This year we found inexpensive tickets and Rob and I decided to fly up to NYC to visit Ginny. The trip got off to an inauspicious start, there were high winds in NYC so they closed one of the runways at LaGuardia and the fight was delayed until almost the time it was supposed to land. Then just as we were about to take the active runway at RDU a passenger decided that this flight was not for her and asked to be let off. Well the captain then taxied back to the gate where she and her bags were removed from the plane. The rest of the flight was uneventful. There was one moment when we were approaching NYC from the south and we could see lower Manhattan from the air and the absence of the twin towers of the World Trade Center was painfully obvious. Once we landed we managed to get on the wrong bus and had to take an extra subway to get to Ginny's stop. I forgot to get a 'transfer' but I now realize that just swiping our Metro Passes probably did the trick automatically, pretty nice system. We could have taken the M66 buss all the way down to York Avenue from the Hunter College subway stop, and uses another 'free' transfer but we decided to walk instead. Early Saturday morning Ginny and I had a great walk along the East River. This walk followed a really nice foot path all the way from the Queensboro bridge up to Gracie Mansion. When we got back to the apartment Rob was up and we got ready for the days travels. We started off to visit the Hayden Planetarium. We picked up Joe on the way and we passed a fire truck backing into their garage. When we reached Central Park we cut across the park via the duck pond and the Rambles. When we arrived at the museum we found that the fellow who took our money for tickets decided to give us all member prices rather than just Ginny and Joe who had memberships, those prices are one half the normal price. After looking at the show we started on the exhibits surrounding the sphere. This planetarium is probably one of the neatest places on the planet. On Sunday we took off for China Town and Dim-Sum, this is a traditional Chinese feast where you sit in this huge lunchroom and they bring around carts of food. You pick which dish you want and they just deliver it and stamp you bill. We had a wonderful time sampling "real" Chinese cuisine. After lunch we went to a Chinese grocery store and to a Chinese ice cream store where I had two scoops, one of green tea and one of ginger. On the way back up town we went through Washington Square where we saw some genuine performance art. This fellow with a wooden sword had selected two folks from the "audience" and had each one hold 1/2 an orange. After much practice and discussion he got each of the volunteers to pitch his or hers orange slice toward him. He then went swoop, swoop and cut each orange half in two. Next on to Union Square where we got back on the subway and headed back to Ginny's apartment. Sunday night was the academy awards night and we watched and cheered for Lord of the Rings. I think A Beautiful Mind deserved to win the best picture award. Monday, we just hung out at the apartment while Rob rested up, he really had a terrible cold the whole trip and probably needed the rest. That night we played some pool in the faculty club and then went to see the movie Sorority Boys (sort of a new version of Animal House except a lot more lewd, dumb and scatological. Tuesday it was off to the Empire State Building. After that Rob went back to the apartment while Ginny and I headed up to the Guggenheim. Ginny had a class she was teaching at 2pm so we went to a pet store right there at the subway stop and she headed back to her apartment. I went on the museum and found it to be really nice experience. When I got back to the apartment we waited for Ginny to show up and headed off to the Atlantic Grill restaurant for a really nice seafood supper. The prices were about what you would expect in a really nice restaurant in Raleigh. After supper we handed back to the facility club and played pool till about 11pm. Wednesday morning we got up and headed out for the airport. Wednesday was as beautiful as Tuesday was rainy and gray. We had a nice flight back and as we stepped out on the curb from the baggage claim area Evelyn pulled up to pick us up (good timing!).
Spring Break 2002 Using Frames.
Robert about to sneeze in the RDU airport.
Heading out on our walk Saturday AM.
At the beginning of our walk up the East River.
A lighthouse where the East River and the Harlem River come together.
Looking back down the west channel of the East River
Looking up the river toward the raised foot bridge.
Close up of Sea Gulls on the railing.
Gracie Mansion the mayor of New York's residence.
Ginny with the Gracie Mansion in the background.
Ginny and Papa back in the apartment.
Fred and the grass skirt.
Rob and the grass skirt.
Picking up Joe at the lab.
NYFD backing a ladder truck into the station.
The Pigeon Lady near entrance of Central Park.
Rob and Ginny in Central Park.
Joe, Rob and Ginny in Central Park.
A metal tree in Central Park.
Joe, Rob, and Ginny at Bethesda fountain beside the duck pond.
Duck pond with just under the water fountains.
Joe, Rob and Ginny in the Central Park Ramble.
Joe, Rob and Ginny in the Central Park Ramble.
The Hayden Planetarium.
Ginny and Robert at the scale exhibit.
Rob and Joe at the scale exhibit.
Papa at the start of the Big Bang.
Papa, Ginny, and Joe outside the Hayden Planetarium.
Ginny, Joe and Rob outside the Hayden Planetarium.
Geodesic dome auditorium at Rockefeller University.
Ginny and Joe at the Dim Sum restaurant.
Joe and Alexis at the Dim Sum restaurant.
Carlos at the Dim Sum restaurant.
Ginny, Rob and Joe at the Dim Sum restaurant.
Ginny and Papa in Washington Square.
Orange Slicer - Performance Art In Washington Square
Outside Union Square Subway Police Station
Coming back from the movie on the bus.
Heading out in the morning on the subway.
The Empire State Building.
The Foyer of the Empire State Building.
Windy and Rainy at the top.
Looking west
Looking north
Looking north east
Looking east
Looking south east
Looking south
Ginny & Rob
Looking south
In the mirror
Looking north
The Guggenheim
The Guggenheim
Tickets
The Atlantic Grill
Papa & Poster
Pool Player Rob
Pool Player Joe
Pool Player Papa
Pool Player Ginny
Dueling Computers
Our Stretch Taxi
Robert In The Airport Eating Breakfast
Robert In The Airport Eating Breakfast
View out the window of the concourse
View out the window of the concourse
Inside our ride home
View while taxing
View while taxing
Goodbye to New York City
Landing side by side
zachcox@pobox.comThis page last updated Friday, April 12th, 2002