Leisurely trip...

[Stoopidsteve]

STL-LGA was on Embraer. American Eagle. Looked like a new (or refurbed) plane. In F cabin has single A seat, plenty of room to bulkhead.



Flight quite bumpy at the start and end, but fine in the middle. just over an hour's flying. All on time.

Some nice views coming in over Manhattan from the south (sorry, no pics).

Luggage out within 10 mins of landing, then caught a black Uber to the hotel.

 

[boomy]

Nice TR, I hope you enjoy the day in NY.
STL AC looks pretty good from the photos.

 

[blackcat20]

Looking good so far. I see I'm not the only one who cannot sleep, even in an upper cabin....

 

[love_the_life]

Makes fun reading….and pick the mask, will it be red or yellow this time? Thanks for the TR - enjoying it.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Looking good so far. I see I'm not the only one who cannot sleep, even in an upper cabin....

looks like you'll get some practice at it on your forthcoming trip with JT

 

[Stoopidsteve]

OK. New York. What can I say? First time I've been, and I want to go back. Oh, I will be. next year sometime. DOn't tell the Mrs. Actually I already have. And tempted her that I need to fly loaaaads more so I can get enough pints to send her to NY to go here....Textile Arts - Antonio Ratti Textile Center New York City.com : Profile

She drooled.

Anyway, enough of that. You don't want to know my familial negotiations.

Uber black was about AU$50 (traffic bad in midtown Manhattan), and checked into Hilton Midtown. I have a whole TWO nights here. Leisurely indeed! It's early evening, so went for wander down to Times Square, where a tired minion gte to say hello to the locasl. New York really is an international city, welcoming all races of strange furry aliens.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

and then a burger at "Irish Pub", wehre the only Irish thing I could see, was the redhead server who had a real Irish accent.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Next morning, a leisurely stroll over to Little Collins on Lexington.



A long black, and a Big Dill sandwich (egg, salmon, dill)

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Then ambled down past United Nations, stopping first at UN plaza. Many delegates around (Ebola issues big right now), much security. Decided discretion better part of valour.


Then down 1st Ave, watching the old building appear at various spots:



Note to self. next trip, get a series of pics of ESB from many angles and distances.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

A good series of meetings with colleagues at NYU, and chance to see their mini-exhibition of Polio:

Iron lung, in which patients were placed so they could breathe after poli-induced paralysis. And there are growing numbers of polio cases in several countries due to reduced vaccination. Vaccine-preventable diseases kill. Vaccinate.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Now a gentle stroll down to Battery park. Through the many differing atmospheres...Stuyvestant, chinatown, Little Italy, City Hall Park, Financial district....


surely a minion chatting in the ear of the bull can't have any effect on the Dow Jones?



As close as I got to the old lady on this trip:


Brooklyn bridge walk saved for next time.

 

[Stoopidsteve]

And some sombre moments spent at the 9/11 memorial.

no security screening at all, no noticeable increase in threat awareness. Many conflicting feelings, prob not the forum to share them here.

 

[blackcat20]

And some sombre moments spent at the 9/11 memorial.

View attachment 36069
View attachment 36070

no security screening at all, no noticeable increase in threat awareness. Many conflicting feelings, prob not the forum to share them here.

hmmm, we were screened back in May. Have they opened up the site or is it still fenced?

 

[Stoopidsteve]

no fences at all now.

 

[blackcat20]

no fences at all now.

View attachment 36130

Nice. Gives it more of that park feel...

 

[Denali]

Love your anti-ebola balaclava. I was looking for one like that but as a beanie!

I love the merchant marine monument at Battery Park, its partly in the water. Always thought it was stunning.

 

[love_the_life]

Oh is that the purpose of the hat? I thought it was 'cos SS wanted to make a fashion statement :mrgreen:

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Saturday dawns wet. I mean wet. Rain. Stuff from the sky. Ugh.
So today's plans involve going to the Natural History Museum.

Some subway maintenance means I have to go north to all 106th, then back down to 81st st.

It seemed like half of NY had the same idea. I stuck my head into the lobby, but the queues were silly. Lo and behold, a few minutes later the staff said the museum was full. Had reached its fire limits or something.

So I went to for a walk in Grand Central Park

 

[Stoopidsteve]

and this building...I have a minion,..... "I ain't 'fraid o' no ghost"

 

[Stoopidsteve]

Nothing too exciting for dinner, except the cakes at Magnolia Bakery (Rockefeller Center) were good....blondie and brownie were OK (not as good as the salt caramel brownie I had in Singapore). Next visit (and there WILL be a next visit) will be better planned.

Hilton Midtown? Yup, I'd stay there again, but hopefully get a better rate! Great location, comfortable bed. Didn't eat in the hotel (why would you???).

As Sunday's flight is 625am from JFK (and I had a v high rate from Hilton Midtown), I decide to change hotel to the Hilton Garden Inn Queens/JFK Airport so I don't have to get up at 3 (but see below). Chosen because it has free airport transfers, and free wifi.

I got the subway. Because of the maintenance, the E train was running from Rockefeller Center. All stops took about 40 mins. The Airtrain fro some reason was free, so all up the trip cost $2.50. I wouldn't want to do it in peak time with much luggage, but solo with a couple of small rollers was fine. Took a couple of minutes for the Sheraton Transfer bus to arrive (Sheraton is next door to Hilton Garden Inn Queens/JFK Airport, so they share a transfer. The Hilton transfer bus doesn't go there).

Hilton Garden Inn Queens/JFK Airport. In hindsight, this was a poor choice. Ok, I knew it was a Garden Inn. But small dingy rooms. Felt more motel than hotel. And the worst was the in-wall air con. Woke me every 20 mins. In the end I gave up trying to sleep at 3.30 and got up. Transfer was with an airline crew. Got to the terminal in plenty of time. In fact before the US Airways check in opened because I had not printed out boarding passes.

But the bonus was only 3 people on front of me for security screening.