Elenapoloza 2014,a three day affair.

With a Job not magically appearing for me it was a surprise that my wife said it was OK for me to take the Girls on the Circle Line the Friday before Elena's birthday. This became the unofficial start to Elenapaloze 2014.

Train ride into the City

  It hit with more of a thud then a bang when I invited her to go and miss the last day of ESL school and she said 'No'. I told her she was going anyway.
   My friend Mike was up from North Carolina and we were going to take in a ball game on Saturday. He asks what would you like to do on Friday. He said lets go into the city and I said lets do the Circle Line.

Sitting on a Subway floor??

   The last time I was on the Circle Line was in 1973 or 4. What were We doing in the City at that age? They were rebuilding Yankee Stadium, the original one, from 1923 and I wanted to take some pictures of it and Mike says lets go on the circle Line. We were 16-17 years old and had no business going into the City. Back then it was bad, real bad! There were blocks of apartment buildings near the stadium that were abandoned and filled with junkies. (Illegal Drug users, if the term is out of style) We would go there later to take pictures and be let inside the Stadium, When they built the new Stadium they were not half as nice to picture takers.
 Mike met Us at the Train Station in Nanuet. We would of been in plenty of time except Mesha took one of Elena's sneakers and we could not find it and the night before I woke up about three-thirty and remembered that I did not buy any sun screen. I then had trouble going back to sleep.

At the World Trade Center

 We found the sneaker stuck in the side of her bed, the dog didn't take it, I ran into Rite Aid and got some sun screen and we got to the train station five minutes before the train was supposed to get there. The Train was late. We talked for a few minutes until the train got there and I took my third maybe? train ride. The Girls first I think.
  We got to Hoboken, got our tickets and went over to the docks. The docks floated and the tide was just right that we occasionally had a free trip on a roller coaster.I was afraid Nastia would say she doesn't feel good, sea sick again and the Circle Line would be in trouble. At every step of the the trip I would send Teri a text message to let her know that her loved ones and I were safe and well cared for.

On the Circle Line

 The Ferry ride was fun and quick. We then walked over to the World Trade Center to see the site. It had just opened this year. We then walked over to where Mike used to work, 99 Church St. right near the Woolworth building. Then a quick subway ride ( My second, the girls first) to 45th St. and then a short walk over to the west side and we were at the Circle Line with plenty of time to spare so we got a couple of Hot Dogs and a drink.
  Tourism has become a very big business these last few years. It is another one of former Mayor Mike Bloomberg's accomplishments. The down side to that is now all the tourist things in the City are expensive and packed. Two years ago the Empire State Building was almost three hundred dollars to take six people to the very top. Now the Circle Line was not that bad, but four tickets cost, with tax, $158.00, but you pay if you want the piper to play.

Elena comes out for a picture

  The Girls were unhappy to find out the boat ride was a three hour tour. (People of a certain age when they hear three hour tour, think of something else. For all You kids and future readers that was the length of the tour they took on the show Gilligan's Island 1964-66 or so).
  Mike and I enjoyed the ride. In the 70's we were on top of the boat. This time it was crowded and we were in the bow of the boat. Nastia made friends with a women visiting her daughter living in the city. Then was talking to a guy. This is what scares me about her, too much trust.
   Elena, the soon to be birthday Girl spent 99% of the trip in the cabin wrapped up in her jacket. Her jacket and her hat are her armour when she is uncomfortable and needs to feel protected against the world. She was wrapped up in it until we got off the boat and were taking the water taxi across the river to the train.
  The trip went around Manhattan Island. On the first trip in the 70's they pointed out where Babe Ruth and Johnny Carson lived. This time they were left out.

In the Park near the Circle Line

   We took a water taxi right next to the Circle Line across the river instead of doing the subway to the World Trade then across to the Trains. This seemed faster. We would have to walk a little to the trains, but it didn't seem too far.
  The Water Taxi we took was the one Karl, the Girls and I took when we tried to see the tall ships in 2011 or 12. We waited on line for about five or so hours to see the Navy ship, while 'important' people went ahead of us, us as in most of the people who wanted to see the ships. Reports said people waited on line for over eight hours.

Boat ride to return to the Train home

  The Water Taxi dropped us off north of the trains by about a mile.It was a nice day and a pleasant walk. We got to the trains about 4:45 and our train left about five. I feel asleep pretty quickly and the girls turned on their music and we settled in for the ride home.
  I had forgotten Elena had Val at Six and a phone call from Teri reminded me. We ended up getting to her late, about 6:30.
  It was a long and enjoyable day, mostly On Saturday, I went to a Yankee game, where they were three hit or so. It was a warm and really nice day. Elena and Nastia spent time with their mother and went to see the movie Lucy. That night we went out for Mexican food.
   Sunday, Jessica gets dropped off and I take the three of them over to the Climb the Palisades climbing place in the Palisades Center. It is four floors of death defying adventure.

You get strapped in and a thick cable is clipped on that keeps you from falling and you go overall these scary things. The three spent two hours doing it and when we came home to another beautiful day,it was time to swim.
  Teri, Nancy and I got the food together. My Mom, Harriet, Eric,Lynn, Billy, and Denis all came. Ruth sent her regrets, again she was in Florida.
  Amanda came by with her boyfriend, Nick and we all hung out, ate and talked the next four hours away. It was nice and I think Elena had a good time.