New York Trip Recap – Day Two

Previously on “Lisa goes to New York City”:

Day two of my New York trip began the complete opposite from which the first one started. Despite our good intentions to get moving and into the city early, it just didn’t quite work out that way.

We were still determined to see everything on our list for that day (Roy’s friend Jason joined us on this first full tour day, because Chad had to work):

• Statue of Liberty
• Ellis Island
• Empire State Building

We took the bus into the city, walked past the New York Times

and took my first subway ride

Holiday weekend subway traffic

to Battery Park, home of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferry.

Before we bought our ferry tickets, we wandered through the park and took in the sights.

There was a statue on permanent display that had originally stood in one of the World Trade Center buildings. It somehow survived the collapse.

Sculpture with eternal flame

There were street performers playing steel drums,

living Statues of Liberty (which, when viewed up close, were actually kind of creepy),

The creepy side of street performing

pigeons (the feet of one clipped the top of my head as it flew by),

and a mysterious long line of people, stretching through the entire park.

What are these people waiting for?

Turns out the line was to get on the ferry.

So basically, everything we saw in the park before we got our tickets and stood in a 90-minute line to get on the ferry? Yeah, that could have all been seen while we were in line.

Oh well.

We ate our way through the line, as it was lunchtime, getting a hot dog at one stand, a pretzel at another. Finally we reached the ferry. Holy Mother of Pearl it was hot and sunny that day.

Jason and Roy on the ferry

The view from the ferry leaving the dock and approaching the Statue of Liberty was awesome.

Goodbye, New York ...

...

...

 

... Hello Statue of Liberty!

The only word I can think of to describe being that close to the Statue is cliche, but fitting:

Impressive.

It’s a very imposing, intimidating sight up close. We didn’t go inside the Statue, but the exterior view was more than enough to satisfy the tourist in me.

Roy, Lisa and Lady Liberty

After a short walk around Liberty Island, we realized that there wasn’t going to be any time to see Ellis Island, because we were planning to see another show on Broadway that night. So we went back to Hoboken, having only crossed one tourist site off our list for the day.

We met Chad at a Mexican restaurant in Hoboken that makes the guacamole for you fresh at the table,

Avocado-y goodness

and enjoyed dinner and margaritas before going back into the city to see “9 to 5.”

I wasn’t too sure about seeing this particular show. I love the movie, but didn’t really know how it would translate to the stage, or if the “camp-factor” would be too over the top for me. Thankfully, I had a great time and we all really enjoyed the show.

What we did not enjoy so much, though, was the large woman in a salmon-colored track suit sitting in the row in front of us, who spent the time before the show and during the intermission practically shoving her salmon ass in our faces. Not a pretty sight.

I took a photo of her with my camera, then felt bad about it and deleted it. But not before Chad made me e-mail it to him. So somewhere out in cyberspace there is a photo of this woman’s tush.

And I hope I never have to see it again.

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I’m Back!

I’m back after another apparently long hiatus. I’m not a busy person, so why I’ve not found the time to post is beyond me.

Here’s my recent life in a nutshell:

• Started playing softball with my work team again (took a two-year hiatus). The training must be coming in handy because I’m not as sore the day after as I used to be.
• Went to Hoboken, New Jersey/New York City over the Memorial Day weekend. Will make a longer post and share pictures about that tonight (I hope).
• For the first time in my employee’s history, they had to lay off workers. We lost four people while I was on vacation.
• We were able to re-up for another 15 weeks with Weight Watchers at Work (you need a certain number of people for them even to come out). Weigh-in after the vacation is today. I’m not too concerned. I was down a couple pounds this morning, so I probably will have lost about 1 pound come weigh-in at Noon. (We did a LOT of walking, and sporadic eating, so I think that helped.)

So yeah, that’s me.

Viva Las Vegas (Or, I Love My New Digital Camera)

Leaving on a Jet Plane…

I’m off tomorrow (well, today technically) for Bullhead City, Ariz. via Las Vegas, to visit my college friend Maureen. Nice little long weekend, back in town on Tuesday.

On Monday we’re spending the day/night in Vegas, which I’m looking forward to, as I’ve never been. I told Mo not to let me get so drunk that I let Elvis marry me to some stranger.

I don’t know why she laughs whenever I say that, because I’m very serious. No Elvises. No weddings. No weddings performed by Elvises.

End of story.

The Party’s Over

All good vacations must come to an end, as mine is today. I’m sitting in the airport waiting for my flight, which leaves at a little after 11. 😦

Apparently Kid Rock was arrested for fighting in a Waffle House Restaurant over the weekend. I wonder if it was one of the ones I passed on my journeys this week.