John and Marlene 2022 Summer Trip

  NYC 9/11 Spent a few days in an RV park in Jersey City, NJ right across the Hudson River from NYC.  Blocks from the PATH station, 15 minutes to the base of the rebuilt World Trade Center campus. Nice shot of the southern NYC skyline, One World Trade tall building on the left. Lady Liberty as seen from our ferry to Ellis Island. The PATH exits in a place called the Oculus, an ultra modern transportation hub for 12 subways plus the PATH.  Beautiful place, retail, dining, clean, places to sit/relax, serves a million people a week. For some reason I felt I was in a "Men in Black" movie.  Exterior shot of the Oculus This is a pic of The Apple Store in the Oculus.  Must have been 40-50 floor staff at a pre-opening briefing when I went by.  Huge store.  Then later I noticed that there is another Apple store on the second floor right above the first floor one; you cannot be serious.  Must be doing some business. 9-11 Museum This was my first visit to th...

  Hudson, MA Many people collect automobiles, all kinds of artwork.  Jacques Littlefield collected/restored tanks, artillery and other military hardware.  3 years ago a museum was opened with his collection and the result is world class.  Many of these pieces are the only ones displayed in the US. Dioramas, videos, very knowledgeable docents, lots of things other than just tanks, including a scud missile, a piece of the Berlin Wall and a remnant from one of the 9/11 towers. Just west of Boston, if you get up this way.  Below Leonardo DaVinci's "armored wagon", precursor to the modern tank Below, German BMW motorcycle w/fixed sidecar and machine gun.  Marlene liked this one. Famous, feared, German Panzer V from WWII Rickenbach's M-60 tank, American workhorse, 50 tons of trouble.  Just after Vietnam. Lowell, Mass American history is replete with stories of immigrants producing new, innovative, better, cheaper products/services.  It is part of the na...

  Albany/Troy, NY Spent some time in the Albany/Troy NY area, visiting Marlene's family.  Wonderful time.  This area was the beginning of the famous Erie Canal, finished in 1825, connecting the Hudson River to the Great Lakes and beyond.  It was the first navigable waterway highway in the US and 1) accelerated the development of the Great Lakes region, 2) extended the westward expansion of the US and 3) helped the economic ascendency of the US, particularly the port of NYC.  Called Clinton's folly at the time, the Canal paid for itself in the first year.  It reduced transportation costs to the Midwest by 95%.  Eventually, the railroads, the Interstate Highway system and the St. Lawrence Seaway made the Canal uncompetitive.  Today it is used primarily for pleasure boating. Of special interest to Marlene, as her grandfather was a Canal boat captain, and Marlene's mother was born on the boat. This Lock 2 was part of the side cut junction, which allow...

  Mystic Seaport Visited Mystic, CT on a beautiful weekend.  The tourist favorite Mystic Seaport and Museum was having their 30th annual Wooden Boat Show, which added to the fun.   Mystic is most famous for it's seaport, with over 600 ships built since 1784.  The Seaport is one of the largest maritime museums in the US, with many preserved ships including the famous Charles Morgan whaling ship. In addition to the ships, the Seaport Museum features a 19th century re-imagined waterfront settlement with over 60 restored historic buildings plus craftsmen (blacksmiths, etc) demonstrating their skills. Seaport's pride and joy, the Charles W. Morgan, called a "lucky whaler", the last of 2,700 whaling ships built over 150 years.  Had an 80 year active life, roaming the globe, but mostly in the Pacific Ocean.  Retired to Mystic in 1941, a major tourist attraction.  Anyone familiar with the stories of whaling (Moby Dick, Capt Ahab) can't help but be a littl...