You Won't Die If You Get Wet or Why My Camera Is My Favorite Travel Companion

 



We only get to live once and I am not content to live my life in Queens or Long Island, playing cards and eating diner lunch day in and day out.  And, I know that isn't what some others want either, but there is always some excuse not to leave the comfort zone:
1.   It's too hot
2.   It's too cold
3.   It's too windy
4.   There is no breeze.
5.   It might rain.
6.   It is cloudy.
7.   It is sunny.
8.   My back hurts.
9.   My feet hurt.
10.  It's too early.
11.  It's too late.
12.  I can't get an egg whilte omlette for lunch.
13.  It's too far uptown.
14.  It's too far downtown.
15.  It costs too much.
etc, etc, etc

I can't understand why people would live in NYC or Great Neck or anywhere on Long Island and not experience all the city has to offer.  Money can't be a problem because there are tons of free things to do, you just have to know where to look.  I was recently asked how I knew so much about the city.  I wanted to say, use your computer for something other than shopping and you too can find out what is going on around you.  I wanted to say, get off your ass and get on a subway with your eyes open and you will find lots of wonders. I kept these thoughts to myself and said Time Out NY is a great source.

After last week's heat wave, I just had to get into the city today.  Sure, the weather said rain, but I packed an umbrella and my water proof camera bag and took off.  Sure I got wet, but I'm not made of silk.  No damage was done.  And, I found a great place for lunch during the worst part of the storm.

 

 

I was taking cover in the doorway of the Custom House, One Bowling Green, during one downpour. 

 

Today's free bees included The American Indian Museum and NYC Archives in the Custom House, Federal Hall, Stone Street--NYC's answer to European Cafes, The South Street Seaport, China Town and SOHO and lots of side streets in between.

 

 George Washington in front of Federal Hall

 Looking south from Wall St

 Stone St

Seaport

(More pictures later)

My camera is my favorite travel buddy.  It doesn't care if I change my mind about where I want to go 3 times in 2 mintues.  It is never cranky when the weather changes.  It never nags for food or complains about tired feet.  And, it never tells me when it is time to go home. 

 

Circumstances are keeping me from an exotic summer vacation this year, but there are plenty of exotic things to do right here and I intend to do many of them.











Alls Well That Ends Well

Flight got off almost 4 hours late so we missed early Lisbon connection. Luckily we were smart enough to realize this in Newark so we booked on later flight and called ahead to change time car was picking us up. The hotel is beautiful. The city is great. Only a minor mishap when we blew power with converter. (hotel lent us a compressor for our electronics.). Got lost and had two guys help us out. I am still in heaven over the pick up try. This hasn't happened to me in years. Only 30 minutes free Internet. Forgive typos. More tomorrow.

My Bargain

I love a bargain so when a Groupon for a $7.00 Atlantic City trip, complete with $10 food credit and $5 slot credit came up, I just had to grab it.  Even the thought of being confined on the bus for so long didn't keep me from this deal.

The day started out great.  The Hampton Luxury Liner had big leather, reclining seats, a movie, Internet and snacks.  This sure beat driving.  The only hitch was the bus hit a car (or more likely, the car hit the bus) coming out of the Midtown Tunnel and we waited almost two hours (thanks Bloomberg) for a cop to write up an accident report.  We would not have been able to continue the trip if my husband had not thought of a way to fix the molding on the bus.  He was the hometown hero of the day.



The bus driver was so grateful, he ended up giving us $20 buffet vouchers.  We even made $4.70 with the $10 we were given.  (Neither one of us likes to gamble.)

The vacation/retirement is off to a great start.  My poor husband is worn out.  He is happy to see me working part time in the fall.  I don't know how many more daily activities he can take.

She Should Have Done More



Ms. Caring gave up a day of her vacation and came to work to help her students prepare for the June regents.  While many kids showed up, none of the kids who needed the help cared enough to give up a day off to get it. 

Ms. Caring will be judged by her regents results.  I suppose that is a good thing. After all, she didn't hire a bus to pick them up and bring them in.

Mission Accomplished

Last summer I decided to walk the bridges that connect Manhattan to Brooklyn and Queens. Last summer, I hit the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. Two weeks ago, I walked the Williamburg Bridge. Today, I completed the mission by walking the Queensborough Bridge. A short subway ride to Queens Plaza left me a short distance from my destination.

I've driven the bridge hundreds of times, but walking let me experience it in a whole new way.

Picture on facebook.

Life Is Too Short To Stay Home Or To Work

Walking under the Manhattan Bridge today, camera in hand as usual, this young guy asked me to take his picture and put it in the paper. I promised to put it here, the next best thing I could do and gave him the address so he could find it. Hope he looks.

I thought about asking to proctor regents and mark exams as I have been spending so much money this summer and could use the extra cash but the thought quickly slipped my mind when I realized how few days were left for me to roam the city I love. There are still so many places I have to hit and being away so much really cut into my city time.

Today's adventure started in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Last summer I walked the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge so this year I was determined to walk the last remaining one from the borough I know little about. (Still on the agenda is walking the 59th St Bridge.) Getting there was easy, the F train to Delancy and then my choice of trains to the Marcy St station. I explored the neighborhood a little before I hit the bridge. From there, I wandered down to the lower East Side and found a fantastic hole in the wall Chinese place (Prosperity Dumpling located at 46 Eldridge St) for lunch. I had a sesame pancake with vegetables, only $1.25 which was one of the best things I ever ate. I walked under the Manhattan Bridge and checked out the fruit and vegetable vendors, wandered a bit more, headed up to Canal Street for watch batteries and then continued on through Little Italy, SOHO, the Village and finally wore out at 14th and 6th where I caught the subway home. I just finished editing my pictures and posted them on facebook. I do it for me because I am sure everyone is sick of looking at my pictures.

Tiberias Pictures

Just started putting some pictures from Israel in an album go bored and decided I'd rather share on facebook. You can see them here.

Rest Of My Photos

Put up the rest of the photos--the trip to Saranac, White Face Mountain and High Falls Gorge.

If anyone is interested, you can see them here on facebook.

Lake Placid

We took a cruise on Lake Placid and got to see the homes of the rich, real rich. Some of these homes are only used 4 days a year. Some only have access by boat. Here are a few of my favorite pictures, posted of course, on facebook.

Bills, Bills, Bills

Home from vacation and only one bill waiting to be paid. True, we were only gone 3 days (and mail only came twice) but it was still a nice change from the usual. No Visa or Master Card bills yet, those I am afraid of. I can't believe how much money I go through every summer. I should think about getting a part time job until school starts. (Notice the word should not would.) Maybe I should just take in laundry. Once work begins, the spending will subside. Just three more short weeks to help the economy.

(Pictures from my Saranac walk in the woods Day 1 posted here, on facebook.

Having It All

I thought I would have it all if only there was an outlet on the porch to plug in my computer.

My husband noticed the outlet and brought me the chord.

I do have it all, at least for the moment.

(Pictured above is the woodpecker I saw on this morning's walk. He had it all too.)

Saranac Lake

I can't believe I actually won this trip. We are in Ampersand Bay, in Saranac Lake. The resort is spectacular. Pictures posted here on facebook.

Stumped

Our guide said, "Ask me anything. I didn't learn history, I lived it." And, he was able to answer every question except the one I asked.

"Why is there pink toilet paper in the public restroom outside David's Tomb?"

This is the first of my many bathroom pictures taken there. I was fascinated by the different flushers. Europeans are so much smarter than Americans. They have different flushes for different deposits. This one has a little one on top of the big one.)

My favorite toilet, I never got to photograph, it was rectangular in shape. It is in the mall with the Gap on Mamilla St.

(Jerusalem pictures posted on facebook here.)

Too Many

I vow to stop taking so many pictures! I am getting a headache looking at them. Just put a few more on facebook.

This Can't Be

I just heard summer school is on a week's intersession in some places in the city. Isn't that great! The kids that learned little or nothing all year can now do the same in five weeks with just one small difference--many will make up the credit they lost.

Oh how wonderful it is to have a mayor who has made education his priority.

(Please, someone, anyone, write and tell me that I heard wrong.)

Colds

I'm sitting in Panera Bread catching up on all the blogs I couldn't read during the last two weeks. I can't stop coughing and my head feels like it is going to fall off. I hate being sick but at least I didn't end up this way until the last day of our trip.

(Picture--our camel ride on visit to Bedouins. My camel is in the rear. If you look real close you might be able to see a crazy woman with a Nikon in her hand, not holding on for dear life like almost everyone else is.)

Home Again

We got home about 9:30. Why is my luggage always the last luggage to come out?

I've already put one load of laundry in and have gone through all the mail. I'm so tired I forgot to watch the Daily Show, one of the reasons I am still awake. At least I still made Colbert.

I've been awake since 8:00 AM, Israel time, which is 1:00 AM NY time. We left the hotel at 12:30 and I wanted to get a full day in first. I didn't do as much as I wanted but I did get my last big breakfast, a nice hour long walk, complete with many photos and a last swim in the Mediterranean. If I had any intelligence, I would be asleep now, instead of writing here.

(Picture taken with my Olympus near sunset on Shabbat, Tel Aviv)

Flying Hi

This trip beats our expectations. Today we sailed between Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. I went parasailing between all four countries and felt perfectly safe with the Israeli Navy around, guarding the King of Jordan.

Right now we are in Aroma, having ice coffee and, for once, using a non hacked internet.

Home

Air conditioning.

As much as I love to travel, it is great to be home.

Dream Sign

My trip to Vermont would not have been complete without a trip to the Ben and Jerry's factory. Pictured is my dream sign--ice cream samples. Nothing could be better, not even the beer tasting we did this week.

More Ben and Jerry pictures here. I was finally able to post them on facebook.