Some days in the United States... Tour of New York

Among the many trips that a camper dream is to cross the U.S. from coast to coast, the Caravan Club Italy, has organized and we are a member. It was a long time since we talked about it with friends, others, or alone with other organizations, there had been, but always in very limited locations: California, Nevada and Utah, no one knew that we had made the "coast to coast . Given the program, we noticed that was very broad, but limited in time, in a nutshell: you had to run, but could be done. After two meetings in Bologna and a clubhouse in Bergamo, where we had all the details and final costs, and you decide to go. The cost, inclusive (unfortunately not the case) was set at € 12,500. Twenty days before departure there was a balance in favor or against, the value of the dollar / euro and this then has not come true, for about € 400. It 'was decided to do the same for all cost for the camper even though they were of different sizes because not everyone could have the small ones, so it was chosen by lot. The maximum of participants should be 20 campers with two managers, two groups would be made, unfortunately one of two parts, for health reasons had to give up, we were asked if we wanted to start with a single charge and we all agreed, however, the cost of the second character has already been charged and has not been repaid to the various participants. Many have requested a refund but there was no response.
To enter multiple photos and make reading faster, I wanted to mention this trip is divided into states, each group in addition to related photos, there will be a diary of the days associated with that state.

 

Milford Plaza Hotel – 700 8th Avenue – New York, NY 10036

Alarm 2 hours, even if it is played, the tension of the trip did not make us sleep.
Roberto, my nephew, arrived in advance, the suitcases were ready and closed, leaving for the airport of Venice Marco Polo.
Upon check-in we weigh the bags and found four kilograms in excess, we had weighed at our bakery and unfortunately gave us a wrong weight in the end we had to pay a surcharge of € 110.00, with this money was a better buy ' other case, Lufthansa gave us the opportunity to carry two suitcases each for a weight of 23 kg and a CD of 25, it is strange but true.
Later Pierluigi arrives with his wife and son.
As I had recommended Pierluigi, I made a list of electronic products exported and then imported back, all this I did endorse the Guardia di Finanza, I will avoid returning to the stories.
At 07:10 departure regular flight LH 4091 to Frankfurt and continue with the next Lufthansa flight LH 0402 to 13.15 departure to Newark delayed by 40 minutes due to bad weather. In Frankfurt, our group of 35 people for 17 crew has completed.
The customs in Frankfurt for international flights was a minor ordeal, a long tail and then precise control.
The camera is already in operation. Do not want to miss a moment of our trip. I wish that every moment remains a test, not just a memory.
Lufthansa 747 on the seating, Economy Class, are very narrow and if you are not near the corridor where you can get up and walk, it is a real ordeal, during the flight and rested a little, I've drunk two films already seen.
It's around 16.00 (earn 6 hours due to time zone) when we landed at Newark Airport in Terminal B. This airport is located in the state of New Jersey, but is practically a New York airport. Compared to JFK Airport is certainly less congested and closer to Manhattan. We await your luggage, which fortunately we are all, with a private coach and Italian speaking guide, Mr. Steve Frey, Mildford we head towards the Plaza Hotel.
The hotel is located in the heart of the theater district, nell'8th Avenue and W45th St. Built in 1928 celebrated its 20 years as the most popular hotels in New York. nicknamed the "Butterfly of Broadway," is ideally situated in the heart of Manhattan and is within walking distance of most attractions. The hotel was recently renovated and refurbished to offer modern services and comforts. We take possession of the room, freshen up (so we must not unpack) and reach the rest of the group for dinner. By Renato and his wife go to a Brazilian restaurant sull'8th avenue to sample some grilled meat, the account $ 150 it seemed a bit 'expensive. Then, to bed relatively early but if we consider the change of time zone, late. The meeting is for the next morning in the lobby.

From New York to Jackson, New Jersey km. 170.

Wake up early, we still sleep. Be that because of time zone we had a day longer than six hours. To collect media divide us into two groups.
One for: Moturis RV - 3401B tremulous Point Rd - Linden - New Jersey 07036
And the other at El Monte RV - 11 Rockland Park Avenue (off Oak Tree Road) - Tappan - New Jersey 10983
Arriva bus that will take us to the RV & Camping World Moturis of Tappan, a town some 70 km. To the north. We go to Manhattan and take Route 9W north. We arrive after about 45 minutes. The delivery of the camper is quite chaotic, bureaucratic and time consuming. We chose a motor home for longer. Unfortunately, the campers are bad, some are dirty and have not been cleaned since the last rental, I took the excitement of the moment "watered thoroughly to control every little detail, we will pay particularly dear to delivery and a lot of trouble during the journey. The interior layout of the medium is very different from ours, 9.30 meters. space and 90 q.li weight you can put everything and more. We are preparing to begin our journey that will wind from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, for a total of about 9,000 km for navigation we have almost all navigation systems, the Internet, I downloaded the topography of the United States and Canada, PL or whoever he did a good job for each day listed the way to go with the various staging points and coordinates the various sites to visit and spend the night camping, hour did anyone should not be left behind may be lost. And 'very late when we make supplies of fuel and food in a supermarket and many other missing items in the camper as a simple broom, the brush of the toilet and many other things that we thought needed to be already included among the foods we realize here packs are larger than ours, is that sugar is the flour bags about two kilograms. Pasta, Barilla, De Cecco and Voiello are packs of 450 grams, we have taken too much and we are brought to the home, the mineral water is bidoncini a gallon, or in small bottles, we found the exit that spending is less than that from us, I checked piece by piece, but we spent less value than in Italy. The other group had many more problems than us, their assets are even more of our broken-down. We join the supermarket and then everyone at the Indian Rock Campground late. We meet for the first time in a U.S. camp, much of our finest, best equipped and with more space, each site is equipped with loading and unloading, first connecting a pipe, provided for the discharge before gray water and then the clear, then the tube to the water that fills the tank with an electric pump, then the current, all connections will stay until we leave, so that we will continue to purchase and download 's without using the water tank.
We have dinner and we deserved sleep in a nice bed, inflatable individually.
Camp Indian Rock Campground - N 40 W 05 53 74 24 57

Milford Plaza Hotel – 700 8th Avenue – New York, NY 10036.

In the morning tour around the hotel and then return before noon for the release of the rooms and storage room in the hotel lobby. At 13 a bus will transfer us to the airport for United Airlines flight UA014 departing at 16. Arriving at JFK at 00:39. During that flight will move the hands of three hours, regain the lost leg, snack and dinner on board with the usual movie you've seen.
And 'the night when we get the Milford Plaza Hotel, tribulation for the suitcases in the room, first tell us who wore them the messengers, after half an hour of waiting we are told that to bring the bags they want to be paid, infuriated everyone if you like to take and as soon as possible to bed very tired.

Milford Plaza Hotel – 700 8th Avenue – New York, NY 10036

We are unlucky. New York this morning has a grudge. Scattered rain and welcome us to our awakening and forecasts say that the rest of the day will be rainy. We do not lose heart and begin immediately with a nice breakfast in a bar nearby and as we already noted at the beginning and during the journey, we see many people, both men and women who are obese breakfast plates of pasta and drink that coffee giant that has just the color of coffee, I call it soup. ...
At 11.00 we are ready to rendezvous with our guide for city tour, called Ivan Kraskin is of Russian origin, speaks five languages, is older but has financial problems that forced him to work occasionally as a guide.
We start from Times Square where he is the most famous intersection in New York. has reached iconic status and landscaping has become the symbol of the city. And 'well known for large and numerous billboards and digital animation comparable to those in Las Vegas, which are officially called "spectaculars". Here are located many theaters including the New Victory and New Amsterdam with their new productions and with the help of the bars and restaurants attract many spectators every night. In the square, visit the Madison Square Garden, one of the most famous concert halls in the world that becomes necessary also a sports hall that can accommodate thousands of basketball fans, or host the Barnum circus when it passes from New York form, or be used for boxing matches.
Come to Central Park, across the street several houses inhabited by actors or famous people from their windows look spectacular and lush green area, huge green lung of the city of New York. We arrive to a beautiful lake, The Lake, bordering the garden Strawberry Field that Yoko Ono gave to the city of New York in memory of husband John Lennon, who lived near the Dakota Apartments.
Ivan leads us to see and admire the majestic entrance of Columbia University, initially only for males, the female is nearby, at least architecturally beautiful, but detached.
Another visit another imposing mausoleum, that of General Ulysses Grant, is buried here with his wife, the general who won the war of secession against Southerners led by General Lee.
A quick view of the Cotton Club, a famous nightclub in New York that was active during and after the era of Prohibition. Despite his fame derived from African-American jazz artists like Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Ethel Waters who appeared regularly in local access for blacks were not allowed.
It 's time to go to lunch "Carmines" where Ivan had booked earlier, is or was an Italian restaurant, but now there remained only the name, the staff is all Mexican, however, we ate some good spaghetti and fried Mixed fish, only problem is that you must calculate each ration is 4 / 5 and if you're two, is a problem for me this does not happen because if a dish is good ... .. I eat. Ivan knew that this day was the birthday of Attilio, did bring to the table with a cake and candles of the waiters sang in chorus "happy berti you yu" was a very pleasant and joyful.
Ivan passed, showed us where was the National Museum, some of us interested in the visit took note and tomorrow, day off, count to go.
We continue to Rockefeller Center. Made in the 30 years is an impressive structure that extends over an area of 22 acres, construction of which lasted more than nine years, was the first project in which they were made live with shops, entertainment and offices, so called city within a city .
A strong shiver runs down my spine when we reach what has been the World Trade Center, now called Ground Zero. Of the seven buildings that composed it, including the twin towers, no one is left standing after the tragic September 11, 2001. We still have before my eyes the tragedy broadcast live on NBC. Today, the reconstruction of the World Trade Center is the architect Italo-American architect Daniel Libeskind. The building will rush Freedom Tower, whose height should be 541 meters (1776 feet), symbolic reference to the date of the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence of the United States. Completion of the new complex is planned for 2013. In one of the parts already reconstructed Illy is the bar where they drink, finally, a good Italian coffee.
We continue along South Street Seaport, once called the "road of the sails," the heart of New York harbor, renovated with great imagination has now become a tourist center. Shops and restaurants of luxury living with marine craft, historic buildings and museums, with beautiful views of the Brooklyn Bridge on the East River. We stay in front of Pier 17 and make photo of the bridge in the distance and the Statue of Liberty and to bridge Giovanni da Verrazzano. We arrive, always in the rain at the UN, 154 meters high., Seat of the UN Secretariat. Our guide informs us that the whole complex of the United Nations stands on land extraterritorial although located near the East River in Manhattan.
Return to the hotel that's already 19, tired but satisfied, even though the rain has haunted us throughout the day. Quick dinner and to bed, tired but happy.

Milford Plaza Hotel – 700 8th Avenue – New York, NY 10036.

Who knows what the weather will be today? We open windows on a busy New York already. More rain ... too bad ... but do not want this day failures. But because, being in New York and resist the temptation to look at the Statue of Liberty, climbing the 354 steps leading up to the crown and take photographs curious, is impossible. We are saying to climb inside the statue that is closed and will reopen on July 4. To see at least a close, we take a boat departing from Battery Park making the circumnavigation of Manhattan, and so we could photograph up close. But given the inclement weather we renounce.
Covered and protected from the rain, you prepare to walk down Times Square, it's raining, but between the chairs and plastic chairs we see a guy with shorts that lying, covered by an umbrella, is' quietly reading the newspaper, oblivious to the rain of people passing and cold.
Along the way we meet and admire the imposing Cathedral of St. Patrick (English: St. Patrick's Cathedral) is looking down on 5th Avenue (junction with the 51st Streets). In Manhattan, is situated a short walk from Rockefeller Center and is the main church of the Archdiocese of New York. It was built between 1853 and 1878 in neo-Gothic style according to plans by architect James Renwick Jr. followed the patterns of medieval European cathedrals. Built in Gothic style in the tall columns with its arcades features.
We get an impressive skyscraper erected on Fifth Avenue, next to Tiffany jewelry, sumptuous skyscraper, the "Trump Tower". ascend the second floor in a bar with a view inside the palace, sipping a coffee, finally expressed.
And here, again, to Central Park, the square in front of several school buses are pouring a noisy group of children, accompanied by their teachers and instructors, probably going to visit the park. We advance and skirt a small lake with its bridges and walkways, all very nice, but bad weather haunts us, this show saw the sun would have been different.
In a large square next to Central Park where there is a statue of Giovanni da Verrazzano, we find a shopping center where, in the lower floors, there is a fabulous supermarket where, besides shopping, you can buy what you eat now, we are ready meals, pay the cashier, a shelf take the cutlery and napkins, you sit at tables and eat, this is certainly the goal of many people working and not having much time, settle in Thus the problem of lunch. We also exploit the opportunity and lunch quietly.
Continue to rain and we are tired of walking back to the hotel to rest. At dinner we were in a pizzeria where pizza is served in slices, the choosing, the heat and eat only with Coca Cola, no alcohol, no beer or wine. However, it was good, almost like in Italy.

New York Newark international airport, flight LH 0403, departure at 17.50

Dawn finds us awake. Perhaps because of agitation that we are gripped by the end of the journey. Perhaps to the disappointment of leaving America. At noon we leave the room. We go down to breakfast now and today we taste more sweet details that are near the bar. And 'cloudy but not raining. Too bad, after many days of good weather we have happened these last three days pretty boring and just in New York, where the sights are so many. Believe 15 days is not sufficient to try and visit at least one side. Four more steps on the 8th and return to the hotel, we bring the bags in storage because the bus will take us to the rooms 14 and 12 should be free to drop off your luggage, you must pay for this ... go to lunch at a restaurant opposite. 14.00 to arrive on time the bus will take us to New York Newark in time for the flight Lufthansa 17.50 hours, bound for Frankfurt. Goodbye America, we'll take a long time in the heart.

Flight LH 4084, arrival at 13.40, Marco Polo Airport, Venice

After a regular flight, we arrived in Frankfurt, where we recovered six more hours on time zone, here we are divided in different terminals, each for its intended purpose, we in Venice, others to Bologna, Rome and Malpensa. Greeted everyone resigned we waited the departure of our plane.
Venice airport Roberto was waiting for us and brought us back home, just a refreshing shower and then immediately withdraw our sketch Moruzzo, a neighboring country, in a cattery where he was treated very well. When we saw, did the offended, but then I picked up and began to purr.

The end

Many efforts and hard work for this trip which gave us emotions difficult to describe. Every day was unique, unmissable, unique, thanks to the commitment and willingness of all our fellow adventurers. What we remember most? Hard to say. Every place of its kind, it was wonderful. This trip will be memorable. Our thoughts, in order, rushing to the charm of Niagara Falls, the gullies of the Badlands, the faces of presidents carved into the mountain, the magnificent Dewil Tower, exciting and all the Park Old Faithful dell'Yellowstone (although we did not see Yogi Bear and Booboo), Monument Valley, and its delicate arches and its spire, the light filtered through Antelope Canyon Lake Powell with the legendary Glen Canyon Dam, the proud, the great, the beautiful, the breathtaking Grand Canyon, lights, sounds of Las Vegas to Badwater in Death Valley hot, very big and the old General Sherman and the unexpected snowfall in Sequoia National Park, the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge and the skyline of San Francisco saw the romantic Sausalito, and finally, the great New York, its skyscrapers, to the Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty (seen from a distance). There were many other things to tell that we have not included in this text. Others that we could say but who are in all the guidebooks. Still others, like the most intimate feelings and emotions. ... That can never describe but which will remain trapped forever in us. Now it is all over. It 's time to go home, review friends, keep our lives forever, waiting for another wonderful trip to enjoy together.