NYC

We arrived at Jamaica Station, crossed the platform and took the train to Penn Station. As we exited the station the Hotel was a street away. 

The Radisson Martinique is one of the Historic hotels of America. 

It was built in the Beaux Arts tradition; the interior and exterior were designed by noted architect Hardenberg in the French Renaissance style. 

                  The Lobby

                 The vestibule

             The original staircase 

It was constructed in 1897 as Broadway became the centre of entertainment. It flourished in the Jazz age. Golfers take note that the PGA's charter was signed in this hotel in 1916. In the Roaring 20s, as the economy boomed,  the hotel prospered. It had two theatres and an opera houses until they were closed in the 60s.  Sylvester Stallone was among the many notables, who acted there. The cost was reasonable as NY hotels go €300 per night. The rooms are great - the only fault was a 15 minute queue to check in and out! 

It was now 10.30 am. We were unable to check in until 4pm so we left our luggage and took the nearby 'N' train to 59th and Lexington to visit Bloomingdales. It is a beautiful store but as we have so much luggage, as a result of crossing on the QM2, we had to be disciplined. 

We then adjourned to Saks off 5th but there was nothing of interest there. We continued on to 5th Ave and arrived at Central Park. 

It was a lovely sunny morning and there was great activity around the Park. We continued down 5th Ave taking in the vibrancy that is NYC. We passed Tiffany's,

The  Trump Tower (Clinton and Trump are neck and neck in the polls! Will it be another Brexit?). 

We visited Saks, 5th Ave - the shop appears to be stuck In a time warp,  when one compares it to Bloomingdales and Macys's but perhaps their clientele like it that way? On we walked passed St Patrick's cathedral and Rockefeller Centre. We diverted to Times Square 42nd and Broadway

with its multitudinous neon lights and from there continued back to the hotel to check in. 

Today is CCs birthday. He gets to celebrate his birthday in diverse locations as we are always on holidays at this time- Shanghai, Las Vegas and today NYC to name but a few!  We're off to celebrate tonight - more tomorrow!! 

Montaux and en route to NYC

We continued our tour of the Hamptons -  visiting nearby Easthampton. We then returned to Montauk. Later we had drinks at M's friends' home and dined that evening at Gosmans by the ocean; 

a restaurant set up by a Roscommon woman. She developed it from a small shack, buying up all the adjacent real estate until she developed the huge complex it is today. It is now run by her grandchildren. With wild oysters, clams and crab from the adjacent ocean, the meal was a real treat. 

Next day, we visited the historic manor hotel, which dominates the town.

 

It retains its 19th century characteristics.  

We visited the town"s green, where a food market was taking place. 

With the exception of the Manor Hotel- the only other high rise building constructed to house the professionals involved in designing and building Montaux 

We saw the Memory Motel, which Mick Jagger frequented and I'm advised that he wrote a song about it.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono (sp?) visited too and there is a shop name to commemorated the visit. 

Later that evening we went on a sunset cruise on the ocean, which was spectacular! 

       Awaiting the sunset onshore

We saw the setting sun but more especially,

we saw the rising moon; 

crimson in its majesty. We ate at the Dock, where many of the Montauxans were celebrating the weekend.   

Today, we are bound for NYC on the Long Island Railroad, where after a change at Jamaica station, we will arrive at Penn Station, NYC, where we will reside overnight in the nearby Radisson hotel on Broadway/ 32nd St. 

A tour of Montauk

Montauk is named after the Montaukett tribe who inhabited the area. The Dutch arrived followed by the English. If you wish to read the history of the area, I refer you to en.m.wikipedia.org  Montauk is a hamlet of Easthampton, c.120 miles from mid Manhattan. Montauk is situated on the most easterly tip of Long Island and is surrounded by the ocean. 

The area boasts holiday homes of some of the great and the good of American society, including Paul Simon, Ralf Lauren and a host of other celebrities not known on this side of the pond!!

It has a winter population of c. 3,000 and a summer one of 30,000; being a favourite holiday spot for New Yorkers. As it is a heavily forested area, it has a very low population density. If one sells a property here, the local council retains a percentage of the price to enable it to  buy up all vacant land that comes up for sale, thus ensuring the low density continues. As a result the area boasts 6 National Parks, where one can hike and picnic. However, in the Parks Lyme's disease is a threat;  a disease that results from the tic, which is very prevalent in this area. The disease can debilitate one for years. 

It was a beautiful morning, c.75F. with a refreshing breeze, as we set off on foot for the short walk to the beach. September is a lovely month to visit here as the season ends on Labour Day weekend, when the crowds return to NYC.  The beach was almost devoid of people while on Labour Day weekend there wasn't a patch of vacant sand to sit on.. 

We returned to base and continued exploring by car. Our first call was one of the many resort areas,  very quiet now at the end of season!

Afterwards, we visited the Montauk airforce station, 

a radar station designed to protect the NYC area in case of attack during the Cold War. 

We continued further along the coast to see the glacial deposits deposited 22,000 years ago. Geographers, the coast here is being eroded, is very unstable and exhibits bluffs, named 'hoodoos' by the early settlers, derived from the word 'voodoo', namely 'evil thing'. 

We continued  to the 

anti aircraft base at Camp Hero. It served as a coastal defence from 1943-1947 and became a training station thereafter, until its  equipment became obsolete. 

From thence to Montauk airport, 

where only private planes can land. 

There were 70 planes on the tarmac on Labour Day weekend!! As we sat there, two men set off for NYC - flying  for 1 hour 20 minutes beats the road traffic jams or the 3 hour train trip!! 

Finally, we arrived at Montauk Point Lighthouse, the first lighthouse in NY State and 4th oldest, active lighthouse in the U.S. 

 Surrounded by water on three sides, Montauk sports numerous marinas. It is also a surfers paradise. 

Our tour concluded  by lunching on lobster roll from Sammy's cart, 

by the water's edge - a fitting end to a very pleasant morning. 

 

To Montauk

Today, we left Floral Park and took the Long Island Railroad 

to Jamaica and then boarded the Montauk Express. The journey will take almost 3 hours- Montauk is at the very eastem tip of Long Island. The railroad commenced service in 1895, opening up the area as a vacation spot for New Yorkers. The line is dotted with stations servicing all towns along its route - some with platforms so small, they can only accommodate one carriage!!

On arrival at Montaux Station, 

we were met by CC's cousin. We lunched by the ocean. The weather was beautiful - on the late 70s with a nice breeze. (I'm Americanised now with the Farenheight !!). 

We returned to her house and relaxed on the sun for the rest of the evening. 

NYC

Yesterday, we took the tube from Flatbush Ave. station to Fulton Street NYC, where we visited the 9/11 Memorial park. Last Sunday, commemorations were held throughout NYC, including at Breezy Point to commemorate those of Breezy Point who had lost their lives in the disaster. It is hard to believe that it is 15 years since the Twin Towers were struck by two aircraft, killing many. 

The park is a fitting memorial- an oasis in busy Manhattan.

Two fountains have the names of all those who died, inscribed on them. 

There is a museum, 

a shopping centre and 7 of 9 proposed towers have been built. 

Afterwards, we had a little retail therapy at Century 21, before we adjourned to Macy's on 34th Street to further punish the credit cards. At $1.10 to the €, the value that once was is no more!! 

Long Island and Breezy Point

Arrived at Long Island. It was very hot and humid - unusual for this time of year. 

On Friday a.m. we departed for Breezy Point, a holiday resort about 40 minutes from Flloral Park, Long Island. It was still hot and humid even though we were near the 'ocean' as the Americans call it. 

On Saturday, the humidity dropped , which was a relief.  We went to the beach but after about 2 hours the weather changed, the sky darkened and we were forced to vacate the beach as the wind from the sea blew sand in our faces. I went for a swim but the sea was very rough - the remnants iof Herman!.   

You may have heard of Breezy Point - in November three years ago, it suffered catastrophic damage as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Fires broke out and there was serious flooding - you might remember seeing it on your TV screens? Many of the summer bungalows were raised to the ground and people had to take shelter in makeshift accommodation. Most of the properties have since been rebuilt again. 

The above street is very Irish - generations of Irish have holidayed here  - I met the O'Meara's, O'Leary's, the  Lynches and the Quinns, who have holiday homes on this street. 

Tomorrow, we return to Long Island via NYC for a spot of retail therapy! On Tuesday, we're going to Montauk at the extreme tip of Long Island from thence  to NYC and on to Washington DC, from where, after a couple of days sightseeing, we return home.   

NYC - here we come!!

At 4 a.m. we passed under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, the Queen Mary 2 turned 180 degrees and reversed into port. 

 

It was dark, soon it was dawn 

 

      The Statue of Liberty at dawn

      The Pier at Ellis Island with the 

            Statue of Liberty in the 

                   background. 

Manhattan unfolded before us - what must our ancestors have felt when they saw the Statue of Liberty as they approached Ellis Island after a long and arduous voyage? 

As dawn broke ,

 Manhattan revealed its majesty. The sun rose 

Everyone was on the decks, photographing the arrival. 

Later, we breakfasted for the last time on 

Our journey's end and not a hurricane in sight !! However, it's 90 degrees in NYC ! 

I enjoyed the voyage but I am ready to disembark. I would not relish the thought of a month's cruise or returning to Europe this evening via Halifax, as many of our fellow passengers are.......

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