Arrival in the Big Apple

(Okay, so it turns out - for today at least - that we can pirate someone's wireless network from our room! Wahoo!)

For a travel day, it was fairly uneventful. No delays in getting to any flights, and minimal to nonexistent lines getting onto planes (a first for me, I think, except in cases where the plane was virtually empty). The only jarring moment came during the second spate of nasty turbulence between Dallas and New York. The first time, the flight attendant had come on the loudspeaker and calmly asked everyone to return to their seats. Of course, as they always do, people lingered in the aisles for several minutes before finally obeying orders. Apparently, the flight attendant who made the announcement during the second round of turbulence noted this complacency, because her announcement sounded like this, “Everyone return to your seats immediately, this is for your own safety!” And it was not said calmly.

As our taxi pulled up in front of the building where we were to be staying, Chris looked up and said, “Look who it is!” I looked up to see French cousins Pierre & Francoise walking toward us. Here we are having just arrived in a strange and enormous city, in front of a building we’ve never been inside before, and we’ve already bumped into relatives? They’re staying in the same apartment we are, and the timing was just that good. I’ve decided that delightful chance encounter means it’s going to be a good weekend.

Our room overlooks one side of the Museum of Natural History, a place which I adored as a little girl. My eye doctor was in NYC, as was my Oma, so we would make occasional trips into the city from Connecticut, and my dad would take me to the Museum of Natural History to see the dinosaur bones. I decided back then (for what reason I can’t fathom) that the Triceratops was my buddy. (It might have made more sense if he'd looked like this.)

Dad had left a message about getting together for dinner, so we connected with him and made plans. I also spoke with my aunt briefly – when she answered the phone, she sounded very sad… Then she said, “Oh, I’m sorry! I was just watching something about the Holocaust.” Silly woman, it’s her birthday weekend and she’s watching something about the Holocaust?!?

At any rate, we walked to the nearby restaurant with Pierre & Francoise, and had dinner with the gang – which included my dad’s best friend’s son, Gary, with whom he’s staying, and his two daughters. I hadn’t seen Gary in 14 years (we did the math) – so long ago that I’d never met his kids. They’re delightful girls. We went back to their apartment after dinner so the eldest daughter could show it off, and we’re hoping to see them again tomorrow afternoon. They’re very nearly family – and it’s good to keep family connections of any sort up and running, methinks.

And now it’s bedtime… I’m exhausted after a long travel day with not enough sleep, and am glad that tomorrow is entirely ours. We’re having dinner with everyone at my aunt’s apartment at 7:00 or so, but until then the day is ours. We’d like to do some shopping, perhaps for some clothing and shoes, perhaps for some Italian books… We’ll see. And again, who knows? We might pay my old buddy Triceratops a visit.