It's Spring in New York City! Latest Tips for the City

It's spring in NYC, and that means it's time for some new tips for the traveler.  I love New York and it's close by and one of my favorite cities in the world.  I love hanging out there, even when I don't have a plan, which was the case last week when my husband and I just hopped a train for our anniversary and headed down there.

We started out with lunch in Chinatown.  H.K. Wonton Garden has about a thousand things on their menu, and they're all good.  Little note for Chinatown:  check out Columbus Park in spring to see the wonderful blooming trees.  You can also always hear great Asian music there and if you like you can play Mah Jong.  Remember when in Chinatown, eat on a side street, haggle with the shop keepers, and check out the murals.

Chinatown was heavily damaged during 9/11 and they are still working on their environment down there.  It's taken years, but it looks really good now and the addition of the mural art is great.

Battery Park is already busy this season.  There was already a line for the security booth to go to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  There were already a ton of people at Castle Clinton too.  The newest addition to the waterfront at the Battery was the globe exhibit.  New York has a wonderful arts atmosphere and in the spring, there are always a bunch of new art exhibits in the street.  This is one of this year's additions.  Find out more at knowtomorrow.org.  This exhibit is all about conservation, global responsibility and natural resources.  The globes are cool too.

And then there are the bunnies.  It's called Intrude.  They are currently residing at Brookfield Place, the high end mall in Battery Park City.  I'm not sure about these guys, but there are a lot of them both inside and outside the mall.  They are interesting, so check it out. If you're not into the bunnies, come for the sunset on the waterfront.  It's fabulous.

We stopped by O'Hara's Restaurant and Pub while we were in the neighborhood like we always do.  This is still my favorite place around the World Trade Center to visit.  This is where a lot of rescue workers spent their down time, and the people who visit here get to see a real memorial to the great men and women who did some amazing work during that time.  There are patches and memorabilia from fire and rescue, ambulance, and police organizations from all over the world.  It's very moving, and the restaurant is a great place to eat and hang out as well.

Then there's Citibike.  This is hands down one of the coolest things I've ever done in NYC.  The waterfront is an amazing place to bike. It's $10 a day.  You can't beat it.  I didn't get a chance to do it this time, because of an injury, but I love it and will always recommend it.

I've been to the memorial and found it moving.  I have not been to the museum yet.  This trip we did stop in to see forever at the One World Observatory.  I want to tell you what I saw and what I experienced and what I thought.  I'm sorry if you find my views offensive.

We bought our tickets.  We were guided through a hall where they ran a movie about the building, and showed us an exhibit of rocks that were simulations of the rock under Manhattan, then had a movie about the evolution of Manhattan in the elevator to the top of the building.  When we reached the top of the building there was a show about the building that opened up to a view from the building, but that wasn't the observation deck yet.  We entered another room where they offered to rent us an Ipad so that we could hold it up and have all the landmarks identified for just $15 dollars on top of the $32 that you pay to go up the building.  Then they send you to another place where they insist on taking your picture so they can sell that to you when you come back down.  I don't know the price for that.  Then you follow the yellow brick road some more to a restaurant that is really more like a snack bar and bar.  Then you go down a level, and there may have been many levels; I'm not sure, to the actual observation deck.  There is a souvenir shop there as well.

After you walk on the camera image of the street below, you finally get to see Forever.  And you can.  I saw some of the most amazing scenery from up there and it was beautiful.  Helpful hint: they have two stands that you can stand by and read that do the same thing the the Ipads do.  You don't need to rent one.

You can even see O'Hara's from up there.  Here's the thing.  The tower is a cool tourist attraction.  I have to give that to them.  I was just under the impression that it would be more of a memorial to the buildings that used to be there.  The whole event was a three ring circus and it seemed a little tacky.  Just my impression.  The view is beautiful.  I'm glad that the building is there.  I think that the memorial pools are an amazing testament to all those who lost their lives.  It's just that I expected more class when I visited the observation deck.  I'm glad I went.  However, all things considered, I will probably not go back up there again.  I might, but I doubt it.  You know where I will visit again.  O'Hara's.

If you like tall buildings, come to One WTC for that.  You truly can see forever.  If you come to see it and think that it will be a tribute, not so much.  There's a museum and a memorial for that.  I was just hoping that it would translate to the tower.

At any rate, it's spring in NYC.  It's a great time to visit the city.  By the beginning of May most things will be up and running, and New York is one of the greatest cities in the world.  Enjoy!

http://www.statueoflibertytickets.com/
https://www.newyorktourshuttle.com/
http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.e2a1b26d9be35ff6a62fa24601c789a0/
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http://www.nycgo.com/
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https://www.newyorkpass.com/En/?aid=27
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http://www.frommers.com/destinations/new-york-city/attractions
https://oneworldobservatory.com/tickets/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=LM%20-%20Search%20-%20Branded%20-%20National&utm_term=one%20world%20trade%20center&utm_content=One%20World%20%2F%20OWO
http://onewtc.com/
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http://www.timeout.com/newyork/art
https://www.nyc-arts.org/events/0/intrude
https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-cool-globes-exhibit-battery-park-city
http://www.oharaspubnyc.com/
http://www.nycgovparks.org/events/waterfront
http://www.citibikenyc.com/
http://www.tours4fun.com/tours/new-york/visit-chinatown/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=New+York_US_S-LP
http://www.timeout.com/newyork/manhattan/chinatown-manhattan-neighborhood-guide
http://www.chinatown-online.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

Why Not? More Importantly Why Go to Egypt?

When I was a kid, one of my dreams was to go to Egypt and see the pyramids.  Millions of people have had that dream.  Millions of people have lived that dream.  But, times change, governments change, people change, and dreams follow suit.  I changed my dreams about going to Egypt at one point, because of a lot of things.  But, not because I was no longer interested.  There are so many things to see and do in Egypt that I couldn't possibly talk about all of them here.  So, instead of that, I've decided to hit a topic head on.

Tahrir Square is at the heart of Cairo.  It's one of those dreaded traffic circle areas that I personally  hate.  It's been the center of so many things in history, that it's hard to list them all.  At one point there was a Kentucky Fried Chicken joint not far from there.

Unfortunately, in 2011 this square became the center of attention for all media in the world as Egypt had a revolution.  Now, anyone will tell you that a little revolution now and then is a good thing, but that attitude dries up fast when it really happens.  It's over now, but people still remember.  People drive through there every day again, but it sticks in people's minds.  Then you have a Russian plane crash and it gets worse.  Soon, nobody wants to come and see your pyramids because they are afraid that something will happen to them.  It's the way these days.  At the least little thing, people run away.  They're wussies.

Egyptian people suffer from this.  In a country that depends on tourism for so much of its income, this type of event can be catastrophic.  In some parts of Egypt, tourism revenues have been down as much as %95.  That's terrible.  But this is why you should come and visit.

The pyramids are still at Giza.  They've been there for thousands of years, and a little revolution won't get rid of them if WWII didn't.  The great part about coming now is all the personal attention you get.  You can get a great guide easy these days.  The crowds aren't there either.  You can roam around the place unannoyed.  There won't be people clogging up your iconic pictures.  It's time to take advantage of this.

Valley of the Kings, Saqqara, Luxor.  They're all still there, and they are all virtually free of tourists.  This is one of those times to strike while it's hot.  It's almost summer, and the weather will soon be a little unfriendly itself.  Now is the time to go.  I know it sounds crazy to go to one of those middle eastern hot spots, but it's not.  As long as you don't do anything stupid, you'll be fine.  Just don't offend the Egyptians.  Follow their customs and be polite.  They love tourists.  They make a lot of money off of tourism, and they have been hurting for a while.  Bring your money to spend and you will be well taken care of.

Resort hotels are still there.  Nile River Cruises are still there.  The cruises are closing down all over the place which means that it's just another reason to go.  What if no one came, and all the river cruises close down?  What if no one could ever book a Nile River Cruise again?  They need your business.  Go and do.  It's a beautiful country with beautiful people and exotic locations.  It's Egypt.  This place looks like another world.  You don't want to miss out on that because of a little revolution and a plane crash.

Don't give up your dreams of seeing pyramids because of some bad luck on the part of the Egyptian people.  Take the chance to see an amazing place and meet amazing people.  Sure, check the State Department site for potential problems, but do that wherever you go.  Be practical. Check your facts before you go.  Check the Egyptian tourism site to make sure you know how to behave.  Take your shoes off in a mosque.  Don't dress outrageously.  Don't expect everyone to speak English.  Learn the rules, but still go and have a great time.  Don't risk missing a once in a lifetime experience that you've dreamed of since you were a little kid.  Just go.  Go and have an amazing time in an amazing place full of amazing people.  Forget the revolution.  Go and see the pyramids.  Go and help the economy of a great country. Go and see Egypt before the crowds come back.  You'll be glad that you led the way. Enjoy!

http://www.travel2egypt.com/Travel/Egypt/Vacation/Cairo-Nile-Cruises/index.html
http://www.egypt.travel/
http://www.touregypt.net/
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http://www.kensingtontours.com/Travel/Tours/Egypt?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=cairo+egypt+hotels+Broad&utm_campaign=BING-LeadGen-Egypt
http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/tag/ministry-of-tourism/
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http://www.pilgrimtours.com/egypt-tours/
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/09/world/middleeast/egypts-tourism-industry-grows-desperate-amid-sustained-turmoil.html?_r=0
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/29/egypt-tourism-revenue-falls-95-percent
http://www.sonesta.com/NileCruises/
http://www.nilerivercruise.com/
http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/egypt/index.html
http://www.ancient-egypt.org/_v3d/index.html
http://discoveringegypt.com/pyramids-temples-of-egypt/step-pyramid-at-saqqara/
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5309.htm
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/egypt/nile-valley/luxor
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http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

Bonus Blog With Local Stuff in Kingston, New York!

Today I took a little drive over to the Hudson River Valley and visited a city that I like more all the time.  That city is Kingston, New York.  Kingston is mid upstate New York in the Hudson Valley, just across the way from Rhinebeck and Red Hook.  This is one of those spots along the river that has had a little bit of a rough way to go, but as of late, they are getting it together.  Kingston was along the whaling route back in the day, and while the Hudson River is still a shipping lane, things have changed.  During the days of industry leaving the area, Kingston ran into some rough times.  When I first moved to New England it was called a slum.  But today they are reviving the waterfront and getting it together.

The riverfront walkway and park is dedicated to T.R. Gallo.  He was the mayor here years ago.  The walkway goes along the water, not to be confused with the Hudson, because that's a little ways off.  It's still a beautiful waterfront and it does connect to the Hudson River.

The area is coming along nicely with a lot of restaurants and bistros, and a great visitor center with very helpful ladies.  They even helped us pick out a great place to have lunch.  There are several bridges towering overhead as well along the water that make for some great photos.

Today there isn't much going on down on the waterfront, but the fire department was taking the opportunity of a beautiful day to flush the tanks on their trucks.  They are a friendly bunch that took the time to show us how all of the trucks worked and let us play with the hoses.  There will be much more going on down at the waterfront when the summer season begins. The entire Hudson Valley is very seasonal for tourism.  There will be free concerts, boat tours, activities, festivals, and all kinds of stuff.  The season will be starting soon with things opening for the weekends, so now is the time to look into it.

Along the waterfront is the Maritime Museum.  It is open year round and has a lot of interesting exhibits about the history of ships on the Hudson.  They have a great gift shop too.

The great part about the Hudson Valley waterfront areas, is that they are really promoting the heck out of them lately.  Most of the towns along the river are working on this to improve tourism.  Most of these areas up and down the river have maps to help you find what you want to see and to get around in general.  They are normally located in the park or along the walk right by the water.

But, the thing that I'm waiting for the most this year is the opening of river tour season.  Last year we took the River Rose out of Newburgh.  This year I plan to take the Rip Van Winkle out of Kingston.  This river tour goes down to Hyde Park and back.  I love to take rides on the Hudson, and I can't wait for this one to open.

Kingston has a historic section of town that when the season starts will have a few state houses, and historic residences to tour.  This is one of the things that I love about the Hudson River Valley.  There are tons of famous residences to tour with great architecture and amazing stories.  From FDR's house to the Vanderbilt mansion, there are tons of places to tour.  Whether you take the boat tour out to Bannerman's Castle or schedule a tour of West Point Academy, you will find some great places to see.  Whether you like to eat at the Culinary Institute of America or watch the antique planes fly at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, you won't be bored in the Hudson River Valley.

The great thing about Kingston, however, is that it's your shopping hub as well.  They have a  mall, a giant Walmart and all the stores that you may want to stop at while you're in town.  There are countless restaurants of all kinds and every chain food place imaginable.  You can even stop in and try something new at Beer World.  There's a lot to do and see in Kingston.  There's also a lot of hiking and some great vistas for photographing.

Gone are the days of Kingston being nothing but slum.  Come on over and visit one of my new favorite cities in the Hudson River Valley of upper New York State.  Come and see Kingston and enjoy!



http://www.booking.com/city/us/kingston-new-york.en.html?aid=346685&label=msn-iXMNSrBciwMkR5nsb3LpFA-8874528171&utm_campaign=NY:+New+York+State&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=iXMNSrBciwMkR5nsb3LpFA
http://www.kingston-ny.gov/
http://www.kingstonhappenings.org/
http://www.newyorkupstate.com/?cmpid=NYUS_SEM_Tourism&utm_campaign=NYUp+Tourism&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=%2Bnew+%2Byork+%2Btourism&utm_content=1384623x641246693214028508#/0
http://www.kingston-ny.gov/tourism
http://www.ulstercountyalive.com/
http://www.go-new-york.com/Kingston/Attractions/
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http://www.iloveny.com/places-to-go/hudson-valley/#.Vw82SHrES70
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http://www.hudsonriver.com/
http://hudsonvalleycruise.com/
http://www.hudsoncruises.com/index.html
http://hudsonrivercruises.com/
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http://www.riverrosecruises.com/
http://thekingstonwaterfront.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

It's More Than Some Gorillas

It's a tiny little country that no longer draws much attention, but there were points in time when the tiny country of Rwanda was all over the news.  Virtually none of the news was good for a good many years, and as a result, people sometimes get the wrong impression of this tiny African country.  Through gorilla poaching, the killing of Diane Fossey, the AIDS epidemic, and the genocide during the 1990's; this little country had a lot going on for it's size.  But did any of us really understand this country?  And what is life like there now?

Let's start with Kigali, the nation's capital.  This city has gone through a lot.  But, they are becoming very modern.  The city is coming into the 21st century in a big way.

1994 brought about the genocide that we all heard about in the news.  Being in America, it was sobering, yet it seemed so far away that it was like it wasn't real.  It was real.  259,000 people were killed in only a few months in the Hutu attempt to wipe out the Tutsis.  Today in Kigali there is the Genocide Memorial.  It is believed that several thousand people are buried in the space that the memorial occupies.  As with any memorial of this kind that I have visited; it feels real when you see it up close and personal.  The good news with this abysmal piece of history is that the people are getting past it.  I would love to say that they are all over it, but I can't believe that it's that simple.  Out of respect, if you visit the country; you should visit this memorial.  I always say that you should learn some history when visiting a country.

Another site to see in Kigali is the former Presidential Palace.  This is the other side of the war.  This was once the home of Hutu former President Juvenal Habyarimana.  There are several exhibits at what is now called the State House Museum, including pieces of the former President's plane which was shot down killing the President.  It's an interesting look at pre genocide history.  It's one more thing that helps us to understand the complex history of a fascinating country.

The Tutsis were at the epicenter of the genocide and once again, they are a complex bunch. The Hutu people and the Tutsi have long since been enemies and after the assassination of the President, war was on.  Decades later, the Tutsis invite tourists into their villages and teach them about their culture.  It's a far cry from the lives that they once led.  It's amazing to see how they have survived.

But the biggest tourist draw in Rwanda still remains in the world of the volcanoes.  Volcanoes National Park is a beautiful park full of wildlife, trails, flora, fauna, and cultural experiences.  You can take any of a number of safaris in this park and see all kinds of animals.  You have all the animals that you would expect to see on an African safari like Giraffe, Antelope, Zebras and yes, Monkeys and Gorillas.

"Gorillas in the Mist" was the movie that we all saw that taught us about the plight of the Mountain Gorillas of Eastern Africa.  They were hunted nearly to extinction.  They live in the cloud forests of not only Rwanda, but also Burundi, Tanzania, DRC, and Kenya.  This forested area that falls in these countries is the only place in the world where these animals exist.  Back in the 1960's, Diane Fossey took up the cause to make sure that these majestic animals could live safely in the forest.  She worked tirelessly her entire life to make sure that these animals could be safe and flourish in their home.  She was killed in 1985, but her work lives on through the Diane Fossey Foundation.  In Volcanoes National Park, you can learn all about her work.

What else can you do there?  You can book a guided walk into the world of the Mountain Gorilla.  The walk is one of the most memorable experiences you will ever have.  The gorillas after many years of being protected and seeing humans, have become far less shy than they used to be.  Mothers will let their babies play right in sight of us humans.  It's a great time to go and see these amazing animals.  The walk can only be taken with a guide, and it does take a few hours to do it right.  It's worth it.

If you do take the time to go into the forest, make sure you keep an eye out for another famous resident of the forest, the Golden Monkey.  They also only live there.

Rwanda is an amazing country that has overcome some great atrocities to come into the 21st century on the right path.  The Tutsis are thriving, the cities are improving, and the gorillas are getting used to being looked at instead of shot at.  I've only mentioned a very few amazing things that you can see and do in this incredible tiny country.  Rwanda has gone from one of the most dangerous countries to one of the safest.  Take an incredible journey and see a place that is nothing like it was 20 years ago.  See the result of a people that decided that they had had enough and that it was time to move forward and make it better.  Come and meet the friendly, outgoing, empowered people of Rwanda.  And don't forget to visit the cloud forest and the amazing wildlife that lives there as well. Enjoy!

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