Nicki is back in Williamsburg. Along with a swanky new pair o' New Balance sneakers and some socks for Niece #1 (my first act as a spoiling aunt), she managed to pick up a nasty headcold somewhere between Albany and here. Nicki blames Penn Station. For there is no way that a city as lovely as Albany could harbour such a vicious, vicious virus.
The train ride up was uneventful, except where the first train was late, making me miss my connecting train and take a later one. "Is there anything to do in New York?" I deadpanned to the ticket guy as he changed my ticket. Blank stare. "Uh. I'd stay in the staion." Forget that! Broadway was only six, okay eight blocks away! I trotted down to 42nd St and said hai and was back in time to get a delicious sandwich for the train.
Alison met me in Albany...can I say how weird it is to see someone I've only ever known on public transport driving a car? It's weird. We spent that Sunday at the New York State Museum, which is beautiful. Half the museum is given over to the Beauty of Natural New York, including it's one dinosaur and mastodon skeleton, and the other half is given over to New York City. I found the exhibit on 9/11 to be slightly disturbing--seeing parts or airplanes and seatbelts was particularly wrenching--and I was shocked when a mother calmly led her two youngish children through the exhibit. There is also a carousel at the museum, and although Alison and I were not the oldest ones who went for a ride, we were the oldest who actually got up on the horse and yippee ki-yi-yayed around, instead of holding a small child on.
Sunday night we had sushi. I haven't sushi in months. Oh, God, I love sushi. Sushi, sushi, sushi. We also had ice-cream for desert...completely forgetting that we had stopped for ice-cream earlier. Oh well. That's the best part about being an adult, kids--you can have as MUCH ICE CREAM AS YOU WANT!
Monday we went to see "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." This was the first movie I've seen in a theatre that didn't require reading, and for a while I was confused why the Russian wasn't subtitled. Apparently, the Russian government is mad at Spielberg & Co for portraying the KGB as heartless criminals, though, I must say I don't know where they get it from, I thought the KGB agents were very effective. Especially the bit where Cate Blanchette is swordfighting in the jungle. Yeah. Incredibly effective.
We ended up on the sofa watching "3:10 to Yuma" surrounded by food that night. BBQ pulled pork, veggies and dip, hoummus, chips, crackers, cheese and watermelon, plus Mike's Hard Lemonade, enough food that my stomach finally had to send up a delegation and say "stop, please." But really, what else is Memorial Day about? It was so wonderful to spend time with a friend, face to face instead of via email or over the phone. It was hard to leave yesterday, but the train ride home was also uneventful, except I kept passing out because of this cold. I felt sorry for the lady next to me who wanted to show me pictures of her grandchildren: "Oh, they're so cute....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."
And that was my trip. I didn't take any pictures, alas, but I did buy an "I (heart) Albany" penlight keychain. New York, not so much. But Albany is delightful.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Well, Alison and Nicki, my two favourite Americans, in New York, walking, going to museums and eating ice-cream and then watching Russell Crowe AND Christian Bale..OK, I hope you were thinking of me:)
Jealous Lisa
Don't let a certain someone hear you say Albany is delightful...he might start emailing you again...though this time wounded and insulted since you came so close and never looked him up!
Post a Comment