OLA: Waking up in a City That Never Sleeps

Bill and Carol at a lovely dinner in Ai Fiori (among flowers) on Fifth Avenue, NYC

Progress! One World Center now at 100 floors
the Transportation Hub emerges!

That seems like a contradiction! But Bill and I wanted to go back to New York City to live it up! Joe and Dottie let us park our RV at their home in Middletown, New York, 45 minutes from the campground. That gave us the chance to revisit Lower, Middle, and Upper Manhattan one day at a time. Let me tell you what happened!

Lower Manhattan

work at left and throngs at right, view from our hotel room

the new 9/11 Memorial wall at the Visitors Center NYC

Our room at the World Center Hotel was spacious, clean, and well-equipped but it is the location that is enviable. It is right next to the 9/11 National Memorial and our room had a view of the site so we could see the work going on, the endless queues from 9 am to 6 pm, and the 100^thfloor, at 1,368 feet, of One World Trade Center which, with its spire, will tower to 1,776. Even now it is again the tallest building in Manhattan. The complex will be a multifaceted Transportation Hub, connecting the World Trade Center and the World Financial Center. What a successful renewal!

Bill at the grounds of the Chapel of St. Paul with its unwavering spirit

Alexander Hamilton's tomb at Trinity Church's burial grounds

Just across the southwest side (our hotel is at the northeast side) is the little Chapel of St Paul (Catholic) which survived the fire of 1776 and the terrorist attack on 9/11. An engraved bell at the burial grounds commemorates its unwavering spirit!. Inside this chapel built in 1772, one will see the very pew that George Washington used when the nearby Trinity Church (Episcopalian), where he regularly went for service, was destroyed by fire.  At the grounds of the restored Trinity Church we found the tomb of Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father, a framer of the US Constitution, and first Secretary of the Treasury of the US.

Bill in front of the New York Stock Exchange

Bill with the Bowling Green Bull, for bullish trading

Facing Trinity Church is Wall Street where we found the New York Stock Exchange across which a big George Washington stands in front of the Federal Reserve Building seeming to ensure that every financial transaction at that Financial District is above board. About a block towards Battery Park is the charming little Bowling Green Park and its Bull! Of course, at Battery Park we got a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, now doubly meaningful to me, a naturalized US citizen after migrating here 8 years ago!

Immigrants' Memorial in Battery Park with Ellis Island at the background

Upper Manhattan

Cathedral of St. John at Upper Manhattan, NYC

In Upper Manhattan, way up on 123^rd street is the Cathedral of St. John, largest handcrafted cathedral in the world! It is an exquisite work of art, inside and out. Several blocks from this cathedral is the Grant National Memorial, considered one of the top 10 mausoleums in the world. It was so cool inside, despite no air-conditioning. Three floors of marbled walls and floors surround the tombs of General and Mrs. Grant at the lower level. A huge dome tops the beautiful mausoleum, surrounded by tall elms.

the Grant National Memorial in upper Manhattan, NYC

Bethesda Fountain and lake at Central Park, NYC

Although it is considered central in Manhattan, hence the name Central Park, let me include it in this section. The few times I had been to New York I never got the opportunity to experience the Park. This time, Bill and I walked a small loop that included the Carousel, the Literary Walk, the Bethesda Fountain, boathouse and the lake. All along the Mall were artists: acrobats, jugglers, musicians, magicians, jokers, etc. competing for the public’s attention and dollars, performing under 150-year old elm trees.  

150-year old elms provide the natural canopy
for strollers at Central Park, NYC

Columbus Circle and the familiar Central Park horse-drawn carriage

At the end of the small loop we came upon a group that was singing some old familiar Beatles tunes and, of course, I stopped and sang with them! Little did we know that they were there because that was right across the John Lennon Memorial, a circular mosaic that had the word IMAGINE at the center. And about a hundred yards from the memorial, across the Park on Central Park West and 72^nd St, is the Dakota Apartments at whose gate John was gunned down by Chapman at 10:50 PM of Dec. 8, 1980.

the John Lennon Memorial at Strawberry Fields Forever, Central Park New York City

Middle Manhattan

Bill inside the Empire State Building

On Central Park’s southeast side is the Maine Monument and just across is the roundabout called Columbus Circle (a statue of Columbus stands at the center). The Circle is the actual center of Manhattan and every place is measured in distance from it. Middle Manhattan is where you will find the Rockefeller Center (although the skating rink has become a flurry of stores) and the Empire State Building (which still runs tours up to 10 PM). St. Patrick’s Cathedral is a few blocks from the Rockefeller Center and we were so lucky to have made it to the Sunday 10:15 AM mass when the choir sings.

Carol at Rockefeller Plaza in NYC on Memorial Day

Memorial Day Mass at St, Patrick's Cathedral in NYC
with representatives from the Navy

We were not able to get a glimpse of the Chrysler Building and the United Nations complex but we chanced upon the Flatiron Building near the birthplace of Theodore Roosevelt, a national historic site. It is his home in Long Island, however, that most people know. But the busiest part (besides the subways) is Times Square and the Theater District beside it. I (not Bill) had so much fun having my picture taken with the Marines, the Army, the Air Force, the Navy, NYPD, and, of course, The Naked Cowboy  who were all around the Square for Memorial Day celebrations.

Teddy Roosevelt National Historic Site in Middle Manhattan, NYC

nobody seems to care...with The Naked Cowboy
 at Times Square, NYC

Then Bill and I had the time of our lives at The Times Square Visitor center for a photo op with the New Year’s Eve Ball ($8M worth) and post our prayers at the Hopes and Dreams board. Then, just a couple of buildings away we went to the American Eagle Outfitters. It took me quite a while to find an item that is not too expensive but pretty enough. I finally found a $12 top (everything was 40% off) which gave us the chance to have our 15-seconds of fame on a giant Times Square screen in front of the store!

our 15 seconds of fame at Times square, NYC!

Hopes and Dreams at Times Square Visitors' Center, NYC

Finally it was time to see Lion King at the Minskoff Theatre on 45^th and Broadway.  I couldn’t help but sing Hakuna Matata and ‘Can’t you feel the love tonight’ with the cast.  I had been to several Broadway plays in New York before but this was indeed a spectacle! Next we dined at Ai Fiori (meaning among flowers) on Fifth Avenue, a gift from my daughters Trisha, Claudine and April. Never could I have spent this kind of money. But, they were right! Even if our meals at Europa Café, TGIF, and Koko’s were also good, this Ai Fiore dinner was truly the meal of a lifetime! Thank you, my girls!

Carol, before the Lion King performance
at the Minskoff Theatre off Broadway, NYC

riding a romantic tricycle in Times Square, NYC

The three Manhattans gave us everything…the best of food, theater, history, celebrations, architecture, churches, memorials, parks, and people!  Waking up to a city that never sleeps, although literally quite contradictory, is a shot of adrenalin for another eventful 24 hours each and every day!  And I was so tired i slumped on the floor of Grand Central Station, waiting for the train that would take us to Upstate New York again to get our RV and resume cruising! 

waiting for the Metro-North train at Grand Central

OLA: Partying with Snowbirds

Bill's offered his 68th birthday cake to the snowbirders of the RVing world!

snowbirds learning many line dancing variations

SNOWBIRDS!   The term makes you think of old, retired people from as far north as Newfoundland in Canada who leave their cold homes in November to spend a warm winter in Florida then make their way back home in March. They may have a few years under their belt, but they are definitely young at heart, and they certainly know how to have fun! Last week we introduced you to our young traveling friends from Slovenia. This week we spotlight our more regular companions in the RVing world, those sexygenarians like us (or older!) and about ‘partying’ with them.

Fay and Butch toasting the celebrant

Lake Magic in Orlando, Florida

Lake Magic in Orlando, a member of the Encore group, is the overflow park of Orlando Thousand Trails, one of our favorite parks. It sits on Highway 192 West, part of the triangle that circumscribes the theme parks of Orlando. It is only 6 miles from Disney! The RV haven is very nice with well-maintained facilities and tons of activities. We were lucky that Orlando Thousand Trails did not have space for us and got booked in and introduced to Lake Magic instead! 

Warren and Berta leading the singing

But the Park’s outstanding feature is its energetic community of younger snowbirds. Some store their RVs in the Park to use it as their alternate home in Florida. Some rent or own park models and just drive to Florida in their cars, and some are just like us who haul their home full time on the road. We were lucky that we got drawn into a group that seemed to party every day, with pot luck food and loads of karaoke singing and line dancing, led by Warren and Berta who own the equipment. 

      

Bill singing 'Wake Up Little Susie'

A traditional ‘Virginia’ barbecue courtesy of Fay and Butch coincided with Bill’s 68^th birthday, so we brought a large German chocolate cake.  A host of sides were brought by the other 45 guests. A hearty Happy Birthday was sung as Bill offered his cake that read ‘Happy RVing and Snowbirding’ to start dessert time. Then the group burst into karaoke singing, street dancing, and more eating! And, like always when a party ends, Warren and Berta led the group in singing ‘We’re Best of Friends’!

St. Patrick's Day celebration with the 'band'

Three Flags in Wildwood, Florida

Over at Three Flags, another Encore campground, management had ushered in the snowbirding season with the Thanksgiving Party where they served roast turkey while we campers contributed sides and desserts (also became my own 63^rd birthday celebration). Then March 17 they bid goodbye to the season with its St. Patrick’s Day celebration, serving corned beef and cabbage, traditional Irish fare, plus all the sides and desserts from the campers. The holiday is a cultural and religious holiday for the most commonly recognized patron saint of Ireland and the arrival of Christianity to the Emerald Isle.

just the dessert tables

Joe and Dottie having dinner with us...

During the winter of 2009/201, we met Joe, 81, and Dottie, 82 also in Three Flags. He has become Bill’s fishing buddy while Dottie is my Scrabble and Upwords playmate.  Dottie and I also exchange a lot of fave recipes.  At about the same time we met them, we also met Bob and Laverne, who are just a little older than us. They run a popular entertainment blog so they introduced me to the world of blogging and Entrecard. Without them, I would not have known how to establish my online presence.  

Bob and Laverne having dessert with us...

Bev and Dan going out with us...

We were also surprised to see Dan and Bev Johnson (the same age as Bill and I) in Three Flags this year. They are from the Seattle, Washington area like us. We met at an eastern Washington campground when we were on our way back to Seattle. This time around, a special bond developed because they kept me company when Bill needed to stay in the hospital after a heart attack. They visited Bill at the Heart of Florida Medical Center the following day.

Carol singing 'Act Naturally'

The RV and travel community can be very isolating even if we meet a lot of people at all of the campground activities. Once in a while, however, we are able to form special bonds with fellow travelers who become lifelong friends. We make the effort to keep communication lines open even when we are apart and take pains to schedule next meetings. Once again, we are reminded of the theme of this blog…’It is not about age, it is about lifestyle’.  We share the cruising lifestyle.

Being Closer to Family, an Orlando Reunion OLA

an enchanting Loch Ness monster on Pleasure Island in Downtown Disney

New Year's Eve dinner at Giordano's, our treat! 

"A thing is mighty big when time and distance cannot shrink it". Such is family. Just as 2011 was ending, the Aberions  from Seattle, Washington (eldest daughter Trisha, her husband DJ and grandkids Yeye and Kenji) and  the Vidallos from Calgary, Alberta, Canada  (second daughter Claudine and her husband Arnold and grandkids Ashton, Andre, and Enzo) arrived to help us be true to one of our resolutions.

fireworks at the hotel parking lot!

Orlando is not a nice place to be if you are on a diet. New Years’ Eve Dinner was at Giordano’s (famous for their deep dish pizzas and pastas) near their hotel, the Maingate Lakeside Resort. Then, as is the Philippine custom, we greeted the New Year with some legal (not lethal) fireworks at the hotel.  The frenzied exchange of delayed Christmas gifts ensued and the toasts of champagne completed the night!

New Year's Day pandemonium at the RV!

On New Year’s Day we brought a hearty Filipino brunch to wake them up. That was when we also distributed our gifts to everyone. Kenji so loved his 5 gifts (he turned five on Dec. 16) that he danced Happy Feet for us! At 5PM, after an afternoon of swimming, mini-golf and a round of horseshoes at the Orlando Thousand Trails’ clubhouse complex, we had New Years’ Day dinner at our ‘patio’.

lunch at Ichiban, Trisha and DJ's treat, on that cold Florida day!

The following day the Vidallos were off to a fun day at Sea World and the Aberions to Disney’s Magic Kingdom!  Unfortunately, the following day turned out to be a record cold day in Florida, highs of 40s and lows of 30s (an arctic blast came quickly…but also left as quickly!). We all just went shopping at Downtown Disney, sandwiched by a Japanese /Chinese buffet at Ichiban for lunch and a Hibachi dinner cum chef show at Kobe Steakhouse.  Kenji said it best, “Happiness is eating too much!” But for Yeye, it was shopping too much!

dinner at the Kobe Steak House, Claudine and Arnold's treat 

The following day still started out cold but the sun raged and the day ended with high 60s so the two families enjoyed the first of their 2 Universal Studios sprees. It was fortunate that the next day was even warmer, inching up to the low 70s! In the tradition of eating too much, both couples opted to pay for the $20 for adults and $10 for kids all-day eat-all-you-can meals (with a lot more taken out for midnight snacks back at the hotel)!

right at the entrance of LegoLand, a fave dinosaur!

at the entrance to Legoland

Then the couples had their day of rest as Bill and I took the four little boys on a visit to Orlando’s newest theme park, LegoLand!  Designed for kids under 9, the boys had a blast! Between the flying, driving, and boating schools and the build and test race cars at Imagination the little boys all voted Legoland the best theme park of their visit! They were all amazed at the millions of Lego bricks used to build Miniland and delighted at the safari, the Island in the Sky, etc.

mesmerized at Miniland's millions of bricks

The Aberions had to leave early. It may have been a short trip but we were definitely thrilled to be able to hold Kenji and Yeye in our arms and to behold Trisha and DJ’s animated faces as we talked. The Vidallos had an extra four days which they used well to scour every inch and corner of Disney World and its 4 parks. We had a final dinner on the evening of the 8^th, , very glad to have nice talks with Claudine and Arnold first hand and to squeeze the little boys in tight hugs.  Enzo must have posed for me a hundred times with his Harry Potter smile, complete with glasses!

the little boys having fun with Arnold at their hotel room

It is definitely a wonderful start.  But to be closer, despite the time and distance, will require much more than annual visits. Constant communication throughout the year will be necessary. Technology will certainly help. But fervent caring will always be the key. When the Aberions and Vidallos left to go back home, we felt like saying, ‘We will hold you in our hearts til we can hold you again in our arms’.

Finding Christmas on Treasure Island, Florida OLA

the colors of the Holidays...on the beach! 

This Christmas felt different from the others Bill and I have spent together. 2007 was white and freezing at -31 degrees C (-24 F) in Calgary, Alberta with Claudine and family!  In 2008 we were with Trisha and family, wet and cool in Seattle, Washington. Then it turned sunny and warm at the Suwannee River Music Park in Florida on our first Christmas in the RV. Back in Seattle in 2010, it was unfortunately white and cold! This year, it was particularly hard to find the spirit, especially after Bill’s close call (please see http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/12/wow-getting-scared.html .

Bill and his glass of wine at the condo

So we went to find it in another new place but, this time, away from our everyday home, a vacation from the RV! We booked a unit at the Sand Pebble Resort of Vacation Internationale (Bill’s time share) in Treasure Island, Florida, one of thirteen beaches around the Tampa Bay area, the region of west central Florida adjacent to Tampa Bay, almost 2 hours from Orlando. It is also known as the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated population of 4 M.

the quiet beach at the back

                                                                                                                                                                                                     We had almost forgotten how comfortable condo living is! Our 1-BR unit was spacious enough for 2 couples and had a view of the Gulf of Mexico from the balcony. At the ground floor of the resort is a hot tub, heated pool, pool table, and bar. Every afternoon there was an activity: bingo, ice cream socials, count the shells, etc. But it is the quiet beach at the back that was the best of all!

Like the other years, we got busy looking for stocking stuffers for our Christmas Eve opening of gifts. Bill and I happily lost each other at the Mustang Florida Flea Market for an hour to hunt for the little treasures. Not satisfied with our haul, we went to the Tyrone Square Mall to complete our finds. Each stash was carefully guarded and closed tight so no intruder can take a peek until the proper time! I spent a total of $25; I hoped that Bill did not spend too much more!

another kind of White Christmas...at the beach!

 The following day we went for a long drive…all along the Gulf Blvd that connects all the 10 barrier islands and 13 beaches, collectively known as the Tampa Bay Beaches.  It was never-ending miles of beach homes, condo-resorts, and palm trees. The best of them all is to the north in Clearwater, Florida, just before reaching the Honeymoon Island State Park…Clearwater Beach, famous for white powdery sand (Boracay in the Philippines is pink powdery). We discovered a beach haven much bigger than the Keys, adjacent to a good metropolitan area, and a place where we could conceivably settle (we whispered to each other).

cigars being hand-rolled at Ybor City

Then the next day we discovered legendary Ybor City in Greater Tampa, Florida which became the ‘Cigar Capital of the World’ after Don Vincente Martinez-Ybor moved his cigar factory from Key West to Tampa in the early 1900s.  Other cigar-makers followed, building their own factories. Immigrants from Spain, Cuba and Sicily came to work in them, Romanian merchants opened stores while German lithographers brought the latest in technology to print the cigar labels. Today it is a lively entertainment and arts district, complete with demonstrations of hand-rolling cigars.

at the condo's living room ready for Noche Buena

On Christmas Eve, Bill and I attended a joyous mass at St. John Vianney in St. Pete's Beach, Florida with a little pageant of kids as angels, shepherds, and the Three Kings around the Nativity Scene at the altar.  Then we came home to our Noche Buena of maple/honey glazed ham, Dubliner cheese, fancy crackers, and Christmas stollen. At almost the stroke of 12, Bill got his new polar bear jammies, pristine white hankies, and a heart warmer for cold hands!  He definitely spent more! I got new diamond earrings (to replace the ones I had lost), new fit-over dark glasses (to replace the one I lost) plus a little purse! Talks with my kids on the phone capped our Christmas Eve.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge

After a light left-over breakfast, off we went to complete our drive to the south end of Gulf Blvd for a couple more beaches and the feat of engineering, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge!  Back at the condo, a light lunch preceded our one last time at the hot tub and Skype sessions with Bill's kids.  And to cap a relaxing vacation, we went to see Mission Impossible on the big screen and dined at Joey's Famous Pizza Kitchen in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida to spare me from more cooking!

Christmas tree among the palm trees

Christmas this year was surely different, reliving life in a condo.  We found it in bits and pieces everywhere. But we found it most in us and in Him.  We are a couple who found each other late in life but early in dreams. The Christmas spirit, after all, is the special kinship He has made possible and why we are here, together.