Back to the U.S.A.!

It’s been our 53rd flight to the United States and it’s our 18th visit to New York City. After a couple of months spent at home without much traveling or distraction we were glad to get out again. The horrible weather we had most of August and September added to our growing cabin fever.

We had to get up very early (5 am) on wednesday to drive to MUC Airport in dense fog, parked the car, hopped on the bus to the terminal and all was fine with the exception that the plane was starting 45 min. delayed because of the fog. The flight was rather uneventful and thanks to United Airlines Economy Plus class and their entertainment program the 9:15 hours passed relatively fast.

Provisions on the plane are getting worse and worse, they even cut down on the peanuts or pretzels they used to hand out with the first drink. Nondescript stuff, called a meal, on your plate, today it was „pasta“ or „chicken“, overcooked, for toothless people, lukewarm and tasteless. After lunch service just once water was being served for about 5 hours. Our plane - a Boeing 767-400 - was 90 % full.

We landed about 15 min. early and had a record time to get through immigration at Newark (5 min.!!!). Baggage claim and customs were fast as well and at 1:15 pm we were standing outside, waiting for our pre-arranged Sedan service to pick us up. Driver showed up about 45 min. later, asked us what way to take and speeded quite a bit, but at least the drive itself was comfortable, first time without any schlepping of luggage. Arrived to our friends’ place in Harlem (see pic) at around 2:30 pm and were greeted cordially. We had coffee and cookies sitting in the idyllic backyard of their beautifully restored brownstone, chatted and enjoyed the sun and a completely different world.

Out again around 5 pm to Central Park. Nature in the center of a metropolis (see pics), lakes, lawns, playgrounds, wooded areas, what else could you wish for? About 10 years ago even at daytime many people had concerns to walk in certain parts of Central Park, now it’s crowded and well-used, especially on a day like today, with 70 deg. F, sun and clear skies. Checked out the new Tavern on the Green (the only restaurant in Central Park, newly opened) and watched the boaters and bikers and carriages.



On to Columbus Circle with Time Warner Center and a growing, great skyline along Central Park South, with (at least partly) spectacular new skyscrapers. Getting a bit tired we finally did some shopping at Whole Foods (a huge organic supermarket) for drinks and breakfast, then back „home“ to Harlem.