Tag Archives: Solo travel

Photography

Midlife Angst: Trying Again

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So, here I am starting something new. I’m almost 48 and feel a little too old to be starting over with something I know nothing about. I have decided to start a travel podcast. It’s called Tourist in Your Town. Head over to the website and check it out.

I know nothing about audio recording or editing. But I guess I’ll learn. I thought this might be a good thing for me to try. I love to travel and I love to talk about it. So, it seems a logical step for me.

I have 2 episodes out now and am having a great time with it! Give it a listen!

Rail yard in the Old City
Americana, Photography

New York City Day 2

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See Rhode Island or Bust and New York City Day 1 for the beginning of the trip.

I got online and bought a ticket to the Statue of Liberty / Ellis Island tour for early Monday morning. I had read that mornings were the best time to go. I checked the subway map to plan my route. So, on Day 2 in New York City, I headed out bright and early, looking for breakfast.

Bumps in the Road

Did I mention that it was Labor Day? Holidays change everything. The streets were virtually empty and everything was closed. So, breakfast was a coffee and muffin from the only small market open.

An empty street scene in NYC ©Sharon Popek
Penn Station Steps with a single person on the steps ©Sharon Popek
The front of Penn Station, empty and quiet.
A lone person waiting across the platform on the metro ©Sharon Popek

At Penn Station, I discovered that there was construction on the line I needed to take to Battery Park. Battery Park is where Statue Cruises is located. So, the line that goes straight there, was closed. So, some helpful metro workers told me to take Line 2 to a different stop and get on the free shuttle that would go to Battery Park. At the stop, there was no shuttle and the sign said it would not arrive for another 30 minutes.  According to my phone, I could walk there in 20. So, off I went. I took lots of photos on the way. Here are a few. It took me a little longer than 20 minutes. There was construction, thus closing the sidewalk and I had to take a detour.

An image of the 911 memorial in New York City ©Sharon Popek
American Stock Exchange ©Sharon Popek
The Chrysler Building peeking out between a building in NYC

Boat Rides and 195 Steps

On the boat over, I had a great view. But once we started getting close, people started crowding in front of me. I managed to snag a few shots before too many people came in.

NYC Panoramic
Sailing
Statue of Liberty from the boat
Historic Ellis Island against the NYC skyline ©Sharon Popek

I visited the Statue of Liberty first. I walked up 195 to the pedestal because the elevator was packed and full elevators are on my list of “probably not”. I made it up to the pedestal and got a great view of the city and the grounds below. If you go, you will have to get a locker. Be prepared for frustration and waiting in line for this. Either way, I’m glad I went. It was worth every step.

The view from the Pedestal ©Sharon Popek
The statue from the Pedestal ©Sharon Popek
National Park Service building ©Sharon Popek
These bolts hold Liberty together ©Sharon Popek
The signs say “Area of Refuge” by Sharon Popek
NYC Panoramic
The original Statue of Liberty torch ©Sharon Popek

Ellis Island

I and 50,000 other people decided it was time to get back on the boat and go to Ellis Island. By the time I made it off the boat and out of the crowd, I was pretty tired. But I walked around the place and took some photos.

A copy of the book of names
Main hall in Ellis Island
Entrance to Ellis Island

Back in NYC

After disembarking at Battery Park, I found a kiosk selling cold beer and could not refuse.  I bought a beer and walked around for a bit. Then I returned to the room for a long nap.

A monument to refugees in Battery Park
The Sea Glass Carousel in Battery Park
Cold Beer on hot day in NYC

After my nap, I found an Indian place for dinner. It was delicious. The garlic naan was spot on.

Saag Paneer
Garlic Naan
Skylight Diner at night
A good night for pizza in black and white

After walking 11 miles and taking tons of photos, it was time to retire. The next day would be more walking, sweating, drinking, and photos.

 

 

Photography

New York City Day 1

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When it was time to leave Providence (see Rhode Island or Bust), E dropped me at the station early because I did not know what to expect. Would it be like the airport? Would I have to remove my shoes and take out my electronics and shampoo? Would I get the joy of a pat down? Nope, none of that. They did have police walking around, watching for suspicious behavior, I suppose. That left me with some time to kill, so I went down and took some photos of the platforms. When it was time to board, I hopped on and grabbed a comfy seat. Coach seats on trains are nice and cushy. After everyone found a spot, no seat assignments here, we were off. I was headed to New York City, just me and my camera.

The interior of the Amtrak station in Providence, Rhode Island.
People waiting for the train
The train platform in Providence, RI.
Waiting for the train in Providence

On the Train

I sat next to a very nice woman from Florida. Her daughters lived in New England and she was visiting them. She told me to visit the Public Library in New York. So, I added it to my list. There are several reasons to love the train. One of those is that you can have a conversation without everyone else in the whole place hearing what you say. It’s also easy to get up and move around.  I visited the snack bar where the cashier told me about the time he visited East Tennessee and loved it. There’s also the views.  I got to see so much of New England that I would not have seen otherwise. It made me want to visit the places I viewed from the train.

A view from the train
A view from the window

Made it NYC

The train pulled into Penn Station and I had a moment of what now? I had researched the location of my Airbnb and the exits were clearly marked, so I found my way out easily. The Airbnb was only 3 blocks from the station. I made my way there and there was a nice guy waiting to give me a key card and show me to my room. It was a private room with a shared bath and kitchen area. I had reservations about the shared bath, but it ended up not being an issue for me. I only ran into the other tenants once in the 4 days I was there.

Skyscrapers ©Sharon Popek
Right outside of my Airbnb

What Now

The biggest problem with visiting a place like New York City without specific plans is there are so many options, it’s hard to decide what to do. I took a shower and relaxed for a bit before deciding to hit the streets in search of food and drink. It was Sunday and quite a few of the nearby places were already closed or closing soon. But I found Jack Doyle’s Irish Pub and Grill and planted myself at the bar. After a couple of perfectly poured Guinnesses and a delicious Caprese Salad, I was ready to go to bed and start again the next day.

The marquee for Jack Doyle’s Pub and Grill
Caprese for dinner
A perfectly poured Guinness
The New Yorker from my window

Stay Tuned

Watch for Day 2! The next installment includes a trip to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, more beer, and lots of walking.