Train from NY to DC

Event Date: 28 Apr 2011
Location: New York, United States of America; District of Columbia, United States of America

Amtrack

Penn Station – NY
Union Station – DC

***

3:00 AM interstate train from NY to DC. What were we thinking?

After a tiring and eventful few days in NY, the last thing JK and I wanted to do was stay up til the early hours of the morning in order to catch a train. Yet this is what we did. A good concept in theory when we planned our trip months prior (because we wouldn’t have to spend money on an extra night in a hotel) turned out to be not such a good idea in real life with you account for the increase in age and decrease in resilience of the body.

After dinner, we picked up our luggage from the hotel concierge and headed to the Penn Station Amtrack waiting room. Here we took turns sleeping and catching up on correspondence with the rest of the world before sleepily boarding the train and crashing immediately once our bums hit the seat.

I woke up for split seconds as we pulled into each station along the way but had no issues falling immediately back asleep. By the time we reached Union Station and it was actually time to get off, I struggled to get a move on. Only the threat of the train leaving with me still on it gave me the motivation.

Good morning DC.

Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises – New York City

Event Date: 27 Apr 2011
Location: New York, United States of America

Pier 83
West 42nd Street at 12th Avenue
New York
New York 10036 USA

Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises

***

With a lot of time to spare before our train left NYC, JK and I walked down to Pier 83 to see if we could catch a cruise. We were in luck. The Harbour Lights Cruise was leaving in a matter of moments. We took the opportunity to see NYC from the water.

The cruise was timed perfectly where the trip out was in full daylight, the sunset turning point was on the cruises’ turnaround then the trip back in was in the early darkness.

One view we wouldn’t have seen as pedestrians was this waterside driving range. Golfers were stacked up in what seemed like 4 storeys looking out across the harbour. The golf ball net looked like it was taller than some buildings around it. Not a bad way to practice your swing.

Coming around to the financial district, the tightly packed buildings came in sight on the left while the Statue of Liberty sneaked up on the right.

 

The cruise narrator also pointed out a couple of icons sitting along the water – The Colgate Clock and Pepsi-Cola sign.

The Colgate Clock has a history that dates back to 1924 when Colgate-Palmolive & Company were still located on the site. More details can be found here.

The Pepsi-Cola sign has had its ups and downs but remains a bright highlight contrasting against the night sky.

Bridges are always best viewed from a distance to capture their true beauty. Who can truly see the whole bridge and their true lines while walking on or near them? But from the water, they are just as magical from the right angles.

 

The most beautiful sight from the cruise was on the way back. With the natural light dimming, the building lights coming on and the clouds rolling in over the city, the light and dark contrast was breathtaking. A strong powerhouse city by day, a party destination by night, in this time of transition, anything was possible.

Lou’s Cafe – New York City

Event Date: 27 Apr 2011
Location: New York, United States of America

1301 6th Avenue
New York
New York 10019 USA

Lou’s Cafe

***

It was our last day in the Big Apple. What better way to start the day than to have a lazy breakfast with a great friend? DH and I left a sleeping JK, wandering the streets until we came across Lou’s Cafe. Despite being on a side street, Lou’s cafe was filled with natural sunlight. There was both indoor and outdoor seating but we chose to be indoors as it generated a nice, warm, cosy feeling of comfort.

I had the fabulous Two Item Omelette with an orange juice. The Two Item Omelette came with two pieces of toast and a choice of fruit or herb potatoes. The fruit was a good choice in the end. I was contently full by the time we finished the tasty light breakfast. It was the first time since arriving in the US that I did not feel the portion was too big or the meal was too heavy.

The staff were unobtrusive and did not pressure us to leave once we had finished the meal. It was the perfect place to breakfast on our last day.

The New York City Police Museum – New York City

Event Date: 27 Apr 2011
Location: New York, United States of America

100 Old Slip
New York
New York 10005

New York  City Police Museum

***

JK and I were impressed by the taxi driver that got us to the New York City Police Museum. It turned out to be in a small lane like area which was a little further away from the main streets. To add to the confusion, there was also some building construction happening, obscuring the entrance. We ended up walking around the whole building before we found the door!

There was a nice elderly gentleman at the admission area who was also kind enough to tell us where the crowds were at the current point in time. He suggested to begin with the upstairs third floor area since there weren’t too many people up there at the moment.

The third floor was dedicated to remembrance. On one end there was the “9.11 Remembered” exhibition. There were artifacts, testimonials and video information on the response. On the other end was the “Hall of Heros”. There was a badge to represent ever NYPD hero who had lost their lives in the line of duty since 1845.

In between was information on how technology and intelligence has improved and has aided the NYPD to solve crimes. There was also the history of the Medals of Valor plus the NYPD leadership since 1845.

The practical educational process continued on the second floor. The Vintage Weapons, Firearms & Notorious Criminals display was the most interesting section of the museum for me. Profiles of the infamous such as Al Capone lined one section of the wall along with the NYPD initiatives used to combat their activities. Technology has come a long way. This circa 1910 camera was used to take stand up mug shots.

A demonstration of The Bertillion System of criminal identification was also displayed. It remained the primary means of criminal identification until the adoption of finger print identification in 1903. It was essentially a line up of cards with a criminal’s front and side impression in black and white on one side with a written description of their person on the over side of the card.

 

If you wanted to experience the criminal life, there is an empty cell in which you can spend some time in. Tucked away in the corner outside the cell is a cardboard cut out of a 1890s police matron. She is done in black and white. If you weren’t paying too much attention, you could mistake her for a ghost hovering if you believed such a thing.

Portraits and artworks took centre stage on the second floor, depicting the NYPD in action, on and off the field. To the far end of this floor contained the Elements of the Permanent Collection.

Down to the first floor where we came in. The gift shop sat on one end with Vintage Uniforms and Weaponry sitting directly outside it. On the other end Vintage communications equipment and motorcycles were on display.

 

This was all outside the Junior Officer’s Discovery Zone where children could freely play while learning about the importance of the NYPD and what it meant to be a police officer.

 

There was a timed fitness challenge over a set of stairs in the Junior Officer’s Discovery Zone. Needless to say I don’t think I’ll pass any fitness tests required to join a police force any time soon.

The New York City Police Museum was a fun place with a good mix of education, information and remembrance. All presented to you in a building that was once an active police house. The 1st precint was actually based in this very building until they merged with the 4th precint in 1973.

Madame Tussauds – HK & NY

Event Date: 5 Sep 2009; 27 Apr 2011
Location: Hong Kong, China; New York, United States of America

Madame Tussauds – Hong Kong
Madame Tussauds – New York

***

Our last day in NY was completely unplanned. DH’s flight was in the middle of the day. JK and my train to DC left in the early hours of the next morning. The question we all pondered was: what to do? The New York Pass dictated most of our day with small activities; first with Madame Tussauds.

My first Madame Tussauds experience was in Hong Kong a couple of years earlier. However, I can’t say that Madame Tussauds has ever been on the top of my must see list despite now having been to two.

Both locations started off with a featured display and staff on hand to take photos of you at the beginning of the journey. Obama featured in HK with some lack lustre, unenthusiastic staff taking the photo. King Kong provided an impressive entrance and photo scene in NY with an enthusiastic, artistic photographer who thoughtfully suggested poses. This turned out to be one of my favourite photos from the trip.

While there were some common figures featured (e.g. Singers & Bands, sports stars, popular American actors etc), each Madame Tussauds had a large selection dedicated to local culture.

The most interesting thing I found in both Madame Tussauds was not their featured wax work but rather observing how many different ways people can pose with the wax works, either individually or across the whole collection. Perhaps this is in line with my constant interest in knowing what is happening around me. The frozen wax works provide no change or particularly challenging thought process. But observing the way other people interact with these frozen wax works proved intriguing. The different levels of thought processes, imagination and other behaviours was enough to keep me entertained.

Yankee Stadium – Bronx

Event Date: 26 Apr 2011
Location: New York, United States of America

1 East 161st Street
Bronx
New York 10451 USA

The NY Yankees & Yankee Stadium
NY Subway

***

We raced around Times Square subway station, trying to find our way to Yankee Stadium. The realisation came quickly that on game night, if we just followed the crowd, we would be fine. Everyone seemed to be going to the same place.

We alighted along with everyone else at Yankee Stadium and headed inside to collect our tickets. Battling through the crowds, it was a while before we found the ticket windows. The ticket collection lines were rather long but thankfully we spied some ticket collection machines hidden on the side. Skipping the long line, JK printed off our pre-purchased tickets and inside we went.

There was a large amount of ground staff scattered through the stadium (inside and out) who were more than willing to answer questions in order to keep the traffic flowing. We found our seats very easily and saw that our view was unobstructed besides the occasional head movement from the row in front of us.

With stomachs starting to grumble and no desire to move out of our seats during the game since we were in the middle of a row, we decided to hunt and gather food immediately. Luckily we did not have far to go as food outlets were almost directly behind our stands. DH chose the corn dog and crinkle cut chips, I had a hot dog and crinkle cut chips while JK had what turned out to be a massive tub of nachos.

 

It seemed like all seats were filled for this New York Yankees vs Chicago White Sox game. Surprising for a Tuesday night.

Another surprising thing was the speed at which the game moved. I had expected a slow game based on warnings from various people before the trip. But the game and time went by rather quickly. It was however a shame that the home team lost. A recap of the game can be found on ESPN.

If we thought the crowds were thick and heavy on our way into the stadium, the masses inside the stadium’s store was insane. It seemed like all spectators of the game had moved from their seats into the store for a piece of memorabilia. Despite the squeeze, we each managed to find an item to remember our trip to Yankee Stadium.

New York Public Library – New York City

Event Date: 26 Apr 2011; 27 Apr 2011
Location: New York, United States of America

New York Public Library
Floor Plan
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Fun Facts
Edna Barnes Salomon Room
Bill Blass Public Catalog Room
Deborah, Jonathan F.P., Samuel Priest, and Adam R. Rose Main Reading Room

***

The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building is often referred to as the main branch of the New York Public Library system. It is certainly the most recognised, having been featured in the arts through mediums such as film. There is little question as to why. The impressive foyer greets visitors as they step in with wide, grand stair cases on either side, tall ceilings, chandeliers and delicate stonework.

 

Hidden behind the first set of arches to the right is the New York Public Library shop where one can find lots of educational goodies. Upstairs, three impressive rooms lay waiting.

You will see many laptops, tablets and phones in the hands of those occupying the Edna Barnes Salomon Room. The wireless reading room is home to very speedy wifi! JK and I camped here for a long while before moving on to feed our internet addiction.

The brightly lit Bill Blass Public Catalog Room sits opposite the Edna Barnes Salomon Room. It is through this room that you gain access to the famous Deborah, Jonathan F.P., Samuel Priest, and Adam R. Rose Main Reading Room.

 

Here, rows and rows of people sit in silence, absorbing the knowledge and wisdom of those before them. I wouldn’t have minded studying hard in my school days had I been able to come to a place such as this.

The UN Building to Grand Central Terminal (and the 4 modes of transport in between) – New York City

Event Date: 26 Apr 2011
Location: New York, United States of America

UN Building
The Offices of The United States Department of State
Amish Fine Food Marketplace
Grand Central Terminal

***

JK and I took a taxi (mode #1) from Wall Street to the UN Building. Set along the river, it is relatively spacious without any buildings sitting directly next to it. Flags of many nations are flown high out front towards the street.

Whether it was because of the strong winds that were present or for another reason, we witnessed the lowering of these flags. It was like watching a string being pulled down, from one end to another. Flags were not the only things out front however. There were a group of protesters on the opposite side of the street.

And there was also a large bus (mode #2) stop near the flags of the UN Building.

Tucked around the corner was The Offices of The United States Department of State. The entrances were guarded under the watchful and visible eye of private security. Needless to say we encouraged to walk (mode #3) quickly past and not loiter.

Further along, we found a quaint grocery store called the Amish Fine Food Marketplace. Stepping inside, it felt like stepping back in time a little. The inside was neatly packed and stocked full of goods. It held fruit and vegetables in bins such as the below.

It also had hot foods, pizza, dairy, a deli as well as other fresh foods. On top of that, they also provide corporate catering. So much packed into a store already full to a brim! We purchased some fresh fruits and went along our merry way.

By now, steam rising from the underground vents at all hours of the day had lost its novelty. But this was the first set of road works that we had come across in the city thus far. I’m not sure how useful the barriers and witches hat proved to be but at least the pot hole had already been filled in, however roughly.

At last, Grand Central Terminal. Many trains (mode #4) arrive and depart from this magnificent station each day and a large volume of pedestrians frequent the building to match.

 

The tall ceiling and windows, preserved historic feel and dim lighting all added to the grandeur of the place.

 

How many people had walked these steps before you? Where were they going? Where had they been? What was their story?

Wall Street – New York City

Event Date: 26 Apr 2011; 27 Apr 2011
Location: New York, United States of America

Harry’s Italian Pizza Bar

***

Would you visit New York without visiting the (in)famous Wall Street? Wall Street was a destination that split our small group into two. JK and I proceeded to visit the financial district as well as the Tribute WTC Visitor Centre whilst DH went to visit the graceful and chic art museums.

Splices of history such as the above are viewable throughout the area. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is in an impressive building, however marred by the imposing fencing and constant visible security present. Only when you went around the corner could you see the smaller less intimidating entry.

The Street wasn’t as busy as anticipated. We proceeded to wander the surrounding streets in search for the significant players. Although the institutions were concentrated in the area, it did feel like somewhat of a maze at times. There were some sights which proved to be of the novelty variety such as the tie and accessories stall below.

We jokingly said this is where half of New York’s bankers have accumulated their top drawer tie collection from. Then there were some sobering sights such as office space up for rent on Wall Street itself. Was this a usual sight? Or has this become more so since the downturn?

Hungry, we decided to stay in the area to have lunch. Expectations on the outset was to experience pricey but average food since we were in the middle of the financial district. Harry’s Italian Pizza Bar seemed to be a nice place to take our time and relax so in we went.

The setting was lovely and the staff were friendly and pleasant. We ordered the:

• Shrimp Marinara
• Fried Calamari
• A pie with spinach and pepperoni

  

The pie was the best part of the meal as no appetiser could beat the delicious Fried Calamari experience at Dervish.

Tribute WTC Visitor Centre & Walking Tours – New York City

Event Date: 26 Apr 2011
Location: New York, United States of America

Tribute WTC Visitor Centre

***

The Tribute WTC Visitor Centre is a small but powerful space spread across 2 levels. Walking in, there are photos, banners and descriptions of moments in time during the 9/11 events. Towards the back of the ground level, there is a collage of personal photos on several walls, dedicated to those that were lost. Below ground is an interactive area with items found and significant to the event. Visitors can also write and display their own messages and blessings.

America has done a great job at remembering each individual for who they were. Making each one of the victims known, not just being one of many. I think this has made a significant difference when it comes to honouring them in such settings as the Tribute WTC Visitor Centre.

There is a solemn and respectful vibe throughout the small space. Tourists naturally set aside their cameras out of respect and are genuinely intrigued and interested in learning more about the people as well as the event that took place. 10 years on, memories and emotions are still rampant even as people have started to rebuild their lives.

There are a group of wonderful volunteers who run many walking tours through the day. These people have either lost someone in or experienced first hand the events of 9/11. They take you on a journey to the significant destinations at or around ground zero.

The tour we took was run by a lady who lived close by. Her daughter worked in one of the towers. Assisting was a man who worked in one of the rescue units. Through the tour, they told us their stories and their experiences. They and their peers are strong beyond belief as they have moved past the most painful point to share with strangers.