Once I heard that Pennsylvania is not that far from New York City I felt excited. Maybe, just maybe, we could squeeze in going there then? I hoped. A few suggestions were made, one of which was to check with my friend, Nancy, whether she would be up to spending a day in New York with me and showing me around a little.
Nancy and I 'met' on Facebook. We have been e-mailing back and forth for about eighteen months but I have never met her in person. As excited as I was about the prospect of seeing the Big Apple I wondered if we would hit it off as well in person as we did in writing. The thought even crossed my mind, "What if we don't quite gel?" But then again, we had been chatting for eighteen months. Come one! The girl simply adores me! (*giggle*) I made up my mind that we weren't only going to be just fine, but we were going to have a blast - and we did!!
Initially when I found out that we were going to Pennsylvania I really wanted to make use of the opportunity to meet with Nancy but I didn't quite know what we should do for our memorable occasion. Initially I thought maybe just a simple meal at a restaurant or maybe just coffee. However, I have to be honest: those ideas were nothing compared to seeing New York!! Who would want to go for a breakfast if you can take a bite out of the Big Apple instead?!
Once I had mentioned the idea of NYC to Nancy she was in - boots and all! Within a day or two she had
found opportunities for us to see as much as possible in the time we had available. We both knew that one day wasn't a lot of time and NYC is just too extravagant to fit everything in but she was determined and she did one hell of a job! Here's how it would go down:
We would take a bus into the city - a surprisingly short two and a half hour drive. That way we wouldn't have to be concerned with the stress of driving and traffic. Then we would have some free time to do whatever we wanted till our city tour started at 12:30pm. As part of the tour we would take a boat trip on the Hudson river - a very good vantage point for Lady Liberty herself. Afterwards, if we had enough time left, we would go for dinner, then back to the bus terminal and heading back to Pennsylvania. The best part: all of it was for under $100!
So before I get into the pictures and stories of the day - thank you, Nancy, for going out of your way to make this day as memorable as it could be. I wish we had more time but it gives me a good reason to go back there for more, and when I do, who knows, maybe they'll mistake me for an old New Yorker (for all I got to learn and experience on this trip). And thank you Garett for allowing me to have this adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed it - most certainly a highlight of our road trip for me. I very much appreciate having had the awesome privilege.
So without any further ado - let's go for it!
Initially Nancy checked the weather before confirming our reservations. It would be pointless trying to explore the city in the rain. The forecast looked good - 29* even though somewhat overcast with a 40% chance of rain. Even so, Nancy felt sure that it wouldn't be a problem. For once the forecast was pretty accurate.
found opportunities for us to see as much as possible in the time we had available. We both knew that one day wasn't a lot of time and NYC is just too extravagant to fit everything in but she was determined and she did one hell of a job! Here's how it would go down:
We would take a bus into the city - a surprisingly short two and a half hour drive. That way we wouldn't have to be concerned with the stress of driving and traffic. Then we would have some free time to do whatever we wanted till our city tour started at 12:30pm. As part of the tour we would take a boat trip on the Hudson river - a very good vantage point for Lady Liberty herself. Afterwards, if we had enough time left, we would go for dinner, then back to the bus terminal and heading back to Pennsylvania. The best part: all of it was for under $100!
So before I get into the pictures and stories of the day - thank you, Nancy, for going out of your way to make this day as memorable as it could be. I wish we had more time but it gives me a good reason to go back there for more, and when I do, who knows, maybe they'll mistake me for an old New Yorker (for all I got to learn and experience on this trip). And thank you Garett for allowing me to have this adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed it - most certainly a highlight of our road trip for me. I very much appreciate having had the awesome privilege.
So without any further ado - let's go for it!
Initially Nancy checked the weather before confirming our reservations. It would be pointless trying to explore the city in the rain. The forecast looked good - 29* even though somewhat overcast with a 40% chance of rain. Even so, Nancy felt sure that it wouldn't be a problem. For once the forecast was pretty accurate.
The New Yorker, an American magazine established in 1925, is well known for its illustrated and often topical covers, its commentaries on popular culture and eccentric Americana; its attention to modern fiction by the inclusion of short stories and literary reviews; its rigorous fact checking and copyediting; its journalism on world politics and social issues; and its single-panel cartoons sprinkled throughout each issue. It also has a wide audience outside of New York. (Source: Wikipedia) At night the sign lights up in red. (Source: Liane's logic)
Yip! The weather forecast was spot on: overcast. The one good thing I have to say about it is that it made for wonderful pictures. Many of the buildings are so high that you shoot up at the sky and they still don't fit into the frame. Now imagine trying that with the sun shining right into the lens. Minus the rain and trying to keep camera equipment dry I think the weather was perfect. And - gratefully - I did pack my umbrella and it served me well!
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A busy bus terminal. We arrived perfectly on time despite stopping to check on the stationary bus. We are all on our way somewhere, aren't we?
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This reminds me of the airport in South Africa, except this is for busses.
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We were finding our way out to the street and I was telling Nancy about something that I read in the New York Times. As we step out of the building... what is right there? - Nancy pointing at it with her finger...
The New York Times was founded on 18 September 1851. That equates to 160 years of reporting! Now that is remarkable! Someone is obviously doing something right. The newspaper is owned by the New York Times Company which has been under the control of the Sulzberger family since 1896. The same company publishes 18 other newspapers too, including the International Herald Tribune. The paper was originally printed in an 8 column black and white format - sjoe! That is a lot of columns on the eye. It was one of the last papers to change to the 6 column format and also to using colour photography. It is reported to be the most pupular American online newspaper website today with 30 million unique visitors per month.
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One of the many, many entrances/exits to the subway - underground railway system. I didn't think we had time then but I should have taken a walk onto the platform just to see what it is like. It would have been even nicer if we could ride the subway from one place to another but unfortunately time did not allow for such an experience. I would have nonetheless liked to have seen an actual subway train. Tsk, tsk.
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Definitely an add that I'm sure draws lots of attention. I thought it didn't need a lot of words.
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Just a street in New York City...
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Parking space tends to be a problem in NYC. Someone has invented a contraption that would have gotten him killed if either of the two cars in the back belonged to me. I'd say that is a valid reason for concern. I wonder if the owners of those vehicles were aware of what was going on.
Here's how it works. It is operated with hydraulics and can move up and down, as well as sideways. I imagine it becomes quite a clever shuffle as to getting them out if perhaps you arrived first but is also wanting to leave first. Here's a little video clip demonstrating how it works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amHdmUXQ9Sc(Maybe again a little like picking candy from a vending machine: C3, B2, etc. The only catch is that you need to have the keys to the candy, right?)
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The light on the top of this taxi is not lit. That means it is occupied. If the "Off duty" inscriptions are lit the cab is just that - off duty - and will not accept passengers. If the middle light showing the medallion number is lit the cab is empty and available and can be hailed by raising your hand or standing by a taxi stand. A driver must pick up the first or closest passenger that he sees and he is not allowed to refuse a trip to any destination within the five boroughs of New York City, neighboring Westchester, Nassau or to Newark Liberty International Airport. You can pay an average of about $14 (roughly R103)for 5 miles (8km) and 5 minutes wait time - Yes, you pay if the taxi is standing still or moving slowly (under 12 mph) "(40 cents for each one-fifth of a mile or 60 seconds of no motion or motion under 12 miles an hour)" ~ Wikipedia. Well, that beats the R250 ($34) to R350 ($48)quotes I got for the same distance in South Africa with no wait time.
The New York Taxicab Company was started in 1907 by a man who was rich enough to be fed up with the horsedrawn cabs of the day - Harry N. Allen. The last straw was when he was charged $5 (or $113.66 in 2010) for a 0.75 mile (1.21km) journey. He would charge $5 per mile. Later the same year he imported 65 gasoline-powered vehicles from France. They were origianlly painted red and green but he changed it to yellow to make it visible from a distance. The next year the number of taxis was at 700.
The Checker Taxi was an infamous New York icon. It took a long time to phase them out due to their durability. The last one retired in July 1999 after more than 20 years of service with nearly 1 million miles (1,609,344km) on the odometer. Aaaah... those were the days when cars were still built to last.
In 2005 a decision was made to change to more fuel efficient hybrid vehicles as a way of reducing greenhouse emissions. However, it made for a smaller cabin, a bumpier ride and also high maintenance costs compared to the saving on gas. Thus they let that one go. So that is where this Ford Escape Hybrid comes from (pic above). I suppose what matters most is that it's yellow, right? (Go here for a little more on the history of the yellow taxicab.) |
A snapshot of a souvenir shop window. Two things that are very big for NYC momentos are the yellow taxi cab and the Statue of Liberty (and then the Empire State Building, in my opinion).
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Yellow taxi cabs...
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September 14, 2011 at 1:09 pm
ReplyDeleteA wonderful post, Lee. What a rude bus driver
September 14, 2011 at 2:35 pm
DeleteOoh, we aren't done with the bus drivers just yet, CINDY, but the other bit I'll tell about a little bit later… I was not impressed with what he did, but then again we managed to turn it around into a few good giggles. I certainly don't think we'll ever forget that bit of the day, that's for sure! I count it all as memories
September 14, 2011 at 2:29 pm
ReplyDeleteWow! Wow! Wow! Loved your blog on NYC…..in fact, I've enjoyed all of your blogs leading up to this one. (Perhaps I'm a bit partial to this one because I was lucky enough to be there for your journey)!! Looking forward to reading the rest! Hugs!Nancy
September 14, 2011 at 2:34 pm
DeleteNANCY, I'm so glad you enjoyed them I have many pictures so there will still be a few posts on our day in NYC. Enjoy!
September 14, 2011 at 4:49 pm
ReplyDeleteGetting caught up and just read all of your posts from Pennsylvania to New York City. Wow, it looks like you are having SUCH a great time, from the forest to the city. I love living this adventure by reading your posts!!!
September 14, 2011 at 5:14 pm
Delete'm glad you're enjoying it, TRACY I kind of see it as if sitting down with a friend and my album and paging through, pointing and telling all the interesting and fun bits about each one. It sounds like I'm accomplishing just that