So we're back. On the last day we headed out to Pier 83 and the semi-circle cruise around the bottom (south) side of Manhattan. The guide, David, was amusing and informative. For example, did you know that Pier 83 lines up with 43rd street? Take the number of the Pier and take away 40, you have the corresponding cross street in Manhattan. I'm trying to think of something funny he said too, but I'm really tired and just not coming up with anything. I think he said something about Spiderman when he did some weird maneouver on one of the poles (that sounds more suggestive than it was). Anyway, it was definitely worth the 25$ and I would recommend it, thought early on in your trip because it gives youa good idea of what you might want to see. It's a very different persepective from what you get inside the concrete jungle.
Afterwards, we chowed down at Applebees again, this one in Times Square, and the same one we ate in last year. In fact, I think we even got the same table. The Chicken Broccoli bowl was great. Yum.
Then we subwayed back to 70 Park Avenue and attempted to get a cab. We even had professional help, from the doorman, but to little avail. We eneded up taking a private limo thing on his recommendation. I normally wouldn't have done it, but it's a nice hotel and I don't think the doorman would have led us astray. Probably more expensive than a cab too, but we had to get to the airport to catch a plane....or so we thought...
The plane was delayed. In fact, every Air Canada flight out of LaGuardia was delayed due to weather (probably something to do with Ophelia) and there were some really pissed off paying customers in the crappy lounge already when we got there. Let me back up a bit. LaGuardia is the shittiest airport I have ever been in. And it's not that I've been in many, but trust me, it's bad. The security is sandwiched in to places it shouldn't be, the bathrooms as insufficient, it's way to small and the bottom line is it has had better days. And you know things are bad when you arrive in the lounge and they have four or five giant fans going to circulate air.
And here's the good part, a list of actual phrases uttered over the loudspeaker by an Air Canada employee:
"We've had a lot of screw-ups tonight."
"I have the list of stand-bys, I will read them in order. Standing around the desk and staring at me will not help you."
"...and now the broken plane....", followed closely by:
"The plane for Toronto is okay."
"I'm going to read the names of the stand-bys I have. If you hear anything that might sound like your name, please come forward."
"Please do not interrupt me when I'm talking to another passenger."
"Listen people, when you get on that plane, I get to go home, so there's nothing I want more than to get you on your way."
It may not sound like it, but it was darn funny. They moved our gate three times. The JetBlue passengers at the opposite gate were given free water, juice and chips.
Despite all this, I'm happy with the service I had for this flight on Air Canada. Some people might have called it unprofessional. I don't deny that. But it was funny. Being serious about it would have just made it seem colder and less friendly.
And the flight attendants were nice. And I got home safely. And despite the fact that the plane was delayed, it arrived sooner than the revised time they predicted. It was way too long to spend at such a crappy airport. But it was okay. Liz drove home.
And now I'm home, and now I'm tired. zzzzzz.
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