USA 2015 - New York

Succumbing to persisting guilt, and a bit of haranguing about not visiting my long term friend Tom from Saigon days 45 years ago, I finally got my act together and planned a trip.  Jean came along too for her first visit to the contiguous/mainland United States.

First, it was to New York, although we lost a full day due to a technical problem on our plane in London.  It was a frustrating start as we missed some planned activities, but we greatly enjoyed our time there despite the delay.  The weather was mostly warm and sunny with temperatures well above normal for November and we had a great hotel location with a view over Central Park.

View north across Central Park

Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Centre provided a fantastic 360⁰ view of the city at night, 67 floors up, with the Empire State Building straight in front.

With a little time to spare before we took a boat trip around Manhattan Island, I rushed around the Intrepid, getting a look at the Enterprise Shuttle as well as many other planes on display.

Ice Rink at Rockefeller Centre

View South from Top of the Rock

Intrepid, and a traveller nearby!

Space Shuttle Enterprise

The missing word is Jet, not Jean (below)!

On this fine day, we took in the sights of Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn and 59^th St Bridges (remembering Simon & Garfunkel’s song about the same) in addition to having great commentary and views about various landmarks.  The new One World Trade Centre Tower stood proud and defiant at the south end of the island.

One World Trade Centre

Herself of Liberty

Brooklyn Bridge

A leaning building going up, or falling over?

59th St Bridge

Harlem River

Pretty Close, only when the tide's low!

Railway swing-bridge at NW corner of Manhattan Island

Visiting the site of this awful act of terrorism, the ‘infinity pools’ sit on top of the site of the two towers, all names cut into bronze surrounds illuminated at night, water cascading down all side and flowing into square holes in the centre, the bottom of which cannot be seen.  These pools alone, with a flower or flag inserted into a name, were truly moving even before we went below ground into the 9/11 Museum.  Although so many perished, it is remarkable that the number was not much higher, given the typical tens of thousands who would have normally been in the towers on a daily basis.

One World Trade Centre

(Part of) sculpture to firemen of New York

Memorial to 343 Firemen lost on 9/11

Infinity Pool

Cascading water provides a perfect reflection

The museum is cavernous and centred around the bases of the two towers, their steel struts have been cut down flush to the concrete bases.  The last column to be removed from Ground Zero was on display with pictures and messages placed by rescue workers.  Its removal from the site in May 2002, draped in the Stars & Stripes, was flanked by an honour guard and must have marked a turning point from rescue and recovery to rebuilding.

Tower steel columns cut down to concrete

to surround exhibition for one tower

One column left proud

Scale of retaining flood wall and last column

can be seen from people below

 'SQ41' in the middle - some of FDNY Squad 41 who were missing,

painted on it when their remains were discovered nearby

The Last Column, pictured before removal

Crushed fire engine

 Original staircase, with escalator built alongside

Part of North Tower TV Antenna

The museum holds stories and items that graphically illustrate the horror of that day and visitors were noticeably sombre as they toured and absorbed this very well designed exhibition.  It is impossible to leave it without an immense feeling of shock and sorrow as to what took place.

Work still goes on around the site as other buildings spring up around One World Trade Centre, but it will be some years yet before the rebuilding is complete.

Nearby, the 9/11 Tribute Centre has two walls of pictures of those innocent victims. Messages or mementos attach to some and the display is simple, very personal and graphic, once more a sombre place to be.

I had last visited the Empire State building in late ’71 on the way home from Saigon the long way round. On our visit, it was a bit of a dull day, so the views were tempered accordingly, but it was still worth the visit.  We went up to the 82^nd but passed on the 102^nd because of a surcharge and my recollection that it is smaller and behind glass.

That leaning building again!

Chrysler Building

A sickly, or dopey, pigeon?

South to One World Trade Centre and beyond

Grand Central Station, a very grand place indeed, was not far away, so we called in for a look around and quick drink.

Having seen Jersey Boys in London, we checked out the Broadway version and it was tremendous, particularly made so by the guy playing Frankie Valli. On our last morning after breakfast, Jean decided to yomp into Central Park as far as she could.  I had a text just before her planned return time to say she was lost!  Seeking directions from others and having passed some places more than once, she did make it back in time, only just, and very hot indeed!

The colours of Central Park

And and ice rink!

Northern Ireland 2015

Ann & Stuart had never been to Northern Ireland, and we hadn't been there for a few years, so off we set on a Burleigh Boot Camp (BBC) tour, Itinerary to hand, all time well planned, with background briefings etc, just as it should be!

We took the car ferry from Cairnryan to Belfast and set out to give them a good taster.  The weather was very kind.

Stopping first in Belfast, we took in the outstanding Titanic Museum and the Titanic Tender, SS Nomadic, dry docked nearby.  Next, it was a bus tour of the City, which included both the Falls (Catholic/Republican) and Shankill (Protestant/Unionist) areas, still separated by Peace Walls, the gates of which still get closed at night.  I did feel somewhat disappointed that the need for this remains so many years after peace and disarmament were agreed. Memories remain as long and held onto as ever.

It was not the same everywhere, but there were pockets of lamp-post flags and kerbside painting, usually Unionist, that punctuate the divide as we toured around. Can the past ever be put behind and the whole Province move on, I wonder?

The day was topped off with dinner and a lovely evening at Andrew & sister Jennifer's, with a quick look into Bangor, their hometown.

Next day, we drove up the Antrim Causeway Coast road, where the Mull of Kintyre should have been visible only 14 miles away, but misty weather obscured it once again, stopping at Carnlough, Ballycastle and the very pretty Ballintoy before the Giants Causeway.

Ballycastle and the sun shone

Picturesque Ballintoy Harbour

Giant's Causeway

At Portrush, we stayed at a guest house on Kerr St, just up the road from where I grew up, with a great view of the West Strand and Harbour.  An added bonus was the owner is a professional photographer and the house is abound with outstanding pictures, some of which are local to Portrush and surrounding area.

West Strand Portrush through the bedroom window

Portrush Harbour

Harbour from the South Pier

Portrush Lifeboat, 52 Kerr St to the right behind

I felt that Portrush had been improved since my last visit, looked smarter, some of the tackier elements having been removed or replaced, and some regeneration of buildings that had become derelict during the business downturn during the Troubles.

Compulsory of course, is the BBC Walking Tour of Portrush, starting at the harbour on the west, round the cliffs and headland of Ramore Head, Lansdown to the east, then on to the Arcadia with its small beach to the 2.5 mile East Strand, with Royal Portrush Golf Club's links courses behind.

Ramore Head

Skerries (islands) beyond Lansdown

Arcadia

East Strand

We enjoyed outstanding food, and a couple of pints of Guinness in the Harbour Bar and Bistro one night, then equally outstanding food in another harbour restaurant, all part of the Ramore Restaurant chain.  These restaurants are always full, people travelling from far away to enjoy the fayre, a bit of an anomaly in a relatively small seaside town, but due to their reputation.

After lunching in Portstewart, Stuart and I headed for a tour of the Bushmills Distillery and a brief stop at Royal Portrush GC, while Ann & Jean took a coastal path walk back to Portrush, which they enjoyed immensely.

Next, we headed for Magilligan Point via Downhill, looking back up briefy at the clifftop-edge Mussenden Temple, rumoured to have been about to fall for many years but still standing.  Catching an earlier ferry across to Greencastle, short cutting Lough Foyle by 40 miles, gave us time to drive up to Malin Head in Donegal, to enjoy fabulous views in the sunshine, even if it was a bit breezy!

Magilligan-Greencastle ferry, hardly busy!

Malin Head, Ireland's northwestern-most point

Gives a sense of Donegal - miles of not very much

other than beautiful scenery

We then meandered round the headland, through Buncrana, and back into NI to Londonderry/Derry (the former name still being rather contentious locally). We were in time to enjoy a tour of the City Walls, learn about the history of the siege and relief of Derry in 1689, one of the notable historic events that remains a major milestone in Ireland's history, another being the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

Flag flying over a Protestant enclave in Derry

Free Derry, the Bogside, as it was known

during the Troubles

Bogside from the Walls

Apprentice Boys Hall on the City Walls

Derry Peace Bridge

13 Apprentice Boys shut the gates of Derry when it was besieged by King James' Catholic forces, to the declaration of 'No Surrender'.  10,000 or so people died within the Walls until King William's (of Orange) forces relieved the siege and then went south to defeat James at the Battle of the Boyne.  Their Hall is still a contentious place, being the subject of paint bombings from the Bogside even today, despite an extra-high fence near it, but it has just been cleaned up in advance of another milestone celebration.

Derry was the seat of much of the protest that led to the Troubles in 1969, when its predominantly Catholic population sought equal rights in housing, voting and other matters.

Leaving Derry, we returned to Donegal via Letterkenny to follow the Wild Atlantic Way, a raw but scenic drive around the coast, starting at Fanad Head.

Portsalon beach in Donegal

Links golf course in the distance

Fanad Head

Later in the day, we encountered some rain as we headed for Donegal town, staying adjacent to the town's square, but we could still enjoy a local pub and another bar thereafter.  Stuart was really getting into Guinness that night!

Next day was also a bit gloomy, so we took a more direct route to Bangor, where we found drier weather for a walk around the Marina and a pub stop for lunch.

Oh yes, more Guinness!

Last of all, we enjoyed a fabulous family time at niece Karen & Dan's, along with Andrew & Jennifer, niece Lindsay, Chris, sons Dillon & Connor and, of course, K&D's tearaways George and James!  It was a true icing on the cake of a great trip.

Our return on an early ferry to Cairnryan gave way to some traffic on the motorway, but we were home late afternoon feeling as though the time had flown but that it had all been very enjoyable.  Ann & Stuart were quite taken with NI and want to go back, so I may have to get planning again!