Another World,,,

Well, today we lucked out. But, let's start at the beginning: The Newark Tourism Office let us down. One of their reps had offered at IPW - the big tourism conference - and promised to host us in Newark and to show us around. Despite about a dozen of emails back and forth in the course of the last months, until Monday we didn't know where we are going to stay. It was very frustrating, especially that they didn't get back to us (to date) at all - never happened to us before - inexcusable behavior!

Well, after waiting and hoping till Monday evening, we were not able anymore to contact any of our NYC friends or to check out other options, and decided to activate plan B and book a hotel ourselves. Since we only arrived late afternoon to Newark, and considering rates, we opted for the Best Western Plus Robert Treat Hotel in Newark's city center, not to far away from Newark's Penn Station. It went for $ 135 (AAA rate) plus tax, including breakfast and WiFi – pretty good for NYC, probably the best deal far and wide (Manhattan starts at about double the price), but we were skeptical.

Check in at MSP Airport went smooth and quick. Our flight to New York was delayed, but flight time was only about two hours and we arrived on time, 4:15 pm local time, at EWR (Newark). Flight was pretty bumpy in the last half hour and I almost got sick. Once safely landed, we walked over to baggage claim and - wonder happen! - our suitcase was the first piece to show up, followed soon by the garment bag. Spontaneously, we decided to go for an Uber, since it cost less than the train and was much more convenient. We were picked up about 5 minutes later outside the terminal and brought directly to our hotel in crazy traffic. Good location, o.k. building, friendly service at check-in. In the room at 5 pm (!) and surprise: spacious and clean, with a fridge, a bathtub, a coffeemaker, large flat-screen TV ,,, and even a window to open! Also, they gave us a room in the upper floors as requested (11th of 15) and the noise level as well as the view were pretty good here.

Out again soon to explore Newark a bit on our own and to see how far it'll be to Penn Station by foot with our luggage, when we were moving to our friends' Heidi & Tom's place in Harlem. We stumbled over Borglum's "Wars of America" monument (pic on left) - the sculptor became famous with the "Presidents in Stone" at Mount Rushmore - and were rather stunned by the colorful mix of historic and modern buildings, of old and new, run-down and polished, poverty and wealth on the streets. A little like Harlem 20 years ago or remote parts of Brooklyn.

As a Caucasian (white) you really pop out in Newark and we had to get used again to all the noise, the filthiness, the homeless, the traffic,,, Since we didn't find a decent grocery store, we went to Redd's Biergarten next to the Prudential Center home of the pro-hockey team New Jersey Devils. Glad that we eventually have unlimited internet access with our American SIM card on the mobil phone and can check out things like that on the road. This huge "Biergarten" venue was sort of strange, too: two bars, huge halls with rustic long wooden benches and tables and self-service counters. A German menu with bratwurst, schnitzel and sauerbraten and many German beers in 1/2 and liter glass jugs of German breweries. But ,,, crazy loud hip-hop music and very mixed clientele including partying gay guys in costumes, distributing cookies to other guests.

Called it a day afterwards, took a bath, worked and watched TV. Much less worse than we expected it to be,,, and tomorrow will be in Harlem, in our friends' old brownstone, again, a different world.