Cruise Ships, Metros, Buses, and Walking (lots of walking)

Well it wasn’t planes, trains and automobiles, but it was a busy two days. We arrived in NYC early Wednesday morning. We had to get a ticket to get off and go through immigration. I was up early and got our tickets. There was one Number 1 left, so I took 2 of number 2. Everyone had to go through immigration. Even if you wanted to stay on the ship, you had to go stand in line and get your passport scanned. We have global entry but of course the port of NY doesn’t have global entry. So we stood in line for 40 minutes and then were welcomed into the US. There are 2000 passengers on the boat and 1000 crew, everyone had to personally submit their passports. If you’re getting a note of irritation and frustration at the bureaucratic process, you’re reading right. We travel many places and often, the passports are collected and stamped without us ever seeing a human. But the US is vigilant about letting those foreign octogenarians in!

The city did not disappoint. The first day we walked to Times Square which was about a half hour walk from the pier. We then walked to Radio City Music Hall, the Rockefeller Center, and decided to go up to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building. This was mine and Roscoe’s first trip to NYC together. He hadn’t been since he saw President Nixon there. I was last there when Kayla and I went for her college graduation. We then took the metro to Ground 0 and the 9/11 memorial. We were going to see a play, but when we got back to the ship, we were exhausted.

On Thursday, we wanted to go to Grand Central Station, so we took the M50 local bus and walked 5 blocks. From there we walked to MOMA, the Museum of Modern Art. Roscoe wanted to see the original of Starry Night….more about that later. It’s a great museum. I could spend days there! But the crowds were overwhelming. From there, we found a delicatessen and had lunch. We then walked over a mile back to the ship and went on board the Intrepid. The Intrepid, is a retired aircraft carrier. I thought of Gage, Naomi’s ”beau”. We’re looking forward to meeting him at thanksgiving. He is just getting out of the navy and served on the aircraft carrier, the USS George Bush.

After boarding our ship, we went to the top deck for the sail away party. Great sites! Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty! So many pictures…here are a few. I probably won’t post for awhile, we have a week at sea. Next big event is transit through the Panama Canal. Although tonight is a formal night and we’re eating with our trivia team….speaking of which…..we WON TRIVIA TODAY. We each got a little notebook. You all will be so jealous! And on a personal note, I got to talk to my friend Rebecca and wish her Happy Birthday! If Aunt Vickie is reading this, I got her a birthday card….her birthday is at the end of the month! But I won’t be able to mail it until we get to Ecuador, which is a week from now. That‘s assuming we make our stop there. I read that the country is having severe unrest. A candidate for president was killed last week, so not sure if we will make that stop. Cruise ships get nervous when countries start rioting.

There are 8 million stories in the naked city….

Times Square

I can watch ‘An Affair to Remember’ over and over. Debra Kerr and Cary Grant!

A view of the lobby

On the metro to 9/11 Memorial. Now you just tap your credit card and away you go! No need to buy tickets.

The end of the Metro Line at Ground 0. It’s a Westfield mall.

The memorial. One of two. Each is where the building stood. The names of the victims are on each side. All the way around. People were very reverent.

May they rest in peace.

Children outside the memorial. They’re wearing their prayer shawls and yarmulkes.

Roscoe and I are riding the M50 bus. 7 stops to Madison Avenue. Lin, it kind of reminded me of Honolulu….but a much shorter ride. 😂

Grand Central Station. Built by the Vanderbilts.

St. Patrick’s cathedral. My memory of last being here is of Kevin and Branden as little boys, lighting candles and praying.

Van Gogh’s irises. We went there to see Starry Night. It was on loan to the met! And the met loaned this one to MOMA. so Roscoe and I will have to go back.

A Klimt. The Neue gallery was closed for renovations so we couldn’t see the Golden Lady.

A Jackson Pollock. If you haven’t seen the movie with Ed Harris, where he plays Pollock, you should. It’s called Pollock and came out in 2000.

Lunch. Just a little soup and sandwich….I had pastrami and Matza ball soup. Roscoe had corned beef And veggie soup. Who knows the difference between pastrami and corned beef?

Onboard The Intrepid. We saw US and Soviet space crafts, many planes, and guns! I think Roscoe posted lots of pictures on Facebook. But I think you’ve almost had enough so here are my last pictures!

Ellis Island. Over a million immigrants came through. Kayla and I visited it.

Kayla, July 18, 1918. On the boat to Ellis Island.

“give me your tired, your poor

your huddled masses yearning to be free

the restless refuse of your teeming shore

send me the homeless tempest tossed to thee

i lift my lamp beside your golden door”

Emma Lazarus

aren’t we all immigrants?