So TYG has an alumni event in New York, so we decide to travel up there a few days early and enjoy ourselves
Surprisingly we wrapped up packing and any last-minute work well in advance, then took the cab into the airport. About 3.5 hours later, and after a smooth flight, we came into LaGuardia. While I think I knew it was built out into the water, I honestly felt a little alarmed as we came down soooo low over the water. But then we touched down, and headed for ground transportation.
The fleet of taxis waiting was really startling. We usualyl see two or three waiting at Raleigh’s airport, but this? At least a dozen and that was just the ones close. The airport taxi-manager steered us to one, with a Sikh (I think) driver. The ride in was fascinating: old bridges, skyscrapers, old buildings, more bridges … it all looked a lot like New York is supposed to look.
The hotel, the Waldorf, looked just like a fancy hotel in New York is supposed to look too (e.g., the cool clock in the lobby). And the room, by the power of upgrades-for-points or whatever wizardry TYG pulled, was gorgeous and big. Even the locks look cool.
Unfortunately it turned out they’d upgraded us more than we’d asked for, so we downgraded to a smaller room. But it still had a cool lock.
After settling down, unpacking, and seeing what could be seen out the windows, we went out on a couple of shopping trips: Starbucks, then a drug store for stuff for TYG. Then dinner. I’d spotted an Indian restaurant maybe 10-15 minutes walk from the hotel. Good choice: lots of very tasty food, possibly a little hotter than I’d have liked, but not so much I didn’t thoroughly enjoy it. Minor complaint: Lipton’s for tea? Even Northwest Florida Indian restaurants manage chai.
Still a satisfactory first day.
