Good Intentions...

We started out the day with good intentions. Our goal was to go to the Hadassah Hospital and see the Chagall Windows. The windows, were given by Marc Chagall to the people of Israel in February 1962. Upon checking the visiting hours on the Internet, I found the synagogue (within the hospital and a "working" house of worship) was closed for the Shabbat on Friday and Saturday.

As stated yesterday, the Dome of the Rock and Temple Mount was also closed to all, except Muslims, until Sunday. So our plan is to take all three of these sites on Sunday. Tomorrow, Shabbat, much of Israel -- and the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, will be closed for the holiday. The other quarters will be in full swing and close on their day of rest on Sunday.

Overlooking the City.

Looking for some interesting things to do today, we chose to take the "Bus 99" around the city. At a cost of about $20 per person, the tour bus is a great way to get an overview of Jerusalem. During the 2 hour tour there is an on-going "commentary" about the places we're seeing. We were able to pick up the bus just outside Jaffe Gate so it was very convenient for us.

Since it 's Shabbat (the Israeli and Jewish day of rest and worship) at sundown, only 3 buses run the 25-stop route. Most other days, one can get on and off the bus if something especially interesting comes along. On Friday, however, there is no off/on service! Still, we saw much of the City we would not have seen. One site in particular was an overview of Jerusalem from high above the City and was very impressive.

Burla Street, Nayot, Jerusalem
Anglo English Speaking immigrants.

Among the 25 stations along the way, we saw the Knesset (Israeli's parliament), the Hebrew Union College, the Israeli Supreme Court and the Jerusalem Mall. We ventured into a number of neighborhoods, some of which were established in the 1920's. Some of the neighborhoods, however, were established much more recently. One I found interesting, Nayot, was established in 1963 for the "Anglo" English speaking immigrant population -- primarily from the U.S. and Canada!

At the end of the 2 hour bus tour, we found ourselves at the Central Bus Station for Jerusalem.  Besides being a "bus station", it is replete with shops of all kinds. Foods, clothing, jewelry and even a pharmacy were in ample supply. After looking around for awhile, we went to the information center for -- "information". Our plan, over the next 3 or 4 days, is to take public transportation to such destinations as Masada, the Dead Sea, the Hadassah Hospital and the Knesset. Next Saturday we'll transit by bus to Tel Aviv and the next leg of our journey.

My original impression of Israel is that we'd have to rent a car or take "day tours" to see much of our itinerary. But such is not the case. Jerusalem in particular, and Israel in general, is a modern "first world" country with a full and complete public transportation system. It isn't like Europe, and their train system, but it's pretty good.

So, as always, tuned.....

Zion Gate, The Last Supper and Shindler...

Gate to Mount Zion, King David's
Tomb and more...

We continue to explore the Old City of Jerusalem, discovering interesting and new venues as we go. Linda and her sister, Vickie, wanted to head back to the Western Wall with some notes to leave there. As we left the Jaffe Gate area and headed toward the Jewish Quarter, we passed through the Armenian section. I'm not sure they call it a "quarter", as it is quite small. Along the way is the Zion Gate.

Site of the Last Supper.

The Zion Gate leads to Mount Zion and the site of King David's Tomb and Jesus' Last Supper. It is home to a variety of Jewish and Christian centers. We saw, but didn't visit the Chamber of the Holocaust (Israel's first holocaust museum founded in 1948). We spotted at least two "Yeshiva study centers" (a Jewish orthodox college or seminary), and an Abbey. The Hagia Maria Sion Abbey, is the site of King David's Tomb. King David's rein is thought to be from 1010 to 1002 B.C.E. Of course, we visited the tomb and were impressed by the imposing bronze statue of King David just outside the entry.

We gained entrance to the room which, purportedly, is the site of Jesus's Last Supper. We stayed for a little while, taking in the historical significance of the room. It is a quiet and cool room on the second story of a building near David's Tomb. Interestingly, it is surrounded by some private residences. The top of the building has a wonderful view of Jerusalem.

Oskar Shindler's Grave.

As we began to leave Mount Zion and continue our trek toward the Jewish Quarter, an old "orthodox" women mentioned that Shindler's grave site was just a short walk in the opposite direction. So, we chose to take a look. We made our way down a steep hill and across a fairly busy street to a grave yard that, unfortunately, was locked. Although we couldn't see the grave site itself, we stood there for awhile, talking about Shindler's contribution to the Jewish people during World War II.

After visiting the Park of the Righteous yesterday, it adds a new and interesting perspective to Shindler's story. He saved 1200 Jews during the war. Of course, we know of him because of the Speilberg film "Shindler's List", but I wonder how many other "righteous people" of that time have interesting stories that haven't been told?

We finally made our way back to the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall. Linda and Vickie -- and yours truly -- spent a few minutes at the Wall. We enjoyed a lite bagel lunch in the Jewish Quarter and set out to see the Dome of the Rock and Temple Mount.  As it turns out, the Dome of the Rock and Temple Mount are closed to all, except Muslims, until Sunday.  We'll try again then.

So, as always, check back again.....

Yad Vashem, Wall of the Righteous and Mt. Herzl.

Today started out early and we enjoyed a breakfast at our favorite cafe. We then made our way to the tram on Jaffe St. and took the ride to the very end of the line -- at Mt. Herzl. A shuttle bus takes passengers to the "World Center for Holocaust Research" known as Yad Vashem.

Yad Vashem - Hall of Remembrance.

Yad Vashem isn't just a "Holocaust Museum" but is a research and educational facility. There are archives,  a Hall of Remembrance", a Museum of Holocaust Art and outdoor sculptures as well. It also includes a Road and Park of the Righteous and the Valley of the Communities.

The Road and Park of the Righteous honors those non-Jews who, at personal risk and without evangelistic or financial motive, chose to save their Jewish neighbors, friends, and even strangers, from the on-going genocide taking place within the Nazi sphere of influence. Each name is listed by country. Some countries only had one name while Poland, for example, had hundreds of the Righteous engraved in the stone. It's a sobering and uplifting sight.

At the Park of the Righteous.
My Grandparents were from Latvia.

The Valley of the Communities is a 2.5-acre site commemorating the thousands of communities that were destroyed by the Nazi's and their collaborators before and during World War II. The Valley of the Communities is a massive outside site with huge cut blocks of stone used to create a maze. As one wanders the maze, massive stones name the villages, cities and towns where Jews lived and, at one time, flourished. There is an educational facility and information center there as well.

As the day progressed, and as we explored these three sites on the campus of Yad Vashem, we were constantly reminded of the very real dangers so many people face throughout the world. The Holocaust is but one of these horrible events -- past and present.

As we were leaving the Valley of the Communities we caught a shuttle bus to the Mount Herzl Cemetery. It isn't very far from Yad Vashem and it was an easy walk from the shuttle to the main entrance. It's also known as Israel's Mount of Remembrance. Mt. Herzl has served as Israel's "National Cemetery" since 1951. It is Israel's "military cemetery" and one soldiers from many of Israel's wars are interred there. It honors Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Druse soldiers who fought to defend the security of Israel.

The gravesite of Theodor Herzl.

We sought out the National Founders grave sites which include Golda Mier and others who served as presidents and prime ministers of Israel.  A number of other "ministers" are buried there as well. A short walk to the west is the grave site of Theodore Herzl, who is considered the founder of modern political Zionism and the founder of the State of Israel.

By the end of the day, we felt tired but happy we had a chance to visit such important sites in Israel and Jerusalem. We made our way back to Mahane Yehuda for some dinner and then back to our lodgings for a well earned rest.

Tomorrow? Who knows. there are lots of possibilities, so stay tuned for the next installment........

Chores and more...

Breakfast at Christ-Church Guest House.

Today is going to be a "house-keeping" day in Jerusalem. At 9:30, we need to contact the delivery van so we can collect Linda's luggage. Let me note that "Delta Airlines" has contracted with a delivery service that "refuses" to bring our luggage to our address. They say it's because we're inside the Jaffe Gate in the Old City. Yet, the street in front of us has a never-ending parade of cars, taxis, delivery vans and buses coming and going all day. But, we're being asked to meet the van at a parking garage -- about 15 minutes away. The luggage will be delivered within a 2 hour window. So, standing on a street corner for 2 hours is "very appealing".

So, I'm thinking Delta Airlines deserves recognition for their "Customer Service" -- and I think they need to hear from us when we get home!!

Each morning we walk a short distance to the Christ-Church Guest House for a delightful buffet breakfast. The cost is 40 shekels, about $11.50, and offers a wide variety of vegetables, breads, fruits and drinks.

I'll post to the blog a couple of times as our day unfolds....

Terry from Milwaukee,
Marquette University.

10:30 a.m. Our luggage will be at the designated place between 2 and 4 p.m. BUT, if we call at 1 p.m. we'll get a more precise arrival time. I believe that!!?? Don't you?

Meanwhile, we've taken the day off to tend to a variety of "chores". We've taken our soiled clothes to a local laundry for a wash n' dry. We'll do a bit of shopping and ask about an English language movie here in the New City. Right now we're sitting in the lobby of the hostel enjoying a fascinating discussion of religious philosophy. One of the guests, here, is a theology teacher at Marquette University. Now if "Bill Maher" was here, it would be a more lively discussion!!


4:30 p.m. -- Luggage in hand, all is well. Now, on to important things like gathering and then folding our laundry.

But as I sit here reporting these comments, I can hear church bells from the Christian Quarter across the Old City and ringing in the distance. A little while ago, the Muslim call to prayer rang out as well. It's Ramadan and, at sunrise or sunset, one can hear fireworks celebrating the holiday. As we wander inside the Old City, we experience the fact that Muslims, Christians and Jews live in close proximity in apparent peace and prosperity.

The narrow streets of the Old City are like a "time machine" -- peeling back much of the 21st Century. Vendors selling their wears. Old men and women balancing heavy loads on their heads. Then we'll see someone talking on a cell phone or sending a "text message"! It's a wonderful and fascinating dichotomy of today's reality.

Coffee Anyone?

7 p.m. ---  We've discovered a great coffee bar and cafe in the Mamila Mall just a few steps from the old Jaffe Gate. The three of us had an ample dinner of salad, bread and beer for under $30! Quite a treat considering the venue and quality of the food. After, as we returned to our lodgings, I enjoyed a Turkish coffee from a street vendor just outside the Gate. The coffee was made in the "old way" -- boiling the grounds over an open fire in a silver pot and then poured through a strainer into a cup. It was strong and delicious. It put a perfect cap on the end of another enjoyable day in Jerusalem.

Mamila Mall (Rodeo Drive of Jerusalem)

Tomorrow our plan is to visit Yad Vashem, the Righteous Among the Nations Garden and National Cemetery. We're also planning day trips to Masada and the Dead Sea as well as Bethlehem.

So stay tuned

Jerusalem: The Old City, The Jewish Quarter...

We started out the day a bit later than usual -- about 8:30 a.m., so I guess we're getting used to the new time zone. Add to that that "miles of walking" and bed-time doesn't come early enough! Our goal was to make our way to the Jewish Quarter and the Western (or Wailing) Wall. But, fate intervened a bit.

We received an email from Delta Airlines telling us that their delivery company had "tried" to deliver Linda's luggage. There was a telephone number to call, so we tried to find a phone that would serve that purpose. Within 100 yards of our lodgings, there are three public phones -- none of which work. There's a phone in the lobby of our hostel which doesn't work. We have a "travel phone", purchased expressly for this purpose which doesn't work. We were able to buy a telephone card for 30 shekels, but since we can't seem to find a phone that works -- it's a bit useless!

Overlooking the Western Wall (The Dome of the Rock in the background).

Finally, the tourist bureau allowed us to use a phone. We called and were told that the luggage can be delivered to "Jaffe Gate" -- but not the reception of the hostel. So -- the saga continues!!  One observation I can make is that no-one seems very motivated to lend a hand. When we explain our dilemma, they'll shrug their shoulders, rock their heads from side to side and say "what can I do?" It seems to be a Israeli custom. I'm sure if we were staying in a $500 a night room, we'd have a different experience.

Sooner or later, of course, we'll get the luggage. Maybe??!!

But, enough of this complaining!!

We ventured back to our little restaurant off the beaten path and had a nice breakfast. After studying the map, we set off to the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall. The Jewish Quarter, present in one form or the other since 134 C.E. now houses about 2000 residents and is home to a variety of "yeshivas" and synagogues. As one enters the Jewish Quarter, the environment changes dramatically. It seems lighter and more orderly. One doesn't see any trash in the narrow streets and it is considerably more quiet than the Christian or Arab Quarters we've experience so far.

Linda at the Western Wall.

As we progressed into the Jewish Quarter, we found a variety of shops and bistros. We decided to have a bit of lunch after seeing the Western Wall, so we kept following the narrow street around until some signage directed us in the right direction. I had visited the Wall in 2007. I was surprised to see the extensive security apparatus surrounding the area. The first time I was here, one just "walked up to the wall". Now, everyone must pass through a security checkpoint and have their bags inspected. Additionally everyone passes through a metal detector. Even with these precautions, it doesn't take long before we were in the crowd of people near and around the Western Wall.

Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall.

I must admit that approaching and touching the Western Wall is an emotional experience. Here, too, the history of the environment boggles the mind and senses. The Wall (Temple) was first constructed in the 19th Century B.C.E. and was then known as "Solomon's Temple". After its destruction in 586 B.C.E. and the Second Temple was dedicated in 516 B.C.E. It would take pages and pages of descriptions to describe the iterations of The Temple through numerous periods of history -- but suffice it to say, the Wall is recognized by the Jews as a holy site. Its continued existence through the ages attest to the tenacious spirit and determination of the Jewish People.

During our visit there, we witness two bar mitzvah celebrations. It was fun to see the kids in their best clothing, carrying Torah while accompanied by their family and friends. One family, from New Jersey, had made their way to Israel and the Western Wall for the express purpose of their sons bar mitzvah.

It was getting late enough for us, so we made our way back to the Jaffe Gate area. First, we enjoyed a nice refreshing lunch in the Jewish Quarter. Tonight, we understand, there's a light show nearby, so we may be taking advantage of that activity.

More to follow, so stay tuned.....

Jerusalem the New City...

Ben-Yehuda Street in the New City, Jerusalem.

Today we decided to venture outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem into the New City. After checking with the Information Bureau and reviewing a map, we decided to walk to Ben Yehuda Street. It was about a mile or so out the Jaffe Gate and along Jaffe Street -- straight ahead. Easy. It took about 15 minutes to get there.

Ben Yehuda is a major street in downtown Jerusalem blocked off from vehicle traffic. Along the 8 or 10 blocks of the street, one will find all sorts of shops -- jewelers, coffee, ice cream and foods. Street performers entertain the passers-by with musical instruments and more. We saw a wonderful performance by a juggler -- for example. We spent about an hour exploring the many shops along both sides of the street.

We then decided to find the Mahaneh Yehuda -- the main market area of Jerusalem. The market, called the Shuk by the locals, consists of more than 250 vendors selling fresh fruit, vegetables, baked goods, fish, cheese, nuts and even "Judaica". Add to that the hundreds of shoppers and the vendors calling out the prices of their goods, and you have a wonderful cacophony of sights and sounds that boggle the senses!

One can wander in and out of the main and sides streets for hours, sometimes sampling the foods or enjoying a snack. We stopped at a small shop and took a break while drinking a Turkish coffee and Americano "decaf".

A most delightful late morning and early afternoon.

Finding our way back to Jaffe Gate in the Old City was easy. We chose to spare our feet and legs and took the tram. Jerusalem has a modern and comfortable tram system (remember the "street car"?). For 6.60 shekels (about $1.85), one can ride in air conditioned comfort. The journey back to the "gate" was just a few minutes.

We returned to our lodgings at about 1:30 p.m. and decided to take a rest. Our plan is to venture out again at 3 o:clock or so to find a food market in the Old City.

Linda at The Shuk Market.

3:30 p.m. -- It was time to think about some food shopping and dinner.  The tourist bureau told us about a couple of food markets in the Arab section of the Old City -- but one of our neighbors counselled against dealing with the " complex and intricate transactions" in the Old City. We decided to make our way back to the Mahaneh Market (The Shuk). We boarded the tram and were back in the busy market in a few minutes. If didn't take long to buy some supplies for snacks and venture back onto the tram for our return to the Old City.

Once back, and through the Jaffe Gate, we found a cute little restaurant off the beaten path and enjoyed a lite dinner before calling it quits for the evening.

Tomorrow we're thinking of the Wailing Wall and the Jewish Quarter of the Old City.

Stay tuned for more.....

Our First Day in Jerusalem...

With my good friend Jim at the King David Hotel

Our day started out early, at about 5:30 a.m. We did get a good night's sleep after the 18 hours in transit yesterday. But,  we were up early and ready to go. After a short walk around the Jaffe Gate area, we learned about a nice breakfast being served at a nearby church retreat. It was a wonderful meal. The neat thing about Israeli breakfasts is the amount and variety of foods.  Fruits, cheeses, lunch meats and dairy abound and are presented in a buffet. It started the morning out perfectly.

Just down from our lodgings is the Israeli Tourist Bureau so we stopped by to get some directions to the Prima Royale Hotel. We planned to meet my friend Jim there at noon. After learning the hotel was only 20 minutes away by foot, we decided to walk.  (You may recall that my good friend Jim was on a tour in Israel and we knew we'd both be in Jerusalem on the same day -- with Jim having a free day). So, we headed for his hotel at about 9 a.m.

The Dome inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

We found the hotel with a bit of help from a local. What I thought were the actions of a good Samaritan turned out to be a professional "helper" and his directions cost us about $20!! I was a bit surprised, but learned a valuable lesson about the inhabitants of this wonderful city.

We met with Jim and spent the next couple of hours walking around a part of the Old City. Jim invited us to join his "tour" for a guided walk through a nice section of Jerusalem and part of the Old City. We were to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. All of us agreed it would be great opportunity see part of the city with a professional guide. We met the walking tour at 3 p.m. and spent the next 3 hours enjoying the walk and discussion of the Old City and the Church itself.

Myself with Peter at the Church. Peter is a Brother
serving the Roman Catholic Church and is from Iran.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is an important Christian place of worship and symbol of their religion.  It dates back to at least the Fourth Century C.E. and is thought to be the place where Jesus was crucified and then buried. Another interesting reality of the present-day church is that it is home to 6 Christian sects, none of which are Protestant. 

Today's custodians are the Eastern Orthodox, Armenian Apostic, Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox, the Coptic Orthodox and the Ethiopian Orthodox Churches. During our visit there we witnessed three different religious celebrations.

At about 6:30 we bid farewell to our guide and to Jim and made our way back to out lodgings. A light dinner capped a perfect day in the Old City.

Jerusalem...

Today, July 31, Linda -- her sister Vickie -- and I began  our trip to Tel Aviv for a 3 week stay. We had made reservations on Air Canada weeks ago. As the day finally approached, we arrived at LAX International Airport at 6:30 a.m. for an 8 a.m. departure. Things were going great. We arrived early, had a nice breakfast at an airport deli and boarded the Air Canada plane on time. We departed "right on time" and settled in for a nice ride to Toronto -- the first leg of our journey.

About 5 minutes into our "flight" -- we were taxing along the airport to the runway -- the captain announced that "Ladies and Gentlemen, we're going to shut down engine #1 and restart it. A computer needs to be re-booted"!! OK. Right. I noticed that, after about 10 minutes, the engine hadn't restarted. I mentioned to Linda that we were in for a ride "back to the gate". And, as it turns out, we were. The Captain again announced that there was an engine part needing replacement and there would be a 2 or 3 hour delay.

OK, I thought. Better on the ground than in the air.

The Air Canada counter crew were hard at work and we were soon "rerouted" to JFK and then on to Tel Aviv via Delta Airlines. Oh, but wait. We had to return to check-in, claim our baggage, make our way to the Delta Terminal (3 terminals away), check in at the ticket counter again, check our bags, go through security and make our way to the gate!!!

I must say, everyone was very friendly and helpful. We finally found our way to the Delta flight and spent the next 4 1/2 hours crossing the country to JFK. Once on the ground, a gate change occurred and were not able to deplane the aircraft for about 15 minutes. Since we had an hour to make the flight to Tel Aviv, I was thinking about the tight time-frame getting from gate to gate.

Finally leaving the plane at the gate we found the new Delta gate. It wasn't very far away -- and, as luck would have it, the plane to Tel Aviv was delayed for an hour. Maybe a bit more. So, instead of getting into Tel Aviv at 11 a.m. and having plenty of daylight to find our way to Jerusalem, we are scheduled to arrive at 5 p.m. Still plenty of daylight I would think. But later than we would like.

So -- that's the adventure so far! I can only think that it's great we're experiencing all these "glitches" at the beginning of the trip, and that the rest of the visit to Israel will go smoothly.

What do you think??

Stay tuned.

Baggage Claim Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv Israel.

5:30 p.m. Local Time, Israel. The saga continues!! As we arrived in Tel Aviv, we noted the beauty of the countryside and airport. Once the plane was at our gate, we made our way to "baggage claim" We figured we'd be in a cab for Jerusalem in 15 minutes or so. Well, it didn't happen that way. After Vickie and I collected our luggage, we heard Linda's name called over the p.a. system -- she was asked to report to "lost and found". It turns out her bag never made the plane for Israel and was still in New York!! We were assured that her luggage would be delivered to our lodgings on Monday.  Hey, we believe 'em. Don't you?

Jaffe Gate, the Old City of Jerusalem -- one of 7 gates to the City.

Finally, at about 6:30 or so, we made our way through customs and out of the airport looking for transportation to Jerusalem. We found a cab, the driver's name was Moishe, and we had a enjoyable 40 minute trip to the "Old City". Our driver spoke excellent English, and we learned about his family, the country and himself. We're staying in a cute B&B just a few yards from the Jaffe Gate itself. The "Old City" has seven gates surrounding the ancient walls.

The Old City of Jerusalem covers less than 1/2 square mile inside the modern city itelf. The Old City dates back to before King David's conquest of the city in the 11th Century B.C.E. So, over the next few days we'll be walking the old, and new, city of Jerusalem. There are so many things to do and sites to see.

And, of course, things will get smoother and smoother for us!! Right? RIght!

Today, Linda, Vicky (Linda's sister) and I make our way into Los Angeles for a stay-over before departing for Israel tomorrow. Obviously, we're all excited about our up-coming trip. We'll spend the first 8 or 9 days in Jerusalem -- so stay tuned for our adventures. We're returning on 8/26, so we have plenty of time to tour and see much of the country.

More to follow.....

Next stop -- Israel, 8/1 thru 8/26.  Stay tuned....

We started the day with a small breakfast and then decided we'd go "uptown" to explore that part of the city. Central Park was our destination.  We ventured up Park Avenue toward 59th Street. The weather was sunny but not too hot, so it it made the walk a pleasure. As we got to 59th Street, I recalled there was an FAO Schwarz toy store there, so we took a look. Sure enough, it was still in the same place. The store, of course, is well known for its toy selection -- but maybe best  known because of the movie Big with Tom Hanks. It's the store in which Hanks and his boss played the piano by "foot". An interesting note is the Apple Store just outside the store. It was below ground, but a large glass cage surrounds the elevator and stairs to the store. The Apple Store was very crowded but we had a chance to walk around the "get on-line" for a little while.

We ventured into Central Park and met a tour guide with a horse and buggy across the street. We decided against the tour when we found it was $50 for 20 minutes. Maybe next time! We walked in the Park up to 76th Street looking for the family of Peregrine Falcons which had made their home in the eves of one of the buildings along Park Avenue. Unfortunately we didn't find them. By now it had started raining, so even the bird-watchers were not present.

As the rain increased in intensity, we chose to take a bus downtown and seek shelter in a movie theater. We saw a good movie called Premium Rush. The movie took place in New York City and we saw many of the sights we had just visited over the last few days. Great fun. After the movie, it was getting late by now, dinner time as a matter of fact, so we agreed that Italian food was our preference. But where to go?? But wait! This is New York, so we chose Little Italy as our destination. A quick ride downtown on the "N" train to Canal Street and we were comfortably seated in a nice Italian restaurant. We sat next to a couple from Germany and struck up a nice conversation with them. They were on a 3 week visit to the U.S. and are on their way to Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles.As we finished dinner, and were leaving, we wished them well and a safe trip. Meeting people is always a highlight we like to experience when we travel.

So, today is our last day of our trip. Tomorrow morning we're off to Laguardia Airport and a ride home via Southwest Airlines. It's been an action filled month -- but we've enjoyed every minute of it.

What's next?? Oh, I don't know, but stay tuned.....

Linda, Laura and Issie

This was the day we were visiting Linda's cousins in Queens. They're "kosher", so we wanted to be sure and take a gift that would fit their life style. So, in keeping with our desire "not to offend", we made our way back to Schimmel's Knish Bakery  on Houston Street for an assortment of knishes!! While there, of course, we each had a knish and a egg-cream. Both were great.

We boarded the "F" train for Queens at about 2:15 p.m. It's about a 40 minute subway ride and then a bus to our destination. We found their apartment on 79th Avenue and had a great visit. They're in their 90's, but both Laura and Issie are sharp as a tack! They live on the third floor -- with no elevator I might add -- and have lived in the same apartment for 61 years! Our visit was delightful. Linda, Laura and Issie caught up on family news and we enjoyed a delicious dinner. It turns out that Issie was a World War II veteran, so he had a lot of interesting stories to tell.

So, tomorrow is our last day of our East Coast visit. We've had a great time, but both of us are ready to return home and to the routine of our daily lives. This evening we'll get a drink at a nearby watering-hole and get a good nights sleep.

Stay tuned.........

Today was a pretty simple day. We started out visiting the street fair along Lexington Avenue near Grand Central. There are several blocks of vendors and eateries all looking to sell you their goods. The street was packed with visitors and residents from all over the City. Lots of fun.

We then made our way to 49th Street and Sixth Avenue and took the train back to Coney Island. Along the way, we stopped at Sheepshead Bay. This is the neighborhood I lived in during most of 1964. I didn't find the exact apartment, but I did remember the street and the fact there was a school adjacent to the house (I lived in a "walk down" underneath a residence).  I didn't recall anything about the neighborhood or the shopping. Obviously it has been a long time since I was there and things change. But the street itself was the same.

"In" the Wonder Wheel!

We then boarded a bus and continued our way to Coney Island. We decided to revisit our  pleasant day there. It was delightful. We made a stop at Nathans Famous (hotdogs) and danced on the boardwalk to a rock D.J. The crowd was  having a great time -- clapping their hands, dancing in place and rockin' to the music.

This evening we had dinner at a new eatery round the corner. It just opened and is a buffet. We saw it yesterday, and the food looked great.  It turns out that, across the street from the restaurant, is the Hofbrau House (Munich) -- a New York City "branch". We climbed the stairs to the floor above the street and enjoyed 1/2 liter of German Ale -- Hofbrau style. Linda and I had been the Hofbrau in Munich July 2011, so it was fun to relive that experience New York style.

Lincoln Center

We discovered there is a film theater at the Lincoln Center showing independent films, so we set out around 8:30 p.m. to find our way there. We took a cab to make it easy.  Once there, we found that a free concert was being presented in the court yard of the Center. It was fabulous music performed by one of the premier orchestras in the world. We enjoyed ourselves as we listened and watched the many attendees.

More to come.............

Staten Island Ferry

As usual, we started out in Starbucks this morning. It was past 10 a.m. before we headed out for the day, but we made our way downtown to the very bottom tip of Manhattan. We took the subway to the South Ferry station and decided to take a trip to Staten Island on the ferry. It turns out one can ride the ferry for "free". We enjoyed the trip across the bay to Staten Island and disembarked. There isn't too much by the ferry building, but we did walk around the waterfront a bit, taking in the flavor of the city. The ferry runs every 30 minutes or so, so it didn't take too long to catch another ferry back to the City.

On the Brooklyn Bridge

Back in Manhattan, we decided to walk to and across the Brooklyn Bridge. I'm not sure of all the bridges in New York City, but pedestrians can walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. We walked the entire span into Brooklyn and followed the signs to Brooklyn Heights. By now we were hungry, so we found a delightful restaurant on Henry Street and enjoyed a great meal. Once again, the food was outstanding. It must be the competition, but I figure if the food isn't very good, the restaurant won't last very long! There are 13 million people in the City.

By that time it was around 3:30 p.m. and we were pretty tired from the long walk from the Staten Island Ferry across the bridge to Brooklyn, so we decided to take the subway back into town. The subway took us to Times Square and we took the shuttle to Grand Central Terminal. From there it's a short walk to our lodgings.

This evening was quiet. We walked to Times Square again and enjoyed a snack from one of the street-side vendors. Our plan, tomorrow, is to revisit Coney Island -- so stay tuned. More to come.....

Self and Paul Hampton

This morning started out differently. Linda and I went into the Starbucks round the corner at about 9:30 or so. I saw a gentleman writing in long-hand with a pen. He had two additional pieces of paper filled with script at his side. As we waited in line to get some coffee, I made a joke/comment to him that "excuse me, but  you know that no one writes with a pen anymore. They have computers and word processors for that". He laughed and said he was the kinda guy who liked to write with a pen and even "get" notes written in long hand. As we continued our repartee, he mentioned the singer Diana Ross. I said, "so tell me, are your someone important?" We laughed. "Oh no, not really, just a guy," he said. I pressed him. I said, "you know,  if you're someone famous, I need to know so I can tell all my friends I met  a famous person". He laughed again and introduced himself as Paul Hampton. Well, I do admit I don't didn't know that name. I said something like, "well that's the neat thing about New York, you can be famous and nobody will even know." As we continued our discussion, Paul began telling us about his career in the entertainment business, music in particular.

It turns out that Mr. Hampton is an actor, singer, lyricist and writer of note. He is listed as one of one hundred major architects of American rock and roll in the British rock journal "Footsoldiers and Kings".  Some of his songs have been recorded by Sammy Davis Jr., Bette Midler, Eddy Arnold, Tom Jones, Merle Haggard, Ricky Nelson, Elvis Presley, Gene Pitney and Johnny Cash. As Linda, Paul and I continued our discussion, it was clear that he enjoyed our company and was glad to share his career with us. We spent about 45 minutes with him before saying our good byes and wishing each-other a good day. It was fun meeting this most interesting gentleman.

Once we left Starbucks, we made our way back downtown to Canal Street. We walked the streets, looking in many of the vendor shops and enjoying the rush of the crowd. We found a "Glatt Kosher Vegan Chinese Restaurant" and decided to have lunch there. The food was delicious - especially the bar-b-que "beef". By now it was close to 3 p.m. and we decided to make our way back uptown to our lodgings for a rest.

We had a 5:30 appointment to meet our friends Jerry and Ilene for dinner at Vagabondo's. Vagabondo's is a really great Italian restaurant on East 62nd Street, so we decided to take a short nap. We awoke at around 4:30 and decided to talk uptown to the restaurant. It was 15 blocks uptown. Along the way, we discovered a Home Depot and decided to see what it was all about. Finding a  Home Depot store in the middle of Manhattan was a surprise. We found it full of interior design pieces -- furniture, kitchen and bathroom. It was quite a find.

Ilene, Linda, Jerry and Self

We arrived at the restaurant at 5:30, just in time to join Jerry at the bar and enjoyed a glass of wine. Ilene joined us a few minutes later. After about 15 minutes of conversation, we adjourned to the dining room for dinner. I know I've said this again and again, but the food was wonderful. Jerry and Ilene have been a long term customers at the restaurant and were greeted warmly by two of the owners. The waiters and bar keeps all knew Jerry, so it made for an enjoyable visit.

After dinner, we spent some time outside. Jerry showed us Andy Rooney's house (of 60 Minutes fame). It turns out the house is right next door to the restaurant. We all knew this would be our last evening together for awhile. Linda and I will be leaving for home soon and we don't expect to see this wonderful couple before our departure. We said our farewells and promised to stay in touch. I've known Jerry and Ilene for 15 years or more, so staying in touch won't be difficult. I've always enjoyed their friendship.

We walked slowly back to our lodgings enjoying the warm evening and many of the activities on the street.. Tomorrow is another day and we've got some plans -- so

Stay tuned........

Our train to NYC from Boston

We woke to a beautiful day in Boston. The weather was cool and perfect for walking. After breakfast, we checked out of the 40Berkeley Inn and made our way to the South Station (Back Bay) train station on foot. It's about 4 blocks. Our train was to leave at 9:41 a.m. After a brief wait, we boarded and made ourselves comfortable. As usual there was wifi on the train, so I set up my computer and played around with email and Facebook. We arrived at Penn Station in New York at 2 p.m.

At Rockefeller Center, NYC

It wasn't much of a walk to our lodgings on 47th Street and Third Avenue. After checking in we set out to explore the neighborhood and found a nice little Chinese restaurant nearby. After the train trip, we were hungry, so we had an early dinner. We set out on foot and started across town on 47th Street toward Broadway.  As we explored the area, we came upon Rockefeller Center and checked out the grounds. It's a beautiful venue with lots to see and explore. As one might expect it was crowded (all of NYC is busy, it seems -- all the time). Radio City Music Hall is right around the corner, so we explored there a bit as well.

We continued toward Times Square and found ourselves in front of the AMC Movie Theater. We decided to see Sparkle. The film starts slow, but it turned out to be  good film. The music was great. As we were leaving the theater, we noticed another movie just starting -- SO, Y-E-S, we walked in and saw the film Hit and Run. It, too, is a pretty good film, with lots of great humor and action. We finally left the theater at 9 p.m. and started walking back to our hotel.

Time Square was ablaze with light and at one point, upon leaving the theater, I thought it was daylight! As always, the Square was crowded with people and vendors.  The weather continued to be warm and comfortable, so we enjoyed walking as we were making our way back to the hotel. We stopped at a falafel vendor and shared a great snack of salad, rice and  falafel. The food was really delicious -- actually the best we've had since our trip to Europe last summer.

So, it's time to "hit the sack". As always, readers and friends, stay tuned..........

After a morning walk around the neighborhood, and a stop at Starbucks, we met Linda's friends near the train. She hadn't seem them for 2 years, so it was a warm and welcome reunion. We enjoyed an excellent lunch buffet at an Indian restaurant called the Kashmir. It was then off to the Cheesecake Factory for some dessert. Later, we stopped at Copley Square and enjoyed conversation until around 4:30 p.m. or so.

Concert at the Common and Filene's
In Boston

After they left, we found and enjoyed a concert at the Boston Common near Filene's Basement (If you've ever been to Boston, you know Filene's). The quartet was playing a variety of rock and hip-hop. Beer was $2  and wine was $3-- not a bad way to spend the afternoon hours.

Since then, it's been a quiet evening. We leave for New York tomorrow morning and will spend the last few days of our East Coast visit in the Big Apple.

Otherwise, this is another short entry.

But -- stay tuned....

Monday, August 20, 2012 -- Today was a lazy day -- wandered the city a bit and took in a movie. At one point I was on the phone to the V.A. when the phone simply "shut down". It would not re-boot!! Fortunately, a Sprint store isn't far from our lodgings so I made my way there for a diagnosis of the problem. I figured it was either the phone itself or the battery. It didn't take long to find that the phone had failed!! It's a good thing I've been paying the replacement insurance for the last couple of years. Within an hour, or so, I had a new replacement phone.

I've been looking at new phones and really like  Galaxy Nexus from Google. So far I've resisted the temptation. But, knowing my love for "toys", it won't take long before I have a new phone in my life!!

This will be a short entry. We arose this a.m. and enjoyed a cuppa coffee with my niece Deb. After leaving her home, we drove the 25 miles to Portland Maine and turned in the car at the airport. A quick cab ride to the Amtrak station and we were on the 12:25 p.m. train for Boston. It's a pleasant ride, made even more pleasant by the fact they have wifi on board!! We got into the North Station at 3 p.m. and made our way to our lodgings across town. We've learned to use the subway quite well and were able to navigate the way easily.

After dinner, we settled in the lobby for a bit of TV and enjoyed the comings and goings of the other guests. A pleasant evening. I'm told by my friend Jim in Palm Desert it has been hot and humid at home. Brutally so, according to his report. Boston is a very pleasant 74-degrees or so. I found myself carrying a sweat-shirt with me as we made we walked around the city this evening. Not bad, wouldn't you say??

Tomorrow??

We'll see.

Stay tuned......

Sea Dog Brewery - Brunswick ME.

Today we intended returning to Portland Maine, turning in the car and then taking the train back to the Boston area. We are set to spend a couple more days in Boston so Linda can see her lifelong friends who live nearby. Since we were going back a day early, I thought that it would be prudent to call the lodgings to see if we could add a day to our reservations.  We found it was not possible.

I called a couple other places with no luck, so we thought we'd stay in Portland Maine overnight. Three calls later and we found most of the area lodgings were booked for the weekend (I had forgotten it was Saturday). Apparently, lots of things happen in the Portland and Boston area over the summer weekends, so lodgings are very tight. 

What to do!!??

Pat, Self and Deb

We called my niece Deb and found we could stay with them overnight and proceed on to Portland and Boston in the morning. We took Deb and her partner to dinner as a "thank you" and enjoyed a delightful dinner at the Sea Dog Brewery in Brunswick. The food, and company, was outstanding.

So, tomorrow, we'll start again! We'll be in Boston for a couple of days and then back to New York to see some more sights and people. Our trip is coming to a close.

Stay tuned...........