Dream trip....

[Nana]

Well, if the new trike could be along, this would be the best dream trip. But, even without the trike to ride, it is pretty much a cool bucket list trip.

Today a flight to NYC (La Guardia) and check into the hotel. Then the must-do subway adventure to Times Square. Sure 'nuff, it is lit up like midday, street performers, street preachers, crowds and crowds of what I am sure are 90% tourists. We ate a fantastic Cuban meal in a delightful, and crowded restaurant at the corner of Broadway and 46th called "Havana Central Times Square", then wandered the streets back to the subway station that would get us "home" to the hotel.

Tomorrow morning we will subway it down to the pier for a water tour of the area..... Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Ellis Island. Sadly time is limited, so we won't be able to get off the boat and explore. Then a visit to the Ground Zero Memorial, which is very important to me to see!

Finally, a mid-afternoon check in at JFK, and a flight to Dublin, Ireland.... YAY!!!!!
I'll plan to check in regularly so y'all know I haven't forgotten you

 

[wingking51]

Hope you have a great trip!ThumbUp

 

[don graham]

Have a great trip. What did you think of the Cuban restaurant? Have you eaten Cuban before? Any tips? Asking because we have a Cuban restaurant that recently opened here in the land of Mexican food. Thinking of giving it a try.

 

[leo3wheel]

Nana, Have a great trip! I'm waving from across the Hudson River........ :wave4:

 

[Guido Gonzeaux]

Have a safe and enjoyable trip.

 

[Gorilla]

Nana CONGRATS on the trip. Have a great time. Keep us posted. Lots of pictures. say hay to Mike for me.

 

[msocko3]

Sounds like a great trip.

 

[Lucky]

Ya'll have a good trip.Be Safe

 

[trikermary]

Have a wonderful trip Nana.....from NYC to Dublin - I know NYC is exciting to visit but I think you will enjoy Dublin and the Irish countryside much more.....enjoy and be safe and keep us posted..........

 

[Jonesy]

In the time you got in the city, you're only scraching the surface of the place. I do day trips, spent 4 days there one time. And always find the place interesting. I love watching the people, have a good time in Ireland.

 

[John Luciano]

So close yet so far away. (100 miles) if I had the right time off we could hook up. I like the rest. The Touch of Havana. The grand kids are only 35 miles up the road.

 

[Rosy]

Nana,
If you are a beer drinker, you are going to haven. I worked in the UK and toured and found so many good tasting brews, it was great.
I'll give you a hint, ask the local where they eat and you will be treated to good meals at pubs and restruants.
Have a great time! Take many pictures so we can enjoy your trip! I hope to see some of the places I visited in your pictures while I was there.

Regards,

Rosy
From NH

 

[spiritdream]

SOOOO jealous!! Ireland is my #2 wish list destination - Scotland being #1. Hope you have a wonderful time, and takes LOTS of pictures!! Lucky lady....

 

[Coach 64]

Nana:
Good luck, have a safe and enjoyable vacation. I am originally from NYC (Brooklyn) 43 years. I have been to Ireland twice, friendlyist people. Have a grear time.
Tom

 

[Papa Zook]

Took an eight day train tour of Ireland back in 2000. It was great! I expected all the gals to have strawberry blonde hair and freckles like the Irish Spring commercial, but I was wrong. They all had dark hair and white as a sheet, but still pretty and everyone I met was very nice people...lol. Don't trust stereotypes, (except for the drinking part)...They certainly do like their Guinness.

 

[The Wolf]

Nana,
grab a cheap flight from Dublin to Edinburgh for a great time....I will be waiting for you.......ThumbUp

 

[TNTriker]

WOW! Have an awesome trip and be sure to kiss the Blarney Stone once for me!

 

[rhino 2]

Have a great trip, And most of all a safe one.ThumbUp
Oh, and as someone who worked on 47 and 5th, and parked at 49 and 6th for over 30 years, You can thank, Giuliani for how great times square is today. ThumbUp
Again have a safe trip, Send post cards!

 

[Nana]

We left JFK right on time on an Are Lingus flight, but a stiff tail wind scooted us right along, and we landed in Dublin almost 1-1/2 hours earlier than scheduled at 4:15 a.m. We found a cup of coffee and a wifi hotspot and are waiting for the car rental place to open. Updates and pictures will be posted later from our NY explorations yesterday, and our first day here.

 

[Nana]

Nana,
grab a cheap flight from Dublin to Edinburgh for a great time....I will be waiting for you.......ThumbUp

Oh my, wouldn't that be fun!!!! Wish we could do that, Jake.

 

[Nana]

Snapshots from our Sunday in NYC..... Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn bridge, all from the water taxi tour:

 

[Nana]

Then we went to Ground Zero and the 9/11 memorial. What a moving place, and a beautiful, meaningful remembrance. As we passed the nearest NY Firehouse (which lost so many!) we saw the mural on the wall depicting them. Over and above everything is the incredible "Freedom Tower" under construction right beside the two reflecting pools that are placed exactly in the footprint of the fallen twin towers. Security is VERY high, but there is good reason for it, and every one of the officers patrolling the site were welcoming.

 

[Nana]

Today was a loooooooooooonnnnngggg one! Up at 6:00 a.m. yesterday o pack as much into our NY time as possible, then checking in at JFK at 2:30 p.m. The plane left for Dublin right on time at 5:30, but a strong tail wind had us landing by 4:00 a.m. this morning. We waited until 6:00 for the rental car office to open, and drove into downtown Dublin where we parked and wandered the streets as they slowly woke up, cafes started to open, store deliveries began, and we warmed up with hot tea and breakfast.

By then, we were both exhausted as neither one of us had done more than doze a bit on the plane. We drove back to the airport, parked in short-term and laid the seats back. Thankfully, Mike thought to set his phone alarm or we wouldn't have woken from that deep, deep sleep to meet Becky and Rey (our daughter and son-in-law) when their flight landed an hour and a half later.

After picking them up, we set off South along the coast road, in and out of little towns, soaking up the green grass, daffodils, and blossoms on trees. We stopped for a break and a snack in a wonderful little pub, then discovered Wicklow. If you haven't driven the winding, hills that are called streets in Wicklow, you haven't tried anything! Seriously, two-way traffic on a street that feels no wider than one single lane in the States, and beautiful old buildings on either side. And all of this on steep, blind corners that put San Francisco's to shame! But what charm!!!! Of course, there was no place to pull over and take pictures, so I sadly don't have documentation of the fun!

We are in Kilkenny tonight at a delightful hotel, and have another full day planned for tomorrow. I'm off to bed and I know I will sleep like a log after only 2 hours sleep in the past more-than-24!!!

 

[Ironhorsepilot]

It sure is beautiful!! Do you drive on the wrong side of the road over there? That would be confusing enough without the thrills of one lane two way streets the put SF to shame!

 

[Gorilla]

Enjoy

 

[msocko3]

Great pictures.

 

[IBTRIKED]

Back in the day I used to date a few Black Irish Girls, Hair like Anthracite coal and white skin that glows in the Dark. Quite stunning!

 

[Nana]

Kilkenney Castle, The Canise Cathedral and lunch in a wonderful, historic pub in Kilkenney. The weather today had no sun except the liquid kind, but the people we have met have more than made up for it with their warmth and humor. What a terrific people the Irish are!

 

[Nana]

The the Waterford Crystal factory tour.... It is impressive how everything is done the "old" way -- by the hands of amazing master craftsman. The tour took us through up-close and personal where we could watch every step.

 

[Nana]

A few of the pieces being worked on besides traditional crystal for the home were trophies, peoples' choice awards, and the annual gift to the US president on St. Patrick's day which was just being finished today. So you (and us) are seeing it before the White House even knows what it will look like this year!

We also saw a magtnificent crystal 9/11 memorial piece presented to NYC, a cup (or vase?) being made for the 2012 olympics in London. And the final picture is a traditional Claddagh ring I bought as a moment of the trip.