New York Mini-Reunion

First Day (Saturday, Dec 26th)

Posted by Emil on Jan 4

I met Alex and Jo in JFK airport. We took the airport train service called (AIRTRAIN) to a subway station in Jamaica, Queens. Took the “E” train to Filipino restaurant. We ate lumpiang sariwa, sinigang na manok, bopis and inihaw na baboy. The rice was barely touched.

After lunch, we took the “7” train to Manhattan, transferred to uptown “9” train to their hotel. After checking in the hotel, Nenette arrived in a few minutes. We walked along 5th Avenue, Manhattan. Too many people even it was raining and night darkness comes early this time of year (before 5 pm). Stopped by St. Patrick Cathedral and Rockefeller center. Rain drops are visible on my camera lens in the pictures. Did some windows shopping and went inside some stores.

Walked around Times Square, even more crowded and rain was getting more steadier. Ate light dinner in a deli. Then went back to hotel to prepare for early activities next day (Sunday).

I was not with them the whole Sunday so Alex and Jo will continue the story.

 

Second Day (Sunday, Dec 27th)

Posted by Alex on Jan 4

Jo and I heard mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral from 8:00 to 9:00. At 10:00, Nenette came in a 4WD with her friend, Tess.

We drove to the US Military Academy at Westpoint. It was around 2 hours drive from Manhattan and we did not get lost too much. We drove through New Jersey along the Hudson River.

When we arrived at westpoint, the only available guided tour was at 2:30 so we visited the Museum in the meantime. We enjoyed the tour and we were so hungry by that time, luckily there was a McDonalds nearby.

After that, we drove to the Factory Outlets. Jo bought some baby stuff and Nenette was startled when after Jo bought some girl stuff and then she said she need to buy some for the boy as well. Nenette did not even know that Andre and Karen are having twins, much less a boy and a girl! She was so thrilled.

It was very cold at the outlets and the shops were outdoors. We had our dinner there and went back to the hotel. We reached around nine pm.
We enjoyed the day thoroughly especially when even with GPS navigation, we were not sure of the way. Nenette is the same funny and cute person just like in college. As with Emil, it’s so wonderful to feel the same friendship and affection. The jokes, kuwentos and reminiscing, as they say, we have not missed a beat. The many years that we have not seen each other, they did not affect anything at all.

Monday morning, Alex and Jo decided they want to see the Yankee Stadium, so I looked at the Yankee Site and found that tour starts at 1 pm yet. So for the morning we walked along Broadway, Manhattan talking pictures along the way.

Several shots in Times Square.

 We went inside the office where I work since it is along the way, just few blocks from Times Square. They met some of my co-workers and picture was taken inside my office room.

We went inside the famous Macy’s Store

 then to Madison Square Garden Arena (home of the NY Knick’s).

 Went down to Penn Train Station which is under the Madison Square.
From there, we took the “D” train to Yankee Stadium in Bronx. The first tour is fully book so the tickets we got are for the second batch. We ate in McDonald while waiting, visited the souvenir store and took pictures outside the stadium. It was too cold for Jo ( 25 degrees farenheit and windy ). Some piles of snow still visible in some pictures.

Several pictures during the Yankee Stadium Tour.

Late in the afternoon, Alex and I went to get food (take out) from the Pilipino restaurant leaving Jo in the hotel. We ate dinner in the hotel but Nenette cannot leave office early. She just brought home some food late in the evening.
We just met Nenette in front of the Majestic Theater in the evening for the Phantom of the Opera. It was a very good musical production. The performers are really good and the orchestra was excellent.

It was a good Monday.

Day 4, Tuesday, Dec 29th

Posted by Alex on Jan 10

As promised to Jo, Emil took us for a drive and tour of Princeton University.
Emil arrived at the hotel at 9:00 AM and we drove from Manhattan to New Jersey passing by the Lincoln Tunnel(under the Hudson River).

It was very cold on this particular day and because there was no school, we were shivering while walking around the open spaces within the campus.

Fortunately, the university museum was open so we spent and enjoyed a number of hours there.

They have quite a collection of the old masters and we had a chance to see their Fall 2009 Exhibition. As expected, photography was not allowed inside.
http://artmuseum.princeton.edu/
After the museum, we drove back to Manhattan, stopping at a Subway in New Jersey for lunch. Going back, we passed through another tunnel – Holland Tunnel.

We reached Manhattan and we went to the foot of Brooklyn Bridge. It was already late in the afternoon and the cold was worse than in Princeton. I think it was minus 18 by early evening. Emil wanted us to walk on the bridge but it was too cold for us so we took some pictures and went inside the Pier mall. We had coffee and hot chocolate while waiting for Nenette to join us.

Nenette came after work and we had a nice seafood dinner at Il Porto Restaurant at Fulton Street just across the Pier. During the dinner, we called Amy O. in San Diego and we had a very nice “phone reunion” with her. She mentioned her recent health challenge which was sad for us but she is very cheery and happy on the phone.

After dinner we dropped Nenette near the old World Trade site where she will take the train to New Jersey.
Jo and I said our bye-byes to her as we were flying back to Orlando the next day.
Emil drove around Manhattan, showing us many sights, until it was very late in the night and finally to the hotel. It was another great day indeed.

Last Day, Wednesday, Dec 30th

Emil came by the hotel at 10:00 AM. We walked around Times Square and nearby, as Jo wanted to buy some stuff from Macy’s. Emil took us to Victoria’s Secret but Jo did not buy anything.
At 12:00 we returned to the hotel and checked-out.

We then went to the same Filipino Restaurant for lunch.
Then off to JFK airport. We said our goodbyes (and Thank You) to Emil there and back to Orlando for us.
You will all agree that we had great mini-reunion!

 

5 Comments

noe

2:59 PM on January 6

Emil, Alex, Jo, Nenette
You guys rock! With the detailed story along with the pictures, you were very kind to my imagination. Only two days but a lot of memories to take home! Best part of it is you have shared it here, etched in the pages of our class website – thank you. Should help in our brain’s MR button when when we get to that age

noe

9:49 PM on January 8

Oh boy, way more than two days pala and more than double the fun. Eager to read the rest of the kwento…Noe

hedinaoguing@yahoo.com

2:46 AM on January 9

Wow! Good to see you guys! Hope I see you soon….

salvador torculas

2:59 PM on January 10

I cannot imagine myself in New York even in a few days. That means life is hard for me with snow around. Survival ang magiging experience ko jan. But it’s always nice to have first in LIFE. See you guys in a few months.

salvador torculas

3:01 PM on January 10

Hi Hedi,
Where were you the last 30 years. Welcome to the class link. See you soon