28 September 2018
Still feeding us on the last evening in Lisbon.
Michelle has a 6.30 am flight, so we were up and away in the taxi at 4 am. WT and I accompanied Michelle to Terminal 1. She checked-in and got her tax refund stamp. She collected her 19.95 euro refund at Customs in Barcelona because it was too early in Lisbon.
All done by 5 am, and the buses don't start till 5.30 am and the metro 6.30 am. We finally got on a bus which took us to the middle of CBD by 6 am.
We ran across some statues that are normally queued out during the day.
After walking west a for a km or so, we boarded the 28 tram which took us to Prazeres near Alcantara.
We were ready to leave by noon, but the taxi was booked for 1pm. So a walk to Park Tapada das Necessidades was mooted and done.
As we leave the Iberian peninsular, we have done 164,000 steps (according to TC's phone) in these 2 cities, equal to 120km. About 12 km a day and not all on the horizontal either.
We booked the same guy Jose who took Michelle this morning because he had a nice Dacia Stationwagon. He doesn't speak English, so I wondered if my verbal booking was understood.
So I decided to Whatsapp him.
Jose duly delivered us to Terminal 1, his wagon taking all 4 check-in bags and us. By this third visit to Lisbon airport, we have become a well-oiled check-in machine.
We were thru security and border control with 2 hours to spare. So we had lunch and relaxed.
TC was heading off to the UK to visit his sisters for a few weeks. We then parted to our respective gates for boarding.
WT got a red security sticker on her passport from the security person, so her carry on was checked at the gates. Mum and I were yellow stickered.
The 8 hour flight to JFK was very pleasant for me. I managed 2 movies, couple of naps and some red vinho.
We brought copies of our itinerary and ESTA, and of course US immigration was not interested, and stamped us thru. Soon we were waiting for Simon (WT's brother) and Belinda to pick us up, and he fed us dinner at a noodles cafe.
The temperature in NY was 17C, about 17C lower than sunny Lisbon and Barcelona. This is a relieve for us. I was more careless about covering up than the others, so strap marks from my watch and TEVA sandals were pronounced. TC's temperature drop was even more significant at 14C. This might be a fung saap risk for him.
Crashed at the AirBnB in Flushing, Queens and that's all I remember about this evening of a 29 hour day (NYC is 5 hours behind Lisbon).
29 September 2018
It is Saturday in New York City. Belinda took us on the Chinatown to Chinatown shuttle, from Flushing to Manhattan this morning. 3 bucks each, and we met up with Gaik Sim (GS) and Maggie.
Gaik Sim recently travelled on the central Europe tour with mum and WT, and there were warm greetings all around.
You can't walk thru Chinatown in Manhattan without poking and picking at things.
GS took us to a local favourite for dumplings and noodles.
It really is as good as it looks. I ate one of the buns before WT reminded me to shoot.
Then it was time to go for a walk to see the changes in Manhattan from our last time here 5 years ago.
Woolworths tower on the right as we strolled towards the 911 memorial past the Civic Centre.
The memorial is now a public space, and no booking or scanning is required. Being Sunday the crowds are out in force. But I squeezed in this video.
Then we came to the "Oculus", the centre piece of the WTC transportation hub.
It has hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail and dining space, and all the major metro lines run thru it.
It took an age of waving to get them to turn around after dozens of back head shots over the Oculus concourse from the top of the stairs.
Luckily the girl in the foreground noticed, so she smiled for me.
We went up to this entire floor of an Italian themed deli and eatery.
And then onto the connecting bridge over West Street to Brookfield Place and harbour.
Then it was on to the east side of Manhattan, Seaport. The Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges behind us.
A quick refreshment stop at GS's flat and we went back to Flushing on what GS calls the Chinatown chicken bus.
Simon hosted dinner with some excellent Caymus Cab Sav from Napa Valley, succulent filet mignon
and .....
and a 7lb Alaskan King crab.
Still feeding us on the last evening in Lisbon.
Michelle has a 6.30 am flight, so we were up and away in the taxi at 4 am. WT and I accompanied Michelle to Terminal 1. She checked-in and got her tax refund stamp. She collected her 19.95 euro refund at Customs in Barcelona because it was too early in Lisbon.
All done by 5 am, and the buses don't start till 5.30 am and the metro 6.30 am. We finally got on a bus which took us to the middle of CBD by 6 am.
After walking west a for a km or so, we boarded the 28 tram which took us to Prazeres near Alcantara.
We were ready to leave by noon, but the taxi was booked for 1pm. So a walk to Park Tapada das Necessidades was mooted and done.
As we leave the Iberian peninsular, we have done 164,000 steps (according to TC's phone) in these 2 cities, equal to 120km. About 12 km a day and not all on the horizontal either.
We booked the same guy Jose who took Michelle this morning because he had a nice Dacia Stationwagon. He doesn't speak English, so I wondered if my verbal booking was understood.
So I decided to Whatsapp him.
We were thru security and border control with 2 hours to spare. So we had lunch and relaxed.
TC was heading off to the UK to visit his sisters for a few weeks. We then parted to our respective gates for boarding.
WT got a red security sticker on her passport from the security person, so her carry on was checked at the gates. Mum and I were yellow stickered.
The 8 hour flight to JFK was very pleasant for me. I managed 2 movies, couple of naps and some red vinho.
We brought copies of our itinerary and ESTA, and of course US immigration was not interested, and stamped us thru. Soon we were waiting for Simon (WT's brother) and Belinda to pick us up, and he fed us dinner at a noodles cafe.
The temperature in NY was 17C, about 17C lower than sunny Lisbon and Barcelona. This is a relieve for us. I was more careless about covering up than the others, so strap marks from my watch and TEVA sandals were pronounced. TC's temperature drop was even more significant at 14C. This might be a fung saap risk for him.
Crashed at the AirBnB in Flushing, Queens and that's all I remember about this evening of a 29 hour day (NYC is 5 hours behind Lisbon).
29 September 2018
It is Saturday in New York City. Belinda took us on the Chinatown to Chinatown shuttle, from Flushing to Manhattan this morning. 3 bucks each, and we met up with Gaik Sim (GS) and Maggie.
GS took us to a local favourite for dumplings and noodles.
Then it was time to go for a walk to see the changes in Manhattan from our last time here 5 years ago.
Woolworths tower on the right as we strolled towards the 911 memorial past the Civic Centre.
The memorial is now a public space, and no booking or scanning is required. Being Sunday the crowds are out in force. But I squeezed in this video.
It took an age of waving to get them to turn around after dozens of back head shots over the Oculus concourse from the top of the stairs.
And then onto the connecting bridge over West Street to Brookfield Place and harbour.
A quick refreshment stop at GS's flat and we went back to Flushing on what GS calls the Chinatown chicken bus.
Simon hosted dinner with some excellent Caymus Cab Sav from Napa Valley, succulent filet mignon
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