Trip from Galloway to New York City.
An early start to drive to Tom River Park and Ride from New Jersey Transit to New York City. Left Marriott Fairway Resort at 8.05am arrived at Tom Tiver town / city at 8.50am worked out Howe to pay the US$2 parking fee, then purchase a Senior return ticket to NJPort Authority Bus Terminal in W42nd street New York. It seemed to work well and even better as I left the building the 137 Bus arrived. It was nearly full coming from Atlantic city and I sat next to a lady who makes this trip each day.
The trip was uneventful although the traffic crossing through the Lincoln tunnel was extreme and at a walking pace. The JJ Port Authority building is an immense structure with buses arriving at about 6-8 gates and parking bays on each floor. We arrived in 319, which will be the return departure point at a time of likely 3.17pm.
I walked through this immense building to find my way out onto W41 Street and purchased a Hop on hop off bus ride through Top View.
There was a 5 minute walk to the bus pick up and I chose to do Time Square last. I walked passed the New York Times building and boarded a bus at the first stop. It was 10.38am and already hot. Fortunately , I did bring my golf sleeves and applied sun cream. The ride took off with a packed bus and we passed by the Empire State Building, which was a short walk down the street.
We continues on slowly through the various districts.
Ken got off the Bus at Broadway neat City Hall, walked across to that’s building took some photos of the park, sat and had a drink and then walked toward the World trade Centre site, the memorials and the Freedom Tower.
This is a wonderful bright busting city with an infectious smile from thousands of enthusiastic locals and tourists like us bringing a drive and an energy. Not everyone is doing well with many of the poor and down trodden lying about, but all large cities have similar areas. This are around City Hall is one of my favourites, people scurrying about, the beautiful old St Paul’s Church which survived 9/11 and the new Station which has finally been completed.
The City Hall is a beautiful building with stunning architecture.
The walk from here to The World Trade Centre and the Freedom tower and Memorials for 9/11 is only about 5-10 minutes. In some respect these new buildings have created their own history and value and many tourists come here ahead of the traditional Statue of Liberty, time Square and similar places representative of New York over the ages.
I still find these places inspiring yet sickening when you realise the devastation of the planes crashing into the World Trade Centre buildings in 2021. The memorials are stunningly beautiful. I spent almost 40 minutes in this precinct before catching a Topview bus to Battery point.
The Architecture of the Freedom Tower is simple, stunning and rises as a symbol andphoenix of the way forward and the future desires of the people.
From here Ken boarded the bus again and it was really hot as we went down broadway and then to the point and saw the Hudson River for the first time.
This was again a different process as these areas are really residential dormitories for the rich and famous as well as the many districts which house the workers able to live in the city without having to transit.
Ken got of the bus as we navigated W42nd Street and made his way to Times Square. It was a wonderful way to finish his time in New York City . Unfortunately, his phone had failed/ lost power as battery was exhausted.
Time was getting away, no time to do the Blue line and traverse Central Park .
Ken hurried back to the NJ Port authority Transit Centre and caught the 3.17pm bus from the Port Transit building to Tom’s River Ride and Park arriving in heavy traffic at 4.58pm. The freeway was sensational with up to 6 lanes ( 2 express lanes). Walked to hips car at 137 and then drove back to Marriotts Fairway Villas at Galloway. It took a little longer and he walked in the door at 5.58pm.
Have had a wonderful day enjoying the buzz and life of New York. He didn’t really have sufficient time but made the most of it. Like all big cities they have their own character and life.
A quiet evening .