New York City - Arriving and Gary Sinise

“Apparently when tourists take a bite out of the Big Apple, the apple isn't supposed to bite back.”

Gone

New York City 19th September to 30th September.

Day One – Sunday, 19th September

We drove from home with Oscar around 9:15. Our little orange car brought us to Dubliner Str.

We arrived Otto Lilienthal Airport, better know as Tegel 10 before ten. Check in didn’t last that long but my mom and me were a little frightened not to sit together. We had no seat reservations. The plane was very full. We got an offer to flight the next day (with offers of a Hotel in Berlin, free delivery…)…

…unbelievable. We wanted to go to NYC as soon as possible.

But we had much luck and sat together…row 34, seat D and E.

How to pass nine hours in a little loud tube? It was okay, better than I thought. Two of the four shown movies were very, very good, the other two, awful. The food was good, too but as we arrived JFK airport in time 14:28 US East Coast Time, we had to stay 30 more minutes on the airfield to wait for an empty lot for the plane. Then we stood 20 minutes in a hot and sticky tunnel with no go on and finally in the line of the US emigration…another 30 minutes. Jippy, I had to pass my both hand prints, both index finger prints and they took a picture of my face. But at least the guy how did it was very kind and in a good mood.

After so many minutes to enter finally the US, our luggage waited lonely on the baggage claim.

Because we were getting used of waiting we had another 20 minutes in the line for a cab…a real yellow cap…wowser. But we had a nice chat in the line with other Berlin travelers of our plane, who visit their daughter, who’s doing a three month traineeship in New York.

John our host was waiting for us in Brooklyn in front of the house, his two sweet little guys in the vacation home. He showed us the simple but beautiful rooms and then went with us on a little neighborhood walk.

Now it was after seven and we were awake for 18 hours and really tiered, but we went on another little walk to get a few groceries and check the bus station. We really had made planes to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge at day one but with all the waiting inside the airport we decide to switch this.

My mom and me fell totally groggy into bed at nine…or better three in the morning our time. You should see the bed of my mom…I never saw a larger bed…it was wider than long.

Day Two – Monday, 20th September

We slept well but I woke around four. I napped until six but then I had to get up.

After a little breakfast we took bus 38 to Brooklyn Bridge and then started to walk over…we finally saw the skyscrapers. My first thought was, okay nice view, but not this spectacular. You had to get closer, to get fascinated and we did with every further step.

End of Brooklyn Bridge we headed a little right and transit the City Hall toward One Police Plaza. I really stood before the entrance, looked at the round black sign…unbelievable. What a feeling. But the whole building and the entrance area is a little smaller than thought. Nevertheless, it was an amazing feeling. Unfortunately there was a fence around so you couldn’t take a look at hall. And because of the sentinel I made my picture from far away. Now after the ten days, I would do it right through the fence.

We went away and stood before the Court Building…looked in real also a little smaller. We got a muffin and a nut marzipan spiral…jamjamjam and sat in the sun in front of the court…the hectic city around us. It’s really noise everywhere. I hadn’t expected this.

With new power we walked along the Broadway to Battery Park (why I always say Baddery Park ;o)) and then along the water side to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in Lower Manhattan.

Pier after Pier we reached number 19 and the Peking. What a beautiful ship, built from Blohm + Voss in Hamburg and then we saw a film team – making a joke that we’re not at home. I saw a guy wearing a Criminal Intent hoody…my heart beat stopped for a second and I thought, no it can’t be. There the great news about S10 hadn’t arrived yet.

And then Gary Sinise crossed our ways.

He walked from left to right in a black long coat (too hot for the temperatures). I was speechless and my mom and I just could stare behind and how he entered the Peking. We waited five more minutes and hoped for another cast member of CSI: NY but hadn’t more luck. I took a few pictures of the guy in the CI sweater, just for my own pleasure.

We continued our tourist tour and walked to Ground Zero along the Wall Street. We arrived the huge building lot around noon. All the workers in their yellow and orange vests with ‘Never Forget’ signs made their lunch in the streets around.

When they really want to finish the new towers at 10th anniversary they have to work night and day and will need even a little bit more time.

We had another break at the Hudson in the shadow of the World Financial Center and watched the sailers of Manhattan Sailing School…so cool. I used them once in a Christmas fanfiction.

We drove with the subway to 42nd Street and walked it from west to east. Checked Grand Central to know where to meet Susan the next day and then in a bus again southwards. We though it would go a little more south, but so we nearly walked along the whole Bowery. Then again west inside Little Italy and Chinatown for something warm to eat.

At least we stood again behind One PP (see, if Major Case is really in 11th floor it would be nearly on top) and tried to find the next subway station to drive home…

…I think we walked a few miles…and a few more ;o)