Part One - Bus Trip to NYC - the Federal Bldg

The Starr Bus left from Cheltenham High School at 8 am on Thursday.

To make sure I got there on time I arrived at 7 am. Way too early. Turned off my exciting but too wordy audio book Guilty by David Baldacci.

What else was there to do but exercise? Walked back and forth and noticed trash settled into the grass. Found a plastic bag and loaded up one bag, then two, then three.

God's little helper, I call myself.

Made a new friend, my seat mate, Fran, whose friends call her Chi-Chi.

Richard Joyce was our bus driver. Bus 172, right everyone? He said he'd never seen me before. I've been on loads of wonderful trips thru the Cheltenham Township Adult Evening School.

Richard was excellent. When we got to New York, he narrated as he drove, pointing out where Occupy Wall Street was held and also where Alexander Hamilton's grave is.

Burr killed Hamilton in 1804. 

I'd really like to take a trip to Storm King Art Center in Windsor, NY, but they have no trips planned.

Here's a David Smith sculptural piece. Incredibly prolific - read about him here - he died in a car crash in Bennington, VT. He was 59.

OUR first stop was the Federal Hall National Memorial in the Wall Street area of New York.

Sometimes blurry pix are interesting to look at. These Asian tourists are walking in unison.

 Park Ranger Daniel Previtt loaded us up with info. On the left is Mildred from my reading group and Arleen Weinstein who I haven't seen since her husband Stephen died two years ago last August.

She came with her friend, Susan Gross, also a widow, who has a wonderful website. 

Inauguration of George Washington in 1789.

His white-haired wife Martha. At her advanced age, she must wear a name tag to remember who she is.

Outside the building is a towering statue of  "The American Cincinnatus." Model of civic virtue.

 Hi Chi-Chi! See me waving from my red couch in Willow Grove?

 

 

Yes, THE Wall Street.

 We ducked into a lovely church - dig the engravings, reminiscent of the The Gates of Hell at Philly's Rodin Museum.

Who doesn't love a church, as long as I don't have to stay there more than ten seconds. That goes for synagogues as well.

 Ironwork

I buy my hot dogs at the Dairy Queen. I tried Burger King... fairly good - they stick a tomato in it - but won't be going there again.

Lookin good, Arleen!

"Good night, Arleen, good night, Arleen, I'll see you in my dreams."

  The Weavers' rendition. Can you find Pete Seeger?