START OF THE ROAD TRIP

Time to leave New York and start our next leg of tripping USA.  Barry was quite anxious about driving out of New York, as I am not the greatest of navigators, but we did have a borrowed Tom Tom with American maps installed, which would help guide us, as well as written directions to get us out of New York and the correct highways to take to Gettysburg. 

After collecting the car and loading the suitcases, time came to set up the Tom Tom with the directions and the damn thing wouldn't work.  No maps to navigate us through Manhattan, the Lincoln Tunnel, New Jersey Turnpike and various interstate highway changes.  Then Barry remembered his Samsung Smartphone.  On the previous Saturday night he met up with a work colleague also holidaying in New York, and he gave Barry some tuition on how to use his phone for navigating.  So out with the smart phone, finding the navigation app, entered the destination by voice command and away we went.  The drive out of Manhattan was really easy, straight down 83rd street across all the avenues until we came to the FDR which runs along the East River.  Although we had to cross 4 lanes of traffic to get on the New Jersey turnpike nobody blasted their horns at us.  What a relief, it must have been the different state plates on the car.  We cruised down the I 78 keeping up with the traffic at 80mph, when the battery on the phone went flat after a few hours.  So now we resorted to our written directions and finally found the next highway and sign that lead us to Gettysburg.  

After arriving at the motel we went for a walk down the main street to the town centre.  Gettysburg is interesting but definitely aimed at the tourist market.  The town was preparing for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War so was adorned with flags.  Lots of military and tourist shops, as well as many historic homes and lovely old churches.  Barry was keen to buy a Civil War revolver and thought we were going into a gun shop, until I steered him around the corner to a far more interesting shop.    

Day one of sightseeing the motel owner gave us a cd to use in the car, which allowed us to do our own tour by following the directions as well as learning the history of the battlefields, which consist of 10,000 acres, more than 1450 monuments, markers and plagues on the fields and all criss-crossed by more than 40 miles of avenues.  For the size of this area everything is very well maintained.  I find the monuments remarkable, not only for their size but the detail in the figures.

ONE OF THE MANY AVENUES

       

Day two we visited the museum and visitor center, where we saw a cyclorama light and sound show.  The was an amazing show, as the original painting was by a French artist and completed in 1883.  The story about the cyclorama painting is very interesting and can  found on Wikipedia.  

  

Barry's photos of the amazing Cyclorama painting  

                   Outside the visitor centre Barry made a new friend called Abe.

We completed our drive around the battlefields and came across this imposing monument.  

The Pennsylvania Memorial stands 110 feet plus the statue on top adds an extra 21 foot.  The monument was dedicated in 1910 to the 34,000 Pennsylvania men who fought in this battle.
Gettysburg also has a well established college which started in 1832, and was called Pennsylvania College. 





The above hall was used as a hospital during the Civil War and Pennsylvania College was later renamed in 1921 to Gettysburg College.  What an impressive college.





A DAY AT THE BEACH

Last Monday I went to Currumbin Beach on the Gold Coast to meet up with members from Logan U3A Camera Club.  I found many of the members on the rocks where Currumbin Creek meets the ocean. 

While I was walking along the rocks a whale suddenly appeared.  Although it seemed close it would have been out beyond the shark nets.  At this time of year the whales are heading back south after spending time in the warmer waters up north, having their young or maybe finding a new mate.  Too far for a photo.

The tallest building in the background of the above photo is where I stay for long weekends with my scrap booking friends.  It is a fantastic location and Royal Palms Resort is right on the beach.

Our project for today was beach photography, and it was a glorious winter's day with the temperature in the high 20s, a day more akin to early summer weather and the scenery was like a postcard.  With water, sand and sun it was really glary and as I had only taken the point and shoot camera (with no eye view), I found it difficult to see what I was photographing.  So that's what I did, pointed and clicked and hoped for the best, just like this fisherman.  I don't know if he was successful.



 The group headed to the Beach Shack café for coffee and along the way there was this great sculpture.  I believe that every year there is a competition held for beach sculpture.

 

As I had morning tea I really wasn't ready for lunch so I headed back home, but called into the park at Palm Beach to look back to where I had been.  Palm Beach Playground is an excellent family park and is themed on all things pirate.  There is a lot on offer in this park, and is great for young children to splash around in the creek.   Just like these little water babies.



With such great weather at the moment I could have stayed all week, but am counting down the days until September when I shall return for another long weekend away.

      





CENTRAL PARK PHOTO SHOOT

We headed off to Central Park to meet a photographer to do a photo shoot as we had previously arranged.  When we reached to corner of 6th avenue down from our hotel there were thousands of bike riders, fortunately for us the intersection was controlled by police.
Later that evening we found out what the occasion was.  Every year in May a biking event is held and is the Five Boroughs ride.  The ride takes in five neighbourhoods on Manhattan Island and is a 40 mile or 64 kilometres car free ride.  This year funds raised were going to help the victims from the Boston marathon bombing. 

We walked along 5th ave which was a very upmarket area with nice apartments, shops and very expensive cars parked on the street.
                                                           

My practise shot



We finally reached our location at an entrance to Central Park and met the photographer and other people in our group.  Her name was Zim (zimphotography.com) and after a few questions asking what we wanted to learn we set off.  Zim was very helpful, and spent equal time with everyone in the group, explaining how to get the best photograph as well as showing us how to improve on their shot.

  

The morning was still cool but there were plenty of people out and about enjoying the day.

 My reflections

 

 

Barry learnt how to shoot into the sun and he was quite happy with his photo of  Belvedere Castle.    Zim walks backwards most of the time, explaining how to get the best out of your camera and obviously has her favourite spots to take the group.

  

Zim and the Group

Don't know these people 



By now a few hours had gone by and our final location was The Lake.  This was a favourite place for visitors with a lot of people taking pictures.   

What a pretty spot with a lot of row boats on the Lake.



Here ended our photo walk with Zim and we both learnt a little more of photography and had an enjoyable morning.  Headed back the way we came but took a different path looking for a restroom as well as something to eat. 

 Well we found both and enjoyed a hot dog for lunch as well as an ice cream and sat and watched a little league baseball game.

Time to push on, and found our way out, and as we were just near The Metropolitan Museum of Art we decided to have a look in there.  This is one huge museum, and a magnificent building.  One of the many displays was Greek and Roman Art as well as a photographic display of the Civil War.  This was very interesting and would have been difficult been a war correspondent in 1863.

On our way out we came across some artists drawing this statue.  Wow how good is this gentleman. 



This was our last day in New York before starting our 2 week self drive tour with first destination Gettysburg. 



SPRINGTIME IN NEW YORK

 Saturday 4 May
Another glorious day and as planned we set off to Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.  As it was Saturday and before midday entry was free, but other times entry is a small amount of $10.00.
At the entrance there is a children's touch and smell garden, and a community garden with families tending their small plots.

Spring was late arriving this year, and I was hoping we would see the cherry blossom trees at their peak.  What a spectacular display, with the avenues full of colour not only from the



trees but the people also enjoying the ambience of the morning. 

I had noticed on the map that there was also a Japanese Garden. Another favourite place of mine to visit. 



Japanese gardens are always peaceful to me.



After walking around the Japanese gardens we followed the track as well as the cooking smells only to be surprised by the gardens of colourful tulips. 



Another eye catching display of colours and of course would not see this back in Brisbane.


WALKING THE HIGH LINE

Friday 3 May

The High Line was built in 1930 for the purpose of removing  trains from the streets of Manhattan's industrial district.  The freight line was built 30 feet above street level and designed to connect directly to factories and warehouses allowing trains to roll right inside buildings with goods able to come and go without causing street level chaos.



No trains have used the line since 1980.  When the historic structure was under threat of demolition, a group of local people worked in partnership with the City of New York to preserve and maintain the structure as an elevated public park and walkway.  After many years the 1st section opened in 2009 with stage 2 in 2011.  I think the total distance is 1.6 kilometres, but with numerous photo opportunities available and to absorb everything it does take some time to go from one end to the other.  Walking the High Line gives a different perspective of the streets and buildings of this part of Manhattan and of the Hudson River.  It will be difficult to choose which photos to use.

 

As it was a nice spring day there were quite a few people making the most of the lovely weather especially in the afternoon when the day warms up.

   Being a tourist different things catch your eye. 

 The shapes of the new apartment blocks and someone's backyard - although not very private.

Came to the end of our walk and ventured down to the chaotic noise of 30th street and 10th avenue.

I wasn't too sure where we were going but we found a little pub and enjoyed a drink.  Unbekown to us this was one block from Penn Station so back on the subway to head uptown to our hotel,  jump in the shower and get ready to go to the Broadway show.

 I don't know what the story of Pippin was about but there was singing, dancing, circus acts as well as a bit of magic.  It was really enjoyable.  Once the show finished we got caught up in the Friday night crowd in Times Squares.

Being experts on  the subway we head back to 57th street and finished our night having pancakes for supper.  Goodness me we seem to have had our fill of food today, but that huge bed is calling me after another busy day of sightseeing New York.  Two more things to see and do have been crossed off the list.