Picto Diary - 26, 27 September 2017 - New York City
Above: Bishop, SpaGo, Montage, TIMDT, Barbara Wayne. Veranda Restaurant. Regent Seven Seas Mariner. 26 September 2017.
Abelsons and Taylors learn from Taylor friend Carol that Parkite's Barbara and Wayne are also on the ship. We unite for a splendid lunch and hopes for a budding friendship!
We have some common connections. Barbara a twenty year friend of Beano... and while I don't know Beano well, I am aware of her philanthropic efforts in Park City. I am also a motorcycling buddy with Beano's brother, The Zookeeper, who lives in Williamstown, MA (who also has a comment in the Addendum of this Picto Diary).
Barbara, a bridge player, knows ZIB.
Small world phenomenon never ceases to amaze.
Hat tip to Carol for facilitating our pleasant lunch.
Above: Verrazano Narrows Bridge. New York City, NY. 26 September 2017.
Image from observation lounge, Regent Seven Seas Voyager.
Returning to my home town. One of them, anyway. Lived for four years in the NYC area.
51/52 Bayside Queens. Dad getting PhD from NYU.
88/91 Westport, CT. Employment with Citibank.
The entrance to New York Harbor via the Regent Seven Seas Mariner proved to be a momentous cruise experience.
Above: Statue of Liberty. New York Harbor. 26 September 2017.
Image by TIMDT form our cabin deck, Regent Seven Seas Mariner.
Sailing by the beautiful lady was a moving experience. A stream of immigrants have entered the US via this same route. My own forebears came from Europe... but, most of them entered the United States at the Port of New Orleans in the 1850's, traveled by steamboat up to Omaha, and traveled west in the Mormon migration to Utah.
As a First Grader, in 1951, I walked up to the torch of the Statue of Liberty. Narrow spiral staircase up the inside of the arm. You can't do that any more.
I still remember doing a show and tell about my stature visit at PS 31, Bayside Queens. I was shocked when the teacher asked fellow students to raise their hands if they had visited the Statue of Liberty.
None had. I was young... but, old enough to be surprised at the irony of me being more of a visitor/transient in the city having visited an important NYC land mark, when native NY kids hadn't.
During the '80's we visited Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty as a family. I've taken the Staten Island Ferry more than a couple of times. All these memories were brought to top of mine as the Regent Seven Seas Voyager sailed into New York Harbor.
Above: Downtown Manhattan. New York, NY. 26 September 2017.
Image taken by Bishop from observation lounge, Regent Seven Seas Voyager.
The image of The Freedom Tower, where the Twin Towers once were, is sobering.
While visiting NYC last October, Hoops and Mwah (sic) visited Lower Manhattan and the Freedom Tower site.
Above: Ship Terminal. New York City, NY. 26 September 2017.
Image taken by Bishop from observation lounge, Regent Seven Seas Voyager.
I never tire of watching a ship's crew ease a big ship into its berth.
Above: Sette Maria Restaurant. Ship Terminal. Regent Seven Seas Voyager. 26 September 2017.
Image captured by Mwah (sic) from our dinner table overlooks Hudson River.
Don't try to find this restaurant on the Hudson. It moves from place to place. Last time we dined there was in Cartagena, Colombia, five days ago.
Above: TIMDT helps load SUV transport to JFK outside of the ship terminal, 49th Street and 12th Avenue. New York, NY. 27 September 2017.
All immobilized Bishop can do is take an image. Bishop shudders as he contemplates the day when TIMDT demands payback.
Looking back, we made the right decision to come on this cruise.
The time has passed quickly and I have enjoyed the experience notwithstanding my impaired mobility. The Panama Canal and New York Harbor, both bucket list experiences, could be enjoyed without getting off the ship. The day trip to Cartagena, my first visit to Colombia, was excellent. We enjoyed fine dining meals and pleasant social interaction with our friends.
I remember how uncertain I felt when, three weeks before the cruise, TIMDT insisted that we would be going, notwithstanding my infirmity (tibia plateau fracture; no weight bearing on right leg). We had paid for the cruise and had no trip insurance. Still, I was OK with writing off the payment as traipsing around airports and cruise terminals with one gimpy leg seemed to be an obstacle too much to overcome.
TIMDT's resourcefulness and effort in making the trip happen, considering my tentative attitude and the large number of special planning steps required, is nothing short of amazing.
She organized all of the equipment... walker, wheel chair, crutches. She set up all of the transfer arrangements at airport and cruise terminals, and squired me all over the ship to restaurants and lounges during the voyage.
Kudos TIMDT.
Addendum:
Hey Mr. Mariner,
I wanted to contribute my birthday wishes to TIMDT. It goes without saying that Margaret is looking lovely, but you also clean up good. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so shiny.
May fair winds and following seas speed you to New York.
Cheers,
Mrs. Driggs,
Promentory, UT
Margaret looks beautiful. Same can't be said for her traveling companion.
I assume you read The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough before you left on this cruise. If not, it's not too late. It is, I think, the definitive book on the building of the Panama Canal.
Zookeeper,
Williamstown, MA
I tried to get a hard copy just before I left. Failed. Don't like reading from tablets... though, TIMDT put it on her tablet for me. I'll definitely get a copy and read it on return.