2009 - NCL GEM - TRANSATLANTIC - NEW YORK

A CRUISE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN

NEW YORK! NEW YORK ......

I HAVE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE, AND THAT SURPRISES ME. ITS ONLY DOWN THE ROAD FROM OTTAWA. ALMOST NEIGHBOURS..

ONE READS SOME, HEARS A LOT, SEES A LOT MORE.

MOST OF US HAVE AN IMAGE FROM A FILM OR BOOK RUNNING AROUND IN THE BACK OF OUR BRAINS ABOUT NEW YORK.

IS ANY OF IT TRUE?

I DOUBT VERY MUCH I WILL ANSWER THAT IN 3 DAYS.

AS USUAL, IT STARTS WITH A PLANE RIDE FROM OTTAWA...

WITH AN EXCELLENT DAY FOR COMING IN OVER THE CITY..

IDENTIFIABLE LANDMARKS.

MANHATTAN ISLAND, CENTRAL PARK WITH IT'S LAKE, A FEW BRIDGES, GROUND ZERO MAYBE, SKYSCRAPERS GALORE....

IS THAT GROUND ZERO MAYBE, MAYBE NOT BUT IT IS A HOLE IN THE GROUND ....

I GET TO GRAND CENTRAL STATION & WAIT FOR A TAXI GUY TO ALLOCATE A TAXI. WHEN HE HEARS WHERE I AM GOING, HE TELLS ME I SHOULD WALK & GIVES ME DIRECTIONS.

IS THIS NEW YORK? THE MAN WAS VERY POLITE & VERY HELPFUL & DID NOT WANT ANY MONEY, BUT I KNOW IT IS BECAWSE HE SPOKE WITH THAT BROAD NEW YORK ACCENT YOU HEAR IN THE MOVIES.

YES - THEY REALLY DO TALK LIKE THAT.

IS THIS MY HOTEL?

OR IS THIS IT?

NEITHER OF THEM, AND ITS NOT THIS EITHER.. A BROWNSTONE?

OFF I GO FOR A WALK I THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF CENTRAL PARK & SOME MUSEUMS. I AM NOT A MUSEUM PERSON BUT THERE ARE SOME REALLY FAMOUS ONES HERE. I DID GET THE NEW TORK CITY PASS SO I WILL HAVE TO FIND TIMES SQUARE FIRST AND REDEEM MY VOUCHER.

HERE IT IS

SOME INTERESTING PLACES ON OUR STROLL.

ROCKEFELLER CENTER.

MY PASS GETS ME IN HERE SO I AM GOING TO THE TOP. YOU GET A TIMED TICKET WHICH IS A GREAT IDEA. I CAN HEAD OFF TO EAT & COME BACK WHERE THERE IS HARDLY ANY LINE-UP.

CENTRAL PARK

THE CAT AMONGST THE SQUIRRELS.......

I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OF THESE NOW. OBELISKS PERHAPS. I SHOULD FIND MY OTHER PICTURES & START A LIST.

CLEOPATRA'S NEEDLE ON THE EMBANKMENT IN LONDON,
ST. PETERS AT THE VATICAN,
PLACE DE LA CONCORDE IN PARIS I THINK IS ONE,
LUXOR.

I MUST READ UP ABOUT THEM SOMEDAY.

THE FIRST MUSEUM - THE GUGGENHEIM

NICE BUILDING. NOT SO SURE ABOUT THE CONTENTS. MAYBE THIS WAS FREE OR I GOT IN WITH MY PASS. HATE TO THINK I PAID CASH FOR IT..

ACTUALLY - IT'S NOT SO BAD

Amedeo Modigliani - NOT IN THE GUGENHEIM WHERE NO PHOTOS ARE ALLOWED. AMAZING ARTIST. LOVE HIS WORK.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

THIS IS FAMOUS BUT I FORGET WHAT IT IS. IT WILL COME TO ME. STAR OF SOMETHING MAYBE?

STAR OF INDIA...

I HAD COME TO THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING EARLIER BUT THE LINE UP WAS AROUND THE BLOCK SO I RESOLVED TO GET HERE EARLY AND BE FIRST IN LINE. ALMOST MADE IT TOO.

UNLIKE THE ROCKEFELLER, HERE YOU HAVE TO LINE UP. NO TIMED TICKETS. AGAIN THE COST WAS BORNE BY MY PASS WHICH I HOPE PAID FOR ITSELF.

I WAS QUITE THRILLED TO SEE MY SHIP COME SAILING IN FROM THE TOP OF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING WITH THE STATUE OF LIBERTY IN THE BACKGROUND

THAT WAS A GREAT WAY TO WHILE AWAY SOME TIME WAITING FOR MY CRUISE. LOTS MORE TO SEE ON ANOTHER TRIP. I HAD NEVER CONSIDERED NEW YORK AS A PLACE TO CATCH A CRUISE BUT I SHOULD LOOK AGAIN AS IT IS CONVENIENT FROM OTTAWA

IT GOT A LITTLE CHOPPY LATER. GOOD JOB I HAVE MY SEA LEGS ON

NEXT STOP IS THE AZORES, ABOUT SIX DAYS AWAY...