I never thought I’d purposely travel to NYC for a vacation, but I didn’t factor in the persistence of a 16 year old daughter conspiring with her 31 year old second cousin who has lived in Brooklyn the last 10 years. So here we are getting ready to fly home tomorrow, and I gotta say I’d do it again in a New York minute.
Here are some snap shots of our trip:
We stayed at n AirB&B apartment in Williamsburg ( part of Brooklyn). I’ve been very impressed with the AirB&B and FlipKey process (folks sublet their homes or vacation rentals over the internet). We were on 6th and Kent, just a short block from the East River.The views of Manhattan are impressive.
Gotham at sunset:
It was nice to get a cup a Joe and go to the river at sunrise to watch the skyline slowly take on light, color and depth:
The first full day here some friends came down from Newtown Connecticut to visit. Native New Yorkers, we all met in Oregon 36 years ago and then they moved back east to Newtown in 1984. They trained into Manhattan, took the subway to Brooklyn, we all had pizza and then they descended into the ground to return home:
Speaking of the underground, we had never been on a subway and really had a lot of fun traveling around on them. Those who use them to commute on daily basis probably don’t share our enthusiasm:
Station:
Happy citizens on the move:
(A single fellow could fall in love about a dozen times a day riding the subway)
We took in some sites including:
The Alamo! (with the old Astor Opry House in the background) 
Alamo actually spins and once you start turning it the general population gets enthused and they start helping you turn the thing:
Cooper Union:
Abe Lincoln stood on this stage in 1860 and in 1867 Mark Twain gave his first East coast lecture here to a sold out crowd. Over 2000 people were turned away at the door and it pretty much launched his career:
McSorley’s Ale House (Est. 1854)
I’m lead to believe that when they hang something on the wall at McSorley’s, they NEVER take it down:
A taping of the Colbert Report (Monday 3/25/13):
Grand Central Terminal, a cross between a church and a monument to the industrial revolution. It’s 100 years old and I doubt if modern architects could pull off designing a structure as classy, functional and beautiful.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art:
Van Gogh wheat field and cypresses:
Detail:
Van gogh in a Tilley hat:
NYU’s Allen Ginsberg photo exhibit:
Chinatown is big and confusing and exciting:
We topped the week off with a trip to Staten Island and back on the ferry:
Maureen and your correspondent. Our 16 year old refuses to be photographed with the likes of us.
REally great pictures!!
NYC Epilogue -
It is worth noting that the people we talked to everywhere were friendly and very helpful. Except for the tourists. They were all jerks.
The subway rats were exciting to see and fairly docile in Manhattan and Brooklyn. However out here at the motel across the street from LaGuardia, they are mean mother hummers if you cross their picket lines.
Thanks Keith. It is a pretty town and great fun to walk around in. Like LOTS and LOTS of walking. Living far from the ocean it is always cool to be in towns situated on water.
Nice Camera Work, couple of my jobsites in there.
Glad you enjoyed it
Cheers
Ralph
I' don't know if I would have wasted my time on that subway...
"There are 13,000 cabs in New York City, but there's only one that pays you!"
Somewhere around New York they're handing out cash in a taxi.
Great pics Mike.
I had a good chuckle when I read "Van Gogh in a Tilley Hat".
Scott
We took cabs a couple times, but much to my disappointment, Ben was not one of the cabbies.
> The subway rats were exciting to see and fairly docile in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
My favorite photo from your trip, right here. 😀
Four years ago Baby Dottir made it out of high school with a 28 on her ACT and an 8K scholarship to USM so we rewarded her with a trip to Manhattan and tickets to go see "Wicked" on BW. While sitting on the pot perusing one of those tourist magazines they stock the hotel rooms with, I saw that Sam Bush was playing at the Irridium Club that night. "Holy Crap! Sam Bush right down da skreet? I'm there". The Irridium Club is where Les Paul played one night a week till he died. You go thru a small doorway and down to a basement. Sam played with an ad hoc band of Jazz musicians who were more famous in NYC than he. But I was thrilled to see him again and we got to chat with him and his wife after the show. Pretty cool. NYC was great. Wish I had the cash to do it on a regular basis.
