New York Part 2

I am incredibly thankful that Barb's Mom and Dad joined us on our trip to New York. They gave us a wider base to stand on, if that makes sense, firmer footing, a couple good friends to turn to amongst the millions in the big city.

I think we all agreed that the trip was conducted well. We did not want to have to endure too much traveling all in one day. So Sunday was all about getting to our hotel in New York. Monday was all about meeting the doctor at Sloan-Kettering. And Tuesday was all about getting home.

Our train came into Penn Station on Sunday late afternoon and our first challenge was finding our way out of Penn Station. I think somehow we walked the length of the facility before we somehow popped out on a very crowded street.

We just wanted a taxi to the hotel.

Some joker decided to help us hail a cab, for a tip of course. Problem with the cab drivers seemed to know him and seemed to be ignoring him. Susan and I started trying to hail a cab as well and he started to compete with us. He was shady. But eventually he did get us a cab and we were heading north through the city.

I'm sure everyone knows this, although it still seems a little strange, but no cabbies in New York speak English. You have a weird conversation and the cabbie takes off and you just can't believe that there was any understanding of where you want to go...but then somehow you get there.

On the way to the hotel our cabbie endlessly talked to his girlfriend on the phone while we whizzed in and out of cars and through side streets. I didn't think there was any chance we would reach our destination...and then...poof...he made one turn and we were there.

I asked for two rooms as far away from the street noise as possible. We landed on the 15th floor. Everything was clean. The staff was kind and professional.

By the end of the trip we had all commmented about how polite the people in New York had been. I think we were all a bit surprised by this. Wouldn't you be? Our hotel was on the Upper East Side, in a residential neighborhood, between Central Park and the East River.

Barb and her parents went out for a walk one morning and visited the East River.

"How was the river?" I asked Barb.

"Stinky," she replied with a scrunched up face.

(Part 3 Tomorrow) Susan asks Mick Jagger for directions.