St. Paul’s Chapel and World Trade Center Construction Site

After spending several hours nestled in the mesmerizing lullaby of the railroad, I descended into Penn Station and thus into the heart of Manhattan. I admit, anxiety nipped at my heart; although I spent a year here as a young and ambitious drama student, that experience was over twenty years ago. My youthful gumption was but a box of darkened cobwebs in my memory. I’m older and much more cautious now. I prayed that my naivete and apprehension is not reflected on my face, lest I become a target for unscrupulous taxi drivers and all the muggers and criminals that roam New York’s busy, chaotic streets (or so we Upstaters are taught to believe).

So after getting lost in Penn Station and finally emerging from the chaotic underground crowds, I walked up to 7th Avenue…. and walked… and walked… ! Check in time for my hotel was 3pm, and it was only 1pm. I figured I’d walk around in the area, and hopefully find Trinity Church, where Alexander Hamilton and his wife are buried.

I’d almost forgotten how really chaotic the streets are in the city. I tried to think of how I would describe the experience to my children when I returned home to tell the tale. The biggest cities they’ve experienced are Syracuse and Utica; how to compare? It’s like trying to compare Rhode Island to Texas. And it was just as hot as Texas, today, too.

So I walked…. and walked… and walked!! The heat as well as the traffic was totally stifling. On occasion, I saw a person (a foreigner– you could tell they were a foreigner because they dressed differently and were very short) roll a large red Igloo cooler down the street and park it on a street corner. Then they started yelling, “ONE DAH-RAR!!! ONE DAH_RAR!” in a very thick accent. Wha? What were they saying?? I passed by several such “ONE DAH-RAR” people…. I finally figured it out when I saw a tall blond lady with sunglasses trot over to the foreigner. She waved a dollar bill, which was promptly exchanged for a plastic bottle of water. WATER! I was terribly thirsty, having had nothing but a cup of coffee at 6:30 that morning. But all my “DAH-RARs” were packed tightly in my purse, which was packed tightly in my backpack… which was now permanently glued to my back with all the sweat from walking hours in 90 degree weather. :-p Maybe I could dig out my money when I could find a place to rest.

I kept walking; I was looking for Trinity Church, but stumbled upon St. Paul’s Chapel. I expected the chapel to be quiet and meditative, but was shocked to see it full of tourists!

There are several displays in the chapel. George Washington, as well as many other statesmen and families, sat for a service and took communion here, on the day of Washington’s inauguration as President of the United States.

This pew is where he sat. I wonder if even back then, historians surrounded the Chapel, scribbling notes for posterity, and making plans to preserve everything Washington touched??

That is the original Great Seal of the President of the United States.

Here is George Clinton’s pew.

The chapel itself is very unassuming, and rather small. It has a lovely balcony and I liked the architecture of the columns. I apologize for the quality of the photography– I’d packed my cheapo camera because I ‘d wanted to travel lightly. :-p Never skimp on the camera… I’ll never leave my nice one home again. The photos are disappointing.

It was hot and steamy in the chapel, and I saw no water dispensers anywhere. In fact, a small sign in the chapel stated, “No water available.”

Oh great.

I’d come to New York city on one of the hottest summer days of the year so far. It had been very cool in Upstate that week– temperatures barely reaching the 70s. I made the mistake of assuming that Downstate was going to have the same weather as Upstate. WHAT a mistake! So I peeled off my jacket and wandered back onto the streets, looking for one of those beverage vendors that glutted the streets near Penn Station, several hours ago. No one was around. Figures!

I continued to wander around, looking for Trinity Church. Two decades ago, I knew the general area well. But everything seemed different now… and there was a TON of construction everywhere that confused me. It was construction at Ground Zero, for the new World Trade Center.

I haven’t kept updated on what’s going on here. Apparently, they are building a new tower. I knew a memorial was going to go here… but I didn’t see one. Everything was closed off by 10-foot blue wooden fencing. Crowds and crowds of people clustered around the streets. Finally, I spotted a street vendor!!! I gingerly opened my purse (didn’t want to have someone come along and grab what was in there!) and quickly pulled out a dollar bill from the wad.

“I’ll take a bottle of cold water; how much?” I asked, expecting the vendor to say the customary “ONE DAH-RAR.”

“One-fifty.”

“One-fifty?!? The other guys are selling it for $1!”

“What other guy?”

“Down the street, with a big cooler. One dollar!”

“oooookkk….” he grabs my dollar bill.

AHHH glorious water!

Moral of the story: always haggle with the vendors. You may get a good deal.

After guzzling my precious water, I was energized enough to try to find Trinity Church. I’ll have that story in the next series.

NYC Car Service

Planning on a trip to New York City? Take it from me— don’t drive! The traffic there is insane! (Not to mention the pedestrians and bicyclists zig-zagging all over the streets). Your car will use up most of its gasoline, idling at traffic stops! Save yourself the hassle of driving and navigating through traffic by hiring expert driving professionals to escort you to and through the City: GoAirlinkNYC.com. They have some of the best escort rates for Car Service NYCin the tri-city area. GoAirlinkNYC.com specializes in airport shuttle service, as well as transfers to and from hotels, residences, businesses, and the NYC/Westchester/Connecticut area. Starting prices are at $13!

GoAirlinkNYC.com maintains safe, modern vehicles (sedans, SUVs, and larger vans) for anywhere from 4 to 56 passengers, with amenities like air-conditioning and heating, upholsterd seating, separate luggage compartments, and more. You can reserve a private vehicle for your own personal escort service, too.

Check out the website or call GoAirlinkNYC.com at 877 599-8200. You can see the various packages and specials on the website, get fare quotes, and even make reservations.

GoAirlinkNYC.com is an official permit holder by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and accredited by the Travel Industry Association of America and the American Bus Association. They guarantee great prices, excellent service, and timely service. Forget the hassles and frustrations of driving through New York City and the surrounding area- go with GoAirlinkNYC.

Charters Buses for New York City Sightseeing

Going to New York City? Take it from me– DON’T DRIVE! I mean, if you want an enjoyable visit, that is. We in Upstate usually take a train or plane down, and use bus transportation for our sightseeing. The traffic in New York City can be extremely harrowing, and a lot of times, you spend more energy dodging traffic and waiting in gridlock than doing any sightseeing! I recommend charter buses for New York City Tours, particularly CitySightsNY. They are a well-established, highly accredited tourist charter bus organization, recognized by the Travel Industry Association of America, Student & Youth Travel, the American Bus Association, and others. And if you go to their website– CitySightsNY.com, you’ll see all their packages with prices and descriptive details about every tour. The bus tours are really fun– CitySightsNY.com offers their unique double-decker bus tour for a really unique way of seeing the city! CitySightsNY.com covers all of New York City Uptown and Downtown, Brooklyn, and various other locations in the tri-city area. They also offer various packages to museums, landmarks, shopping areas, and one-day escorted motorcoach tours to Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. There’s a terrific special of Uptown, Downtown, Brooklyn, night tour combo for $49 right now– a phenomenal deal!

I love this site– and you can order tickets online, too, and get $5 off your order. Or, if you prefer the personal touch, call them directly at 212-812-2700. You can also check the site for helicopter rides and harbor cruises! Prices are very reasonable, I think. And you won’t ever have to worry about the hassle of driving AND trying to sightsee in the world’s largest city.

The Shuttle Bug!

Take it from me– driving your own vehicle in the boroughs of New York City can be a frightening experience! Not only are you competing for asphalt with zillions of other vehicles and public transportation vehicles, there are the pedestrians and bicyclists to contend with. And they are crazed! The pedestrians and bikers veer in and out of moving cars and buses, and it is a network of insanity! I know because I used to be a pedestrian! Traffic lights? Pedestrian crossways? Ha! I will never, never, never drive my own car to NYC, never. Either I’ll take the train down or take a plane. And from there, we’ll get shuttle service.

GO Airlink Shuttle is one of the best transportation services for the city. They offer, among other services, a timely and speedy JFK Car Service, with shared-ride airport service, or private vehicles if you request. GO Airlink Shuttle serves all the city and surrounding areas, including LaGuardia, airports in Newark, NJ, to Manhattan, Westchester, Connecticut, and more. They’ll take you anywhere you need to go. The experienced and professional drivers are undaunted by the crazy NYC traffic, and will safely land you at your destination. GO Airlink Shuttle is an official permit holder by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and are members of the Travel Industry of America, the American Bus Association, the Student-Youth Travel Association, and others. Consider GO Airlink Shuttle when you need to get around in New York and New Jersey!

Need a Lift?

‘Tis the season! Holidays, parties, anniversaries, weddings… this is the time of year when we are out and about more than any other time. More and more people are hiring services out these days, from catering to Limousine Service. If you live in the New England/New York City area and are in need of reliable transportation, check out AA Transportation, out of Shrewbury, Massachusetts. They serve all of New England with their limousines, party bus rentals, school bus rentals, and more.

AA Transportation has been in business since 1996– they are a family-owned business and has gained a reputation of reliable, courteous, and prompt service in the New England and New York City area. All AA Transportation drivers are certified by the Department of Telecom. & Energy) and go through rigorous background, sobriety, and drug test randomly and frequently. AA Transportation takes their business seriously. Vehicles are routinely and thoroughly inspected at their maintenance facilities, with 285 vehicles and 300 employees ready to serve your transportation needs.

AA Transportation has its main headquarters in Shrewsbury, Southbridge, Webster, and Worcester, Massachusetts. Check out their website at AATransportation.com or give them a call at 508-791-9100. Half the fun of your party or trip is getting there, right? Make it fun, safe, and convenient with AA Transportation.

Next Page »