy

 

[jastel]

The WW2 Piers for large ships are still used today








Intrepid is Pier 86



The Intrepid has a SR71, normally a Concorde but it currently being restored, and the Space Shuttle Enterprise, which is real but was only the test glider one they dropped off a 747...it never went to space. This used to be in Udvar Hazy on my last visit.

 

[jastel]

They have turned several old piers into parks



This one is called Little Island...US$250million 2 acre island "floating" on tulip shaped piers.
Its at Pier 55 and is very popular...10 second rule applies.





View from inside Little Island



The most poplular selfie spot at sunset



Night Tour



Bridge



Brooklyn Bridge



Skyline

 

[drron]

Oh that just makes me feel old - F18's were the new fighters introduced to replace the Mirage at RAAF WLM when I was serving there in the early 1980s - and now they are a museum piece

You feel old. I was 19 when they introduced the Mirage.

 

[jastel]

Next day I went somewhere different in New York, another nice day weatherwise so trained out to Queens and saw this - The 1964 World's Fair...well the leftover bits anyway. Has been used in many movies such as Men in Black, Tomorrowland, Iron Man 2 etc.



The Unisphere - a 40m stainless steel globe installed for the 1964 World's Fair in Corona Park (unfortunate name) Queens.



New York Pavillion



They are still fixing the Bug's spaceship after Will Smith shot him down in MIB.



Statue in front of Arthur Ashe Tennis Stadium where US Open is played



Remains of Vatican Pavillion



Rocket Man - the whole Expo was themed about Space and The Future and a better tomorrow...very Jetsons ish. Then Vietnam happened

.

Oldest thing in New York...ancient Roman Column from Jordan.

It is a very pretty place but looking old and messy, many homeless in the park as well.

 

[jastel]

New World Trade Centre, Freedom Tower



The Dead Whale or Occulus, WTC Train Station and shops





9/11 Memorial



Got inside the museum as the line wasn't too long today.
This is the last pillar they removed, all the Police and Firies wrote on it.



Cut off steel columns of the former buildings



New York Stock Exchange



Greta Thunberg Statue...no...its called Fearless Girl.

 

[jastel]

Checked out about 10:00 and walked down to Moynihan Station. As I said this the new Amtrak and Long Island Railroad station, there is a large central hall, with escalators going down to the tracks, signs at the escalators tell you which track but the track is not announced until 20 minutes or so before boarding. There are very few seats around the boarding area. I checked in my bag at the Amtrak office but I could have taken it on the train she said, it didnt cost extra. There is a large food court area where there is some seating.

Got my Amtrak train to Washington DC, arrived at Union Station around 16:00. I decided to walk to my hotel rather than using the Metro at peak hour. It was only 1 stop away. It was near NoMa Gallaudet Station...a bit of a mouthful, which is near Gallaudet University, the No Ma bit means North of Massachusetts Ave. It had a 7/11 a few fast food places and some restaurants nearby so everything I wanted.

I checked in and had a rest, went out after dark to a nearby bar for dinner.

 

[jastel]

Next morning I got the Metro to arrive here at 9:30 for my 10:00 prebooked (but free) admission to the -


Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Homepage | National Air and Space Museum (si.edu)

In Washington DC, USA. In the National Mall, L’Enfant Metro Station is closest, yellow or green.

This is one of the worlds best and therefore busiest Aerospace Museums. Tickets are free but must be booked online before attending. I arrived for 10:00 am opening (with booking) and the line was 100m long, when I left it was still 100m long. At the moment half of it is closed for refurbishment, it is still worth a look but not what it used to be.

Like I said its half closed and I have seen it before, its very crowded as its so easy to get to on the National Mall.

I left around 1:00pm and walked around the streets and ended up in Chinatown and outside Capital One Arena where I noticed the Washington Capitals or "Caps" were playing Ice Hockey against the Florida Panthers tonight...I had no other plans so bought a ticket.

Back to hotel for a rest before the game and then back here for the game. This game was much closer than the last one I saw with the Caps winning 4-3, after a 15 second overtime.



NASM Main Hall



Real Apollo 11 Command Module



Real Moon boot



Real Movie Prop X Wing...it is Po Damron's one from the latest movies not Lukes.



Warm Up



Slapshot the Bald Eagle mascot





Happy locals



The Metro Home, luckily I needed the side with smaller line. It is a very good design with the high arch stations, though its just concrete it still looks ok I think. I am on another level, colour, line, track which crosses at 90 degrees to this one...easy to navigate.

 

[jastel]

This morning I left about 8:00 on the Metro but was heading out of town so it wasnt too bad to go to -

Smithsonian Stephen F Udvar Hazy Centre

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center | National Air and Space Museum (si.edu)

Located at 14390 Air and Space Parkway, Chantilly, Viginia, USA. This is basically a suburb of Washington DC and is also known as Dulles Airport. Take the new Silver Metro Line towards Dulles Airport and get off at the Innovation Centre, walk across highway overpass and go to Bus Stop B, then bus 983 to Udvar Hazy…you wont miss it…its huuuge. Still takes about 2 hours transport though. Museum is free but Parking is $15.

Being right at Dulles Aorport with its own taxiway planes can land here and drive in to retire.

It has many planes and is famous for having the Space Shuttle Discovery, The B29 Enola Gay, a SR71 Blackbird, a Concorde, lots of Apollo Stuff and heaps of other planes. It is far better than NASM and being a bit harder to get to not as crowded.

A must see museum...it is way easier to get to now than before, with the new train line, rather than going right to the airport, fighting for space on the bus, then again on the local bus with everyone's suitcases.

I stayed there all day, 2 hours back to DC, get some dinner and an early night.



SR71 - this one was Jetfire in the Transformers Movie



B29 Enola Gay Bombed Hiroshima



Concorde - this plane was the first to service Washington, New York and Rio.



Junkers JU-52



Boeing 307 Clipper







Workshop

 

[jastel]

Space Shuttle Discovery











Classic Movie - the ship used to light up but not anymore



R2D2



Airport

I did find most of the other trick bits but they were hard to photgraph.

 

[jastel]

Bell X1 Glamourous Glennis - Chuck Yeagher broke the Sound Barrier



Im sorry I just cant stop photographing this plane....



The fuel used to leak out as the fuselage stretched from the heat at high Mach, you can see the leaks here.



F14 Tomcat





Memorial outside



Building

 

[jastel]

Today was raining so I trained out to the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial. the trees were much larger than last time and all red in fall colours. After that I walked up to the Air Force Memorial, then back to Arlington Cemetery and Iwo Jima Memorial. then back into the Mall to see a few more.


Pentagon 9/11 Memorial, Air Force Memorial and Arlington

Blue or Yellow Metro Line get you to Pentagon Station (not Pentagon City). Exit and head R, don’t go inside unless you applied 2 weeks ago for a tour, go outside (up escalators) and follow signs around to the R to 9/11 Memorial. Photos are allowed inside the memorial, nowhere else, people are watching and if you have a 1200mm zoom lens pointing at the building expect a few questions. The memorial is outside the place where the plane hit the building.

The Air Force Memorial is visible from the Pentagon Carpark, I just walked towards it, there are roadworks going on so it may be different soon but the access comes off Southgate Rd, Arlington Cemetery is on the opposite side of the road. The memorial is like 3 planes doing a missing man flypast, there are a few monuments and restrooms there as well.

Arlington Cemetery has its own Metro Stop on the Blue Line, follow the signs, You need to do Security. Inside are many famous Americans, The Kennedy’s Grave, The Unknown Soldier, Robert Lees House, its huuge. You can walk around or take a small train thing and hop on and off for extra $.

After exiting Arlington veer R, instead of walking back to Metro, and follow the pathway to the Netherlands Carillion. Then from there it’s a short walk to the famous Iwo Jima Marine Memorial. To get back, walk back to Arlington Metro or forward to Rosslyn Metro, where the big buildings are.



Washington Memorials

In the city, mainly along the Mall are many memorials. They include World War 2 Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Korean Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool, Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King Jnr Memorial, Tidal Basin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Signers Memorial amongst others. Also you have the White House, the other Smithsonians and The Capitol Building.




Oldest Guy at one end



His Birth Year



His bench - faces the Pentagon as he was on the plane



Red trees, note benches going both ways.



Youngest Girl



She was on the plane as well...lots of toys etc on hers



Her Family is listed underneath



You can see the new bit where it hit.



Entrance Memorial
There is also a Memorial and Chapel Inside the Pentagon, which I have seen previously, but no photographs are allowed indoors, except for the fake podium in the Tour Waiting Room.

 

[jastel]

Air Force Memorial





It is doing a "Missing Man" formation



View of Pentagon, Memorial is the Red Trees, Washington Monument



Arlington



President Kennedy's Gravesite



His most famous speech... Ask Not what your Country Can Do for You...



All Speeches along the wall



Edward Kennedy



Joseph Kennedy

 

[jastel]

Challenger Memorial



Columbia Memorial



Unknown Soldier



It was just before Veterans Day, 11 November so TV things setup in background



Cant go in...being set up for Veterans Day



Iwo Jima Marine Memorial

 

[jastel]

Washington Monument



Capitol



World War 2 Memorial








Reflecting Pool



Lincoln Memorial

 

[jastel]

Vietnam Memorial





Washington Monument



WW2 Memorial at Night

 

[GarrettM]

I guess they are trying to pretend Dr Pulaski never happened. As I recall her brief sojourn was because of bad behaviour by at least one of the production team.

Most of us like to pretend Dr Pulaski never happened to be fair.

All these great WW2 era fighters and not a Vought Corsair in sight. Bugger.