Livingstone's New York Postcard #1

Intergalactic time traveler, Livingstone Cook is living the high life in New York City, and has taken time out from partying to send some happy snaps back to Shummy-Shum (as he affectionately refers to his mother).

Livingstone is already well travelled, having come from beyond the Pavo constellation. Unfortunately, he did get caught up in some recent sun spot activity which has caused major malfunctions to his internal guidance systems.

The other side effect of this incident is that it has left him with a body mass that has become extremely soft and pliable, giving him the appearance of a soft toy made from heavy ply wool with black beads for eyes. However, this transformation from an inter-galactic, state of the art, robotic alien has its benefits since it means he is now incredibly light and can fit into almost any space, which makes it east to tote him around with me wherever I go.

Written by Livingstone himself, here in his own words is a report of his first exciting taste of international travel.

…

Hello, mommy Shummy_Shum. It too hot in Noo York City, especial if you come from ice-berg planet like me do. Me be getting out and over with Uncle JimJim – when he can bother to take me with he.

Image: Livingstone waiting at Adelaide Airport for flight to Los Angeles

Me waiting in pack back for intergalactic to Los Anglees. Uncle JimJim make big ha_ha. He say intergalactic take 20 hours or more! BigJoke Uncle JimJim. In 20 hours Me fly to Moon Station 0030. You no fool Me, SillyBilly.

Image: Livingstone claiming the double bed in the Super 8 Hotel, Los Angeles for himself

Uncle JimJim no make BigJoke! Travel on sky plane take 20 hours and more! Earth people dummy_dums. Why they have no teleport stations? Travel well faster than sky plane with teleport stations. Now he say big bed for he only. Me say big bed for Me too. Me want no more sleep_asleep in pack back!

Uncle JimJim say Me a big woosh. He say Me be a SillyBilly. Me no big woosh! Uncle JimJim be a big woosh becos he be jet blagged. He should be travelled 13 light years - then he be jet blagged for real!

Image: The Bob Hope Hollywood USO at LAX. No, Livingstone, you can’t catch it home!

Me see intergalactic USO Sky Ship Bob Hope, waiting to launch at Los Anglees, LAX. Me want to catch sky ship home. Uncle JimJim say Bob Hope is no sky ship but people house. He say we stay in Los Anglees. He still grumpy_grump from jet blagging. Big woosh!

Image: Livingstone have a quiet word with Steven Spielberg on Hollywood Boulevard

Me be meet with Steven Speelberg! He be Me big and bigger hero. In Pavo Constellation Mr. Speelberg top earth director for all space comedies. Always. Me favorite comedy be E.T. and Close Encounter. Me laugh fit to get busted! Good jokes, Mr. Speelberg.

Pleese, scuse Me poor inglish. Livingstone inglish is get better but not best yet.

Luv U, Shummy_Shum. By-bye.

Livingstone

…

Yes, I know. Riveting stuff, isn’t it? Still I promised Livingstone that he can contribute one blog post each week detailing his adventures and unique insights (yes, that’s a joke). With a bit of luck it may at least stop him from nagging me constantly about ‘going home’. It seems to be working. Right now he is working on his next entry which includes New York City.

I bet you can’t wait.

Yeah, right!

Up A Lazy River to Bear Mountain

Image: Bear Mountain State Park, New York, NY

In 1962 or thereabouts, a very young Bob Dylan wrote a song called, Talkin' Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues. The song begins:

I saw it advertised one day

Bear Mountain picnic was comin’ my way

“Come along ’n’ take a trip

We’ll bring you up there on a ship

Bring the wife and kids

Bring the whole family”

Yippee!*

Through another eight verses Dylan describes a picnic cruise that goes from bad, to worse, to disastrous.

I’m pleased to say the cruise I took to Bear Mountain with the Classic Harbor Line on their beautifully appointed teak-decked yacht, Manhattan was anything but a disaster. This nine hour, full day, round-trip cruise up the Hudson River to Bear Mountain began at 9.00am with an open breakfast buffet, a complimentary drink from the bar, and a three hour cruise that wound its way north through the Palisades and the lower Hudson River Valley.

The open breakfast buffet included fresh bagels and pastries, fruit, a waffle maker, fresh quiche and sausage, and coffee, juice and tea. Quite frankly, it was more than enough food for the passengers on board, and there was no need to ‘top up’ with other food purchases at the concession stands or café within the park when we got there. In fact, we were encouraged to take breakfast ‘leftovers’ like fruit and pastries ashore with us.

Image: Mucking around in boats on the Hudson River

It was a perfect day for mucking around in boats, and I had to feel sorry for the folks back in New York City who were about to experience a sweltering day in among the concrete and glass canyons of Manhattan. Meanwhile the lucky 30 or so passengers on the cruise were blessed with a cool breeze and smooth running, all the way to our destination.

After docking at Bear Mountain, we were free to enjoy around two and a half hours exploring, hiking, or just relaxing. I never bothered with the Trailside Museums, the jam-packed swimming pool, rowing boat hire, or the small on-site Zoo, but I did amble my way around Hessian Lake and breathe in the fresh mountain air – laced with the smell of BBQ wafting across the lake from the dozens of family picnics taking place in the park.

Image: I love the smell of BBQ in the morning!

Our cruise coincided with the post-Independence Day public holiday, and it is clear that Bear Mountain has been a favourite picnic spot for New Yorkers, even long before Dylan wrote about it. Omar, a Honduran (see Special Thanks below) told me that apparently, on July 4th itself, the picnic site was full by 9.00am, and park staff had to turn every other visitor away – which gives you an idea of just how popular the location is.

At 3:00pm the Manhattan departed for the three hour cruise back to New York City. Again, we were treated to a complimentary beverage from the bar and barbecue picnic buffet! As if that wasn’t enough, an hour or so before disembarking we were also offered dessert and fruit platters just to make sure we didn’t leave hungry.

Image: The Manhattan at anchor near Chelsea Piers

The Manhattan is a newly built (2006) 1920’s style “commuter” yacht, which aims to reproduce the Gilded Era of Yachting (the company description, not mine). The boat features an enclosed, cushioned observatory surrounded by large windows and skylights which makes it very easy to take in the stunning views on both sides of the river. Of course, passengers could also sit on deck if they chose to.

Caveats
1. The company website and brochures advertise a three hour break at Bear Mountain. However, if it takes longer to reach the park, that delay is subtracted from the nominal three hours to ensure the Manhattan still leaves at 3.00pm for the return cruise to New York City. A practical example: Although our trip left on time at 9.00am, it was 15-20 minutes late reaching Bear Mountain due to prevailing weather conditions. Therefore, our time at Bear Mountain was reduced to around two and a half hours.

2. Even assuming a full three hours at Bear Mountain, we were advised that passengers inclined to walk to the top of the mountain would not be able to complete the round trip within that time. Therefore, if you are a keen hiker, and want to climb Bear Mountain, you will need to find your own way there, or travel with another company that allows more time to complete the climb.

3. Boat cruising isn’t for everyone. If you bore easily, sitting on a boat for six hours – no matter how luxurious the vessel – can seem interminably long. From time to time on our cruise, some folks read books and newspapers, dozed off, or distracted themselves from the cruise in different ways.

Others, myself included, were interested in watching the changing landscape and looking out for the unexpected – like birds of prey soaring high over cliffs and escarpments; or trying to work out which of the numerous fortress-like buildings we passed was the notorious Sing Sing, maximum security prison. That sort of thing.

Image: High cliffs and escarpments; a small section of the Palisades

The Palisades, also called the New Jersey Palisades or the Hudson Palisades are a line of steep cliffs along the west side of the lower Hudson River in northeastern New Jersey and southern New York ... The cliffs stretch north from Jersey City (where their emergence is called Bergen Hill) approximately 20 mi (32 km) to near Nyack, New York. They rise nearly vertically from near the edge of the river and are among the most dramatic geologic features in the vicinity of New York City... [Source: Wikipedia]

As we cruised past the Palisades, described above, I couldn’t help thinking that it probably hadn’t changed much since Henry Hudson and his crew sailed up the river for the first time 400 years ago. It was sobering to imagine the Native Americans who must have been watching from the safety of the dense undergrowth or cliff tops, trying to work out who or what these people and their strange vessel represented.

What Is Not Included?

Apart from the complimentary drinks at the start of the cruise and on the return trip, any additional mixed drinks could be purchased from the open bar. Gratuities (tips) are also not included in the overall cruise price, but are greatly appreciated by crew members.

Special Thanks

A special shout-out to Omar from Honduras, who was generous enough to offer a complete stranger (me), a soda and something to eat. I accepted the soda, but not the food since we would be eating on the trip back to New York City. Gracias, mi amigo.

And an extra special shout-out to fellow passenger, Marlyn, who also took the time to say ‘hello’ to a complete stranger on the long trip to and from Bear Mountain. It was lovely having someone to share the ride with, and it certainly made the day more memorable for me, and hopefully for her as well.

Finally

The next cruise to Bear Mountain is scheduled for Monday, September 6, 2010, which just happens to be the annual North American Labor Day holiday. I highly recommend the outing for locals and visitors alike – especially if you are interested in doing something different on your vacation. Classic Harbor Lines offers a wide range of cruising via their website so take a look and take the time to get out on the water.

* Copyright © 1962, 1965 by Duchess Music Corporation; renewed 1990, 1993 by MCA

LINKS:

Talkin’ Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues…
Bear Mountain State Park…
Classic Harbor Line…

The Palisades…

New York Promenade

Image: The Cloisters commanding the best views, high over the Hudson River

~ Went out in the early evening for a walk up Cabrini Boulevard towards the Cloisters, which is only ten minutes from the apartment I’m staying at. The Cloisters is the branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated to the art and architecture of the European Middle Ages, and is located in Fort Tryon Park near the northern tip of Manhattan.

By the time I reached the park the building itself was closed, but the park was alive with activity. I quickly realised I was walking into a typical New York summer night. While it may seem like a movie cliché, to me it was everything I expected to see on a hot summer evening. Given that the vast majority of residents on Manhattan live in apartments, very few have access to anything resembling a garden or private yard. This means that in the evenings they spill out onto the streets and into neighbourhood parks (of which there are more than you might expect).

Tryon Park had its fair share of picnicking families, strolling couples and joggers, dog walkers and book readers, and bird watchers and sunbathers. Several paths afforded great views of the Hudson River, which were spoilt only by the fact that you had to squint into the lowering sun to see anything.

A large children’s playground is located at the corner of Riverside Drive and Broadway, and this was packed with families: adults, teenagers, children and grandparents. Streams of water were spraying high into the air in one central play area and young kids squealed with delight as they ran through the mist and showers of cooling water. Ice cream vendors with small three wheeled carts walked around the area plying their wares, and Latin music boomed from passing cars.

I sat for a while enjoying a $1 cup of ice cream, before deciding to walk to the end of Manhattan. Not the bottom end of the island, you understand, but the top – or northern – end, which was less than a mile away.

That iconic thoroughfare, Broadway, runs from the southern end of Manhattan up through its centre and continues on way beyond the end of the island. It is my wish to walk the entire length of the Manhattan section of Broadway, but now that I am here experiencing for myself that much talked about New York summer humidity, I will have to adjust my goals and complete the task in stages rather than one long walk. I have nothing to prove (apart from my stupidity) by walking 22 kilometres in 95 degree heat and 80 percent humidity – and the last time I looked, I wasn’t that stupid!

Image: Evening view of the Bronx over the Harlem River
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Anyway, since it was close, I set off to walk to the end of Manhattan, and I was happy I did. Along the way I passed Dyckman Farmhouse, a Dutch Colonial style farmhouse built by William Dyckman in 1784 (or thereabouts). The Farmhouse is an extraordinary reminder of earlier Manhattan and an important part of its Inwood neighbourhood. It was of course, also closed, but I will certainly return for a good look before I leave New York.

At the corner of Isham Street and Broadway stands the Church of The Good Shephard. In the garden on the Isham Street is a steel cross similar to the better known 20 foot high (6.1 m) cross salvaged from the rubble of the World Trade Center. Though much small in size, this blackened cross and the memorial garden it watches over is a poignant reminder of that terrible day. Wherever you go in New York City you will find memorials, large and small, to the thousands of victims of that terrible event, which – as you might expect – continues to have a huge impact on the lives of all New Yorkers.

Continuing along Broadway, I soon came to that narrow body of water which separates Manhattan from the Bronx. The Harlem River is spanned by the Broadway Bridge, which may be unique in that if it needs to be raised for small ships or other craft to pass beneath, it rises parallel to the water, as one long platform. Having walked across the bridge to the Bronx – and mainland America – I began my return walk back to the apartment.

Image: Iconic New York street scene, still encountered today
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Somewhere up a side street in Inwood, I encountered another image I associate with New York: someone had turned on a fire hydrant just enough to send a curtain of water cascading across the road so that local children could play in the shower of ‘rain’ it created.

It would have made a lovely picture. Just the same, it was a great way to end my evening promenade through the top end of Manhattan.