Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Croton-on-Hudson, NY - WHEW!!!

We didn’t get lost.

We got the express train and express subway
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we got the right tickets for the car, the train and the subway

we didn’t go the wrong direction. (in DC, we got on the subway to go home, I looked up at the next stop and grabbed Gary to get off the subway - we were going the wrong direction.)

we got home

and - it didn’t rain

Hey, it was nigh onto a perfect day.

Our weather has not been ‘perfect’ while we’ve been here in New York. In fact it’s rained for the last 3 days. The weather forecasters have been saying it’s been 20 degrees below the average and we have made up the year-to-date lack of water in the last 3 days. I’m glad that they have made up the deficit but I was kinda of hoping that it might be after we leave. Actually, we stayed home one day and relaxed and caught out breath and hit the local library the next day. Today was the first sunny rainless day in the last 4 and we’re off for the city.

We've met lots of New Yorkers, all pleasant and fun to talk with. We met one young couple on the Brooklyn Bridge who told us NY was the perfect place to raise children - lots of playgrounds, lots to do. Not what I expected. They have been transferred to Boston and are taking their last walk across the bridge. 

When we got off the subway, we stopped for a second cup of coffee and noticed: scones. Not just scones but scones, chocolate chip, cranberry, blueberry and toffee - and - they were only $2.00 each. My word - I expected food prices to be off the chart but here were the most marvelous looking, huge scones for only $2.00. And, truth to tell - the taste and the texture were worth much more. But I’m not going to tell the seller. The lunch special was $5.95 paninis. Ah, we had brought out lunch but - maybe tomorrow. And, maybe tomorrow, we will not eat breakfast at home but - ummm - those scones are calling my name.

World Trade Center Observation deck - opened on Friday. what wonderful views. We bought out ticket on line - don’t go and stand in line at the WTC- you’ll be there for hours. We had gotten our  tickets on line and went to a different door and got right in. This is my hint for you.
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I like the penthouse apartment here in the first picture - imagine their view looking up at us. And, there are always gardens and trees on other roofs.
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On the other hand, as we walking up to the tower, I had to block out of my mind the TV pictures of people jumping out of the top stories of the original towers after the planes had struck them. It was hard and at times I had tears in my eyes. We spoke with a woman later who will not go up into the tower because she knew people who died in them.

The new tower is 1776’ high, for obvious reasons. Here it is silhouetted against the sky. Hey, look, I got a picture of the window washers more than 3/4 of the way up the building. 
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But, everywhere you go in lower Manhattan, there are reminders of 9/11, in the Churches which became instant triage centers, to the plaques on the walls, to the memorials around the World Trade Center area to the people who won't go up into the new World Trade Center.

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