NY NY D3

Exciting start to the day, breakfast then washing! Oh well they both had to be done

The other thing that had to be done was move the CuRVy. New York’s streets are swept every second or third day which I am sure is only to make people either pay for parking or to go without cars. This necessitates a mass migration of cars at 9am and we joined the throng. Again the Educator excelled and we parked next to a “Smart Car” in a space where a “Smart Car” would have struggled to fit.

Subway and then cab for the journey to the site of the Twin Towers bombing.  The cab driver got a little bit lost on the way to the 9/11 Memorial?  http://www.911memorial.org/ With a little bit of a walk on a very hot day we made it to the Visitors Centre for our 12.30 tour. We were able to get a wheelchair to enable us to make the tour, without the chair the Apiarist would have been a puddle on the pavement.

Was it worth the effort on a very, very hot and sultry day? YES IT WAS!!! This is a sad, and moving place. The fountains where the towers stood and the names of the victims of the attack are a stark reminder of the tragedy that took place that day.

Lunch at a nearby (expensive) bar & grill was needed and nice, before we took what was said to be a short walk to the Museum of Jewish Heritage http://www.mjhnyc.org/findex.html  The Holocaust exhibit further underlined the fact that war and people have done atrocious things in the name of religion.

With, by now, very weary legs for half of the team we boarded a train for the trip back to our hotel. Unfortunately we took the wrong train! It was actually an express and whizzed right past our 72nd street stop. By the time we stopped we were in Harlem where we changed back onto a correct (all stops) train to get home and change, grab a cab and dash into Broadway for the Phantom of the Opera. Oh well it had to happen.

Arriving with fifteen minutes to spare we then had to walk up LOTS AND LOTS of stairs to our seats. Despite the walk our seats were actually fabulous and the show exceeded all expectations!!

Emerging after the show we were overwhelmed by the lights and energy of Broadway. We even had a brush with fame when Ricky Martin (who’s he?) emerged from a show or at least that's what people were saying. A lot of people were excited by this.

We were excited by Broadway!!!!

In all the excitement we’d neglected dinner and with the day coming to an end we found an Argentinean restaurant near our hotel whose Paella satisfied our considerable hunger. It was 10.30pm!! But with the amount of Paella it would be on the menu again.......

Y NY D2

Quiet, relaxed breakfasts at the Comfort Inn didn’t appear to be the norm but we managed to leave the crowded dining room well and truly satisfied. We’d hoped to do some necessary washing but the Laundromat was closed for Memorial Day oh well we were happy that we’d have another day’s free parking!!!!!

Before the day became too oppressive we went for another walk in Central Park. http://www.centralpark.com/ It’s only when you start to roam around this cool, leafy sanctuary from the madness outside its perimeter you start to understand how important it must be to New Yorkers. Saw people rowing boats, picnicking and even a guy flyfishing! The roaming may have been a little far for the Apiarist but it was an enjoyable start… 

  

While roaming the park we did manage to listen to some really good buskers as we went by Strawberry Fields. Guess whose music they were playing? Julie did manage to buy a very nice framed set of photographs, mmmmmm we may need some new walls. Anyone know a good  builder???

 

Another great advantage of our hotel’s location is that we’re only a short (for some) walk from the subway. That’s the transit system not the food shop.  Our objective was to master the subway system and get to Citi Field (Shea Stadium) for a 1.10pm Mets game. As an added bonus the 45 minute subway ride gave some great views of the "art" of the city. 

 We didn’t quite make it on time for the Memorial Day National Anthem but we did see the fly past by the Air Force as we were alighting from the subway. Going to a baseball game on Memorial Day is very much an American thing to do. We, and what seemed like thousands were late to the start of the ball game but no one really appeared to be too stressed.

As we were heading towards our seats it was suggested that rather than we take the seats we had booked we stay closer to the top of the stands by the guy on working on the aisle. His suggestion was taken. We benefited from the shade and even though the temperature was above 35C (90F) the day was bearable. With the help of a couple of thirst quenchers that is…

Due to the Memorial Day (and Navy week) festivities there were lots and lots of Sailors & Marines throughout the crowd. We managed to (almost) get onto TV when the cameras focussed on the very large Marine sitting in the seat in front of us. Unfortunately even with our support the Mets went down to the Philadelphia Phillies but that didn’t matter all that much.

After the ball game we were back on the subway and alighting at South Ferry to get the (free) Staten Island Ferry http://www.siferry.com/ The ferry ride gives great views of the Statue of Liberty and of New York City. Again there were lots of Sailors and Marines on the ferry and around the city. There were many people who went up to them and thanked them for what they do and lots of young girls who asked to get pictures taken with them. Mmmm deserved nice times for them.

 Back onto the subway to go home for a quick drink and relax in the luxury of our room before walking around the corner for burgers and salads washed down with $1 Buds for Memorial Day.

NYNY Day 1

New York Day 1

Leaving after viewing the Liberty Bell took a bit of time as did the extra trip to Target to buy a memory card for the new camera. But, believe it or not, this trip hasn’t been based around early departures and travelling long distances. The beauty of the trip so far is that we’ve set reasonably achievable driving distances which allows several things including time to stop and enjoy the scenery, sounds and attractions without fatiguing the driver, passenger or the CuRVy!!

The trip through New Jersey and into New York was relatively easy and even with our latish al fresco lunch stop we arrived in a timely matter.  Passed by some signs leading to places I seem to have heard about as well…..

We were congratulating ourselves on our Driving/ Navigating skill THEN WE WENT THROUGH THE LINCOLN TUNNEL AND!!!!!

Surviving numerous panic attacks from the Apiarist (navigator) the Educator (driver) managed to negotiate her way to West 71st Street and to our New York home for the next 4 nights. 1st problem was a parking spot but that was solved by quick action from the concierges who spotted a lady leaving her parking spot. With some gesticulation, some bluff and some skill we had free parking in New York City for the next 2 nights.

We moved into our smallish room but when there was a problem with the lock we were moved to another room! Bit of a hassle on that hot and humid afternoon, yes, but no, it was an UPGRADE!!! Not that the room was much bigger but the much quieter air conditioner did actually work and we had a view, sort of…

Having made ourselves at home we wandered about 200 metres to Central Park West (8th Avenue). One block north to 72nd St we found ourselves in front of Dakota Apartments, the scene of John Lennon’s murder. Across that road and we were into Central Park at Strawberry Fields. With its simple mosaic set in the path it is the only memorial to John Lennon in New York. Instead of huge memorials Yoko Ono who still lives in the Dakota donated over a million dollars for upkeep of that section of Central Park. Simple and moving.
 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawberry_Fields_(memorial)
 

Dinner of 2 appetisers at a nearby Turkish restaurant finished our day.

Washington to Phillie to NY

After the White House walk the front seat of the CuRVy was a welcome relief and it was off into the Washington traffic and through Maryland and Delaware where we bought a waterproof camera to replace the recently deceased camera. Another purchase was a shoulder bag for the I Pad that was almost left behind in Washington a couple of times. Maybe Julie just needed to have a Ma’am Bag to go with my Man Bag lol!!

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was our destination for the next two nights and our first port of call was the Pennsylvania Welcome Centre. This place kept up the state’s tradition of great service, displays and information at their welcome centres. The girl in charge was another extremely friendly and helpful American and we left the centre with lots of “must see’s and must do’s”!! 

Getting to Phillie was reasonably easy with accurate navigation provided by Mrs G and excellent driving by Mrs F. It was easy to work out we were in Philadelphia when we passed billboards advertising and supporting the Sixers, Flyers, Phillies and Eagles. It goes without saying that this city has lots of history and not all of it occurred in the 1700’s. Quite a bit of it has happened around sport.

Location, location, location is a Ben Bate Real Estate adage and this adage was true for our Motel location. Being just across from the waterfront it enabled us to walk for a drink. Our first choice for a bar was very busy as it seemingly was its opening night and about a thousand people had heard about the happy hour. Oh well an early night would be an advantage!

We only had limited time in Philadelphia so an early start was important. Having achieved that we used the hotels shuttle bus to head to the Philadelphia Visitor’s Centre where we planned our movements for the day. These included making bookings to see Independence Hall and visiting the Liberty Bell.

We’re aware that the right mixture of walking and resting is important just as is seizing the right moment for a rest. With that in mind we watched a twenty minute film centred on the lives of four young people in the 1770’s. With our knowledge of the times increased it was now the 800 metre (880 yard) walk to Independence Hall to see where the Declaration of Independence and the formulation and signing of the US Constitution took place. Both (volunteer) tour guides were excellent and the retired teacher at Independence Hall was a great entertainer thrown in as a bargain.

Walking back past the long line at the Liberty Bell we realised that to see this iconic part of America’s history we would need to be even earlier the next day if we were going to see it at all. Instead we headed to the air conditioned Constitution Centre where we took advantage of the wheelchair on offer so that the Apiarist’s legs had even more recovery time. 

Again luck was on our side and we had the opportunity to see a great Bruce Springsteen exhibition. It seems that more people than the Educator have a “Boss” fixation and a Philadelphia dentist has put together a comprehensive history and we enjoyed his “collecting” immensely. The exhibition was closing at the end of the week…..

We left after watching an actor narrate an audio/visual 360 degree presentation of US history. She went over America's history in an easily grasped and remembered format that would satisfy people of all ages in a nutshell.

Wandered past what looked like a nice place for lunch & found that both the beer and the fill your own (how good is that) wine at the Crosswalk café was reasonably inexpensive. The Antipasto Platter for two was good and cheap. A couple of beers and a mega wine later we DID make a move……

Walked to the Ritz Theatre where we watched a great Bob Marley Documentary. As you would expect it had a great soundtrack but it was much more educational than that. A good way to spend three hours on what was a very hot night.
 
Called in at the Triumph Micro Brewery & Bar to ensure that dehydration wasn’t going to be an issue and spent enough time for the Educator to try a cider and the Apiarist sampled a couple of very nice brews. Walk home was not too far and was  pleasant in the by now coolish evening!


A good nights sleep saw us up early for breakfast and for the shuttle bus which took us to the Liberty Bell early.  This enabled us to be 4th in line! The tour shows far more than just a Bell, as it has a comprehensive display of the times. 

Back after an hour and by 11 am through New Jersey on our way to New York, New York!

Monticello and Washington DC

We left Front Royal for our drive to Washington a little disappointed. If we had the opportunity to continue our drive through Shenandoah National Park it would have been OK but the previous night’s storm had made that impossible so in the circumstances our decision to stay was not great. Perhaps Love would have been a better option.

Departing early we encountered a slight car problem when an orange dashboard warning light went on in the CuRVy. We stopped to have the problem checked in Sperryville. The warning was to do with the CuRVy’s emission system and was fixed easily and quickly. A nice break, but, one we didn’t really need as we had a long day ahead of us.

Monticello, the former home of President Thomas Jefferson, was beautiful. Our tour guide was, as you would expect, knowledgeable and she made being part of a tour group more than worthwhile. We left with far more understanding of one of the truly great people in the history of the United States.

Interesting that Jefferson did not want his being President mentioned on his tombstone and also interesting was his love of gardening, that only one of his children lived to have a full life and that due to his generous spirit he died with a debt of $107,000!!! Also interesting was that although he saw the end of slavery coming he still only freed 5 of his more than 100 slaves in his will.

 





It was Orange for Lunch. That is, lunch was in the town of Orange where we continued our North American tradition of al fresco dining. 

Most of our trip has some element of planning behind it. We have some idea of where and when we are going to be and most of the things we are going to see, hear and experience. Of course you don’t really hope to plan for moments like meeting Reverend “Billy” Kyles in Memphis, getting tickets to a backstage show at the Grande Ole Opry or meeting someone in Tupelo, Mississippi who recorded at Sun Studios and knew Elvis when they were growing up. The next stop was another unplanned moment that makes you much richer for travelling.

Our next unplanned moment was when we stopped at an unknown, to the educator and the apiarist that is, part of America’s Civil War history. When we pulled off the road at a smallish Historic Marker for the “Wilderness Battlefield” we were astounded to learn that at this site on the 5th & 6th May 1864 28,500 died. What was even more amazing was that there was no decisive winning or losing side of that battle! We could hardly comprehend the actions and horror that took place there.

With not enough time to even partially understand the “Wilderness” battlefield we returned to much more mundane things and headed off in search of our next hotel and the chapter in our own adventure.

Traffic was building when we finally made off the delightful winding country roads of rural Virginia and back onto the I95 heading north to Washington DC. When I say it was busy for us we were happy to be heading north into Washington DC it was a full blown traffic jam for those heading in the other direction. Hmmmmmm I guess that’s one of the reasons why it’s good to live in Narooma!

Not that there weren’t difficulties in our travel Mrs G & the navigator managed to get a little confused but they settled their differences and we found our way to our nice room in the waterside Channel Inn. When I say waterside the Educator had a short walk (even by her standards) to a seafood market to buy  cajun shrimp for a lovely in room meal. Glass of wine and unwind. How good it is!!

Breakfast in our waterside room was tasty and as we enjoyed breakfast we realised just what a good location we were in. The Jefferson Memorial (which by the way is a bigger version of Jefferson’s Tombstone at Monticello) was just across the river and easily visible from our room. Our day in Washington was going to be easy!

Oh well that was the plan anyhow! Having decided to drive to save on cab fares we realised that attempting to drive was a mistake and we returned to our hotel and got into the cab for the $6.50 ride to the first of the Smithsonian Museums. A learning experience for Mrs G, the CuRVy, the Educator and the Apiarist.  Oh well, learning is part of the reason we’re travelling.

The Museum of Natural History was amazing not only for the exhibits. We expected to be amazed by the quality and quantity of them but another thing that really amazed us was the number of schools and school groups that were there. Each of the groups seemed to be dressed in their distinctive colour (blue, yellow, green, fluorescent etc.) with teachers and parents similarly attired.

Returning to the outside we were suddenly reminded that Washington DC is a hot place and it isn’t only hot politically in this election year. It was HOT PHYSICALLY!

We had forgotten a camera so there was no option but to get a cab back to the motel get the camera and return to another Smithsonian Museum (American History). Again fabulous, if only you could absorb all of the information!  

We could only stay in the cool of the museums for so long and we set forth on an easy (for some) walk along the National Mall in the very hot Washington sun. There was no other option if we were going to see the World War 1, the World War 2, and the Vietnam War memorials as well as making it to the Lincoln Memorial. A long, hot, tiring day but worth every moment!!!

The day finished with a (free) concert at the JFK Centre for the Performing Arts. Mary Aloutte, Wonderful!

Well deserved sleep and then a drive to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Walked the White House block. Nice place, nice address but not sure it would be worth the angst to get to live there.

 






 The Apiarist was really impressed with some of the things in the garden. But they must have tall beekeepers at the White House!!!!!!

Next stop Philadelphia…