Today’s Activities
Log
04:50 AM: We’re up. We showered last night before leaving home so we’d be ready at 5:30 AM this morning, to board the bus sister Mary Ann arranged, that will take us to New York City today.
05:30 AM: We had some trouble sleeping, perhaps owing to the fact that we’re not in my home, where we’re both much more used to sleeping. But our anticipation and excitement for today’s trip is helping us overcome any tiredness we might have otherwise felt due to a lack of sleep last night. We’re boarding the bus now. Brrrrr. It’s cold out, and there’s no sign yet of daylight in the moon-lit sky.
08:45 AM: We pulled over at a rest stop, whose name I do not know, in order to stretch our legs and take care of any business of nature any of us 35 day-trippers might have. Much longer lines snaked around the interior of the visitor center at the rest stop, much longer than the line to the mens room. I would notice this phenomenon at every public rest room I stopped at this day, both in New York and in PA.
09:00 AM: We’re back on the road again.
11:30 AM: We arrived in New York City, at 8th Ave. and 48th street. This is very close to the Disney store, Time Square, and Radio City Music Hall, which we’ll be taking in a Rockette show at 4:30 PM: this afternoon.
12:00 PM: We visited Time Square, saw where they drop the New Years ball, and saw the Nasdaq headquarters and numerous other memorable businesses.
12:35 PM: We toured the Disney store. The crowds are intense; not just in the store, but all over the side walks as well. This complicated staying together with the rest of our party. So, [Emmy] and I decided to go off on our own. We wanted to see the 9/11 memorial. So we grabbed a cab and asked him to take us there.
01:00 PM: We’ve arrived at the 9/11 memorial. The new Freedom Tower, which replaces the north and south towers of the World Trade Center that were destroyed on 9/11/2001, is still under construction. So there was no shortage of bustling activity all around the site.
01:15 PM: We learned unfortunately that we could not enter the interior of the memorial, where the fountain and name plaques are, because we did not pre register. Further, security regulations are quite tight and we worried that with our back packs, they might make us surrender them. With so many people there, we were concerned that they’d be lost. So, next time we come, we’ll leave the back packs at home and make sure we pre register.
02:00 PM: However, we could enter the 9/11 memorial visitor center, where we picked up some pamphlets about the freedom tower and about 9/11 itself. We also examined what appeared to be a bronze mural on the wall facing the freedom tower just outside the visitor center. This mural detailed events on 9/11, including the burning towers, firemen rigging up hoses and other equipment, and the police directing rescue operations. With the pictures raised, [Emmy] could feel them and better appreciate their messages.
02:05 PM: We hailed a cab to Rockefeller Center, to see the traditional Christmas tree that they put up there every year.
02:25 PM: We arrived at Rockefeller Center and gazed at that beautiful and very large tree for several minutes. I took a few pictures of it with my cell phone camera.
02:40 PM: We then headed for Radio City Music Hall to hang out until the Rockettes Christmas Show began at 4:30 PM. But as soon as we arrived, we learned of the “Stage Door” tour that we could take, that details the history of this hall, its hydraulic stage that can be elevated as well as turned. We decided to go on this tour since we had some time to kill.
04:00 PM: The Radio City Music Hall stage door tour just ended. We got to listen to a Rockette answer questions about what it takes to become as well as remain a Rockette. No seniority there. No matter how experienced, every lady must re audition every year to retain her position in the company. They also showed a video of how the stage is elevated and turned. Neat. Plus, they talked about the recent 70 million dollar restoration of the hall. Quite informative.
04:15 PM: After the tour finished, we headed to our reserved seats in the hall to await the start of the Christmas show. This is where we reunited with sister Mary Ann and her family.
04:30 PM: The show began, right on schedule.
05:55 PM: The show just ended. Spectacular. Perfectly flawless music orchestra and no errors were made by the dancers that I could see. While I might have found this sort of theater boring as a kid, I’m awed by it today because of the level of perfection it displays. I better appreciate today just how much it takes to put a high-quality performance like this one together. What a wonderful way to stoke the Christmas spirits than to spend a day during the season in New York City, taking in a Christmas show in one of the most world renowned theaters. Sweet.
06:45 PM: We hung out in one of the lobbies of the music hall then and enjoyed a virgin Rockettini drink. It had quite a fruity flavor that did not decrease as the ice in the glass melted. I bet that the ice was probably not water, as it did not dilute the flavor of the drink over time. Perhaps they made this ice by freezing some of the liquid in the drink.
06:45 PM: We left Radio City Music Hall, bound for the Rockefeller Christmas tree. We wanted to see it again, but in the dark this time.
07:15 PM: We passed by the NBC studios on the way to the tree, which is where they broadcast NBC’s Nightly News from. The tree was as gorgeous at night as much as it was this afternoon when we saw it the first time. Perhaps this second visit would be considered redundant by some. But I found it equally as enjoyable as the first nonetheless.
07:20 PM: We then headed to the pick-up point for our bus back to State College.
07:45 PM: The bus arrived a few minutes late due to the heavy traffic on this busiest Christmas shopping day in NYC. We had to board quickly, as the driver could not remain stopped for long without being fined on that busy 8th Ave. The trip home begins.
08:50 PM: We arrived at some Mall in New Jersey I think, to get some supper at its food court.
09:20 PM: [Emmy] and I got some veggie pizza and we had some cookies for dessert that sister Mary Ann brought with her. We’re back on the bus once again, speeding toward State College and sister Mary Ann’s place.
12:05 AM: The daily traffic stats from yesterday for my blogs. The monthly keyword hit count for this run is 812, up from 810 at last check. The record high for this dimension remains at 1788. The next goal: 2000.
12:30 AM: We arrived at sister Mary Ann’s. We had originally planned on spending this night as we did last. However, our driver needed to get home. So we packed up our belongings in Mary Ann’s basement, and began the half-hour trip back to Altoona.
01:00 AM: We’re home! We’re so so tired. Heading to bed now. More tomorrow. Good night.
Tom Hesley
Received Mail and Shipments
None today.
Related Posts and Links
Good night.