Where Is Joey Today?

There is no place like home

Update: this entry is finished (pictures and all)


The order of my last two blogs may have been a little confusing. I wrote that past one as my final blog while in New York. I realized after I did my first draft, that I still had more to write about my trip (not much more) and a few wrap up comments of everything in general. So this blog starts with us arriving in New York and continues until walking into our house. I also decided to start a personal blog for my normal life (this one will be only for traveling) which can be found at http://joeyisrighthere.blogspot.com

This is photo is one that Dad particularly liked. I am shedding the coat that became a part of me for the past two months and ready to try some normal pizza and Mountain Dew that actually tastes like Mountain Dew. If my face looks a little more red than normal, that is because I got toasted in the Sierra Nevada.

There was a line for the taxis so this guy comes up to us and asks us if we need a ride, we say yes and he starts walking toward his car. "Wait do you have a taxi" "Nah man just a car"

Yeah okay. I wouldn't do that in Tampa much less in New York.

We went to our hotel which was next to Laguardia and Shea Stadium. Em started to feel bad just as I was getting over my illness. The law of Conservation of Misery holds.

The next day, we left Em to sleep while Dad and I went to my mother's Uncle Frank's house. She has lots of fond memories of his house and in particular the basement which always fascinated her. We went on foot and figured if Frank could do it as an old man, my mother walking it with her luggage in hand, the two of us should have no problems. Yeah...I certainly hope my mother did not walk that with luggage as it took us the better part of one and a half hours to get there with not much in the way of breaks in between.

With Em still under the weather we headed decided not to go into the city, which was fine by me as the last quarter mile of that walk back I got a visit from the chafing fairy. TMI, I know.

So the next day, Em felt better and we took a bus into Queens (I think Laguardia is in Queens?) and jumped on the subway to head to Times Square. What an impressive area! I feel so embarassed comparing the Puerta Del Sol in Madrid to this place. Dad, who saw it during the 70s, thought it was like the opposite of Back to the Future II. He skipped forward in time and everything had changed for the better. There is a lot of energy in that Midtown area especially given that it was a Sunday afternoon. There were no aggresive panhandlers, drug dealers, and hookers that gave the area a bad reputation in years past. Quite a different story now where it is a pleasure to stroll through.

We made stops at Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center, both Emily and I thought the rink was smaller in person.

From there we went to the Empire State building which has a view of New York that is not entirely ugly. It was so windy up there! I am sure that is a welcome development during the later spring and summer when it is unbearably hot but blustery 45F air was slicing through us.

A bit more admiring and then we visited Ground Zero. After seeing that, I think I can see the point of view that wants to keep the hole as is. In the past, I was in the school of thought that we should build the exact same buildings but I think that would be really painful for the survivors and the families of the victims.

With a few hours before leaving we headed back to Queens where we ate at a local pizza place. After jumping on the bus we made it back to the hotel and then to JFK two hours before takeoff. As we waited we asked about my sister's lost luggage which was awaiting shipment to Tampa. Deciding to give them one less opportunity to screw things up, we jumped on the air train and picked it up personally.

While waiting for the flight, I think I saw BJ Novak (Ryan the Temp) from the Office coming out of the men's room.

Just after midnight I arrived at home (Mom made a sign :-P) and dove into some chips and salsa. The next day, we took home the NY style Chinese Food I craved, and for Tuesday lunch, Cuban pork with black beans and rice.

I'll probably post once more in addition to updating this with more photos. DONE If you haven't already, read the last paragraph of my last blog entry.

Here is Dad (looking brilliant, I might add) and Em standing at the location of the Rockefeller "(generic) Holiday" tree



--Joey