Greetings from the Big Apple. I guess it’s a good thing I hadn’t planned on any major adventures or sightseeing excursions while we’re here. Partly that’s because we only live a few hours away, and can come back anytime we like. Indeed, thanks to that proximity to the Harrisburg area and the fact that we’re here overnight Michele and some friends rented a van yesterday and drove all our suitcases home. She was back before lunchtime today with one empty suitcase, which we’ll fill with the last of our stuff before disembarking for the last time in Miami on the 10th. What a blessing that will be.
Ah, but that still doesn’t fully explain why it’s a good thing that I hadn’t planned to do any sightseeing while we’re here. After all, the aircraft carrier Intrepid, which has been converted into a marvelous museum of flight, is docked right next to us, and I could easily have walked over to take a gander at all the cool jets. No, the problem is that yesterday I came down with Covid, which requires me to isolate in my cabin. Bummer, huh?
I’m actually doing pretty well, especially compared to the other time I had Covid two years ago. Admittedly yesterday wasn’t a lot of fun. Fevers never are. But today I woke up fever free, though I have some congestion, stuffiness, and a mild sore throat. Under the current CDC guidelines I could be freed from isolation as soon as tomorrow if I remain fever free and continue to feel better, though I’d still need to wear a mask around the ship for a few days. That would be ideal, because it would allow me to get off the ship in Bermuda on Friday and at least walk around a little. In the meantime, Michele is camping out in another cabin to make sure we don’t bring Covid home with us next week. All in all, I can’t complain. I’ve missed a couple other ports over the past nine months when I was a little under the weather, but not a single one that I really cared about. That’s a pretty good record.
But back to New York. The sail away is not to be missed, and I got to see it all from my cabin window this afternoon, including One World Trade Center, the Empire State Building, Little Island Park, the Statue of Liberty, and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Michele watched from the deck, so her photos are going to be better than the ones I took through our tinted cabin window. Maybe I can borrow hers for the blog. If you like the photos below, credit her.
That’s about it from New York. My next post will be from the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, which I’ve never visited despite its proximity to the United States. I’m looking forward to it, and I’ll be back with a full report afterwards, so stay tuned.
UPDATE: September 5, 4:30 pm. I’ve been sprung from isolation. Consistent with the current CDC guidelines, I’ve been fever free for more than 24 hours and my symptoms are continuing to ease, so the ship’s doctor commuted my sentence and released me on parole. I’ll wear a mask around others for a few days as a precaution (condition of parole) but I have to say that this bout of Covid has been much milder than my first one almost exactly two years ago. Looking forward to getting off the ship in Bermuda tomorrow!
We were docked at Pier 88, right next to the aircraft carrier Intrepid, which is now a flight museum.
Another view of some of the neat planes on the Intrepid’s flight deck.
There’s a Concorde SST on the pier next to the Intrepid.
And an SR-71 Blackbird on the flight deck.
It’s not all aircraft. There’s a submarine there too. I need to come back and visit this museum.
Pier 88, where we docked, with some of the New York skyline in the background.
One World Trade Center.
The Empire State Building from around Pier 65.
That’s Little Island Park, built at a cost of $260 million, all of it donated by Barry Diller.
There she is.
Approaching the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.
I’ve never seen it from underneath before.
After we passed under the bridge, with a container ship heading the other way.
Goodbye, New York.
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