Lighthouses and Red Leaves Tour 2006

Flight Cologne - New York Thursday, 21st September, 19 °C, sunny; distance: 12 miles We left Düsseldorf at 7 a.m. and arrived at Köln-Bonn airport 30 minutes later. We parked the car, found a trolley and after queuing at the Continental check-in we were done by 8:15 a.m. We had to pass through the security scan twice and at 11 a.m. our flight took off 30 minutes behind schedule. The plane wasn't quite full and the seat next to us remained empty. Food and service were fine, but entertainment was rather poor as the movies were several years old and more suited for family entertainment. We arrived in New York (Newark) at 13:20 local time. By 2 p.m. we had passed immigration and customs and we took the AirTrain to the car rental agency (National). We had booked Intermediate and were given a Pontiac Grand-Prix sports car (Full Size). Shortly after 3 p.m. we arrived at our pre-booked motel, the Holland Motor Lodge, located at the Holland Tunnel entrance. It was good value for New York. We didn't have to pay any parking fees and it was just a 10 mins. walk to the PATH train station (Pavonia Newport). There were a fridge and a microwave in the room and in the mornings they served a rather generous continental breakfast (pastries, fruit, cereals, coffee, orange juice). Around 4 p.m. we walked to the Newport Marina where you have a great view across the Hudson River to Manhattan. Then we took the PATH train to 33rd Street which took 20 mins. ($1.50 each one-way). We had a look into the art-deco lobby of the Empire State Building, walked to Flatiron Building and back along Broadway. Shortly after 7 p.m. we were back at the motel.


New York Friday, 22nd September, 19 °C, partly cloudy Shortly after 8 a.m. we took the PATH Train to WTC/Ground Zero which took 15 mins. We had a look at the Ground Zero construction site, then walked towards the winter garden in the World Financial Center (WFC). Along the promenade to Battery Park we were able to see the Statue of Liberty from the distance. We took the Staten Island Ferry (free of charge) at 10 a.m. which passes by Liberty Island with a good view of the statue. We boarded the return ferry and were back at 11 a.m. Then we walked up to Wall Street and took the subway ($2) to Times Square, arriving at 12 p.m. We had a quick lunch, then we walked down 42nd Street to the New York Public Library and Grand Central Station. From the station entrance we had a good view of the Chrysler Building. Then up Lexington Avenue to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on 50th Street and passing by St. Patrick’s Cathedral we reached the Rockefeller Center around 3 p.m. We went up to Top of the Rock ($17.50) and had a fantastic view over Manhattan with the Empire State Building to the south and Central Park to the north. Afterwards we walked up 5th Avenue to Central Park, had a look at the John Lennon Memorial „Strawberry Fields“ and walked around The Lake. At 5:30 p.m. we took the subway to 14th Street and had dinner at a Mexican Grill, before we took the PATH train back to Jersey City. Here we walked to the marina again to enjoy the view of Manhattan at night. At 7 p.m. we were back at the motel.



Essex, Mystic and Newport Saturday, 23rd September, 18 °C, rain; distance: 287 miles When we got up this morning it was raining. We left at 7:30 a.m. and drove across the George Washington Bridge ($6 toll) to Merritt Parkway. It was an agreeable drive because no trucks are allowed on this route. When we reached New Haven we continued on the I-95 and took the exit to Essex to see the Steam Train. We arrived at 10 a.m. and luckily the rain had let up, so we took a good look around. The train was supposed to leave at 11 a.m. but we didn't stay until then. We stopped again at Mystic and walked around Olde Mistick Village, a shopping centre built in the style of a New England village. We continued on Highway 1 to Stonington, a quaint fishing village, however, by then it was raining heavily again and there was no point in walking around. We continued to Newport, Rhode Island, and drove across the Claiborne Pell Bridge ($2). At least the rain had stopped again so we walked along part of the 5 km long Cliff Walk that passes by the Newport Mansions, i.e. the villas of Vanderbuilt and Co. such as The Breakers and Marble House which can also be visited. 45 mins. later we were back at the car. We continued along Ocean Drive back to Newport. It was another hour's drive to our pre-booked Motel 6 at Braintree south of Boston where we arrived at 5 p.m. The room was basic but good value for Boston with the train station right across the road. We had dinner at the close-by Hilltop Steakhouse.



Boston Sunday, 24th September, 22 °C, partly cloudy The weather was improving and it felt almost hot in Boston. We took the T Train from Braintree to Boston's Park Street Station right at the Boston Common (day ticket $7.50). The train departed at 8:20 a.m. and it took 30 minutes. We breakfasted at Finagle a Bagle before we started following the red line of the 2.5 miles long Freedom Trail which passes by most of Boston's historic sights. Right at the beginning we did a little detour around Beacon Hill. At 11 a.m. we reached Quincy Market, it was a bit early for lunch, so we just bought a couple of muffins for later. Then we went up to Bunker Hill with its obelisk and at 1 p.m. we stood in front of the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. They offered free tours but we didn't want to queue. So we had a look at the more modern USS Cassin Young which was less busy. This was the end of the Freedom Trail. We went back across the bridge over the Charles River and took the T Train to Charles/MGH. We had a look at Boston's skyline from the Longfellow Bridge, then boarded the train again to Cambridge where we walked around the Old Yard of Harvard University. Then we took the train back downtown and got off at Copley Square. The observatory of the Hancock Tower is closed since 9-11. We went up to the Skywalk Observatory of the Prudential Tower instead ($10.50). By now it was 3:45 p.m. The tickets included an audio guide and we spent 1.5 hours walking around looking down upon Boston. Afterwards we had an early dinner at Panda Express. Via Back Bay and Commonwealth Avenue, we returned to the Boston Common and boarded the next train to Braintree. At 6:15 p.m. we were back at the motel.