The interstate is getting bigger by the mile, more lanes, entrances, exits, cross overs and the express lanes. Not like in any other city, here the express lanes are a independent freeway, I stay on the local freeway to have access to all the exits, I'm looking for Rt-1 / 9 to get me further north without being on the New Jersey Turnpike, I need more driving stimulation. I find the exit and cruise right along onto a cool overpass that goes for miles over river, industrial areas and towns, it is the General Pulasky Skyway, a proper name for such a structure, men it is busy here, cars, trucks, vans, all in a hurry and pushy.
Driving onto the General Pulasky Skyway, with the first view to Manhattan, I'm so excited...
Unfortunately at some point of time that skyway has an end and I travel on surface roads of Jersey City, it gets confusing, there is the Holland Tunnel, the the Lincoln Tunnel that get you to Manhattan, but I need to get onto the George Washington Bridge, and it is not clearly marked which way to follow Rt-1 / 9. Promptly I end up in front of the Holland Tunnel, I have to get back and take the "other" street that could be 1 / 9. I battle the traffic through Union City along Tonnelle Ave. road-construction don't make it any easier, in Ridgefield is a y junction, I can't figure out fast enough by reading the map while driving bumper to bumper traffic which way to go, I take the wrong way, but no problem, soon I see a sign to Fort Lee and that rings a bell. Sometime in 1992 maybe I was here with Christoph Lindinger and his girlfriend at that time, Andrea, and we had a great time at a Karaoke-bar in Fort Lee. Christoph's relatives lived somewhere there and thats why we came back from Manhattan one night and ended up singing at a Karaoke. Now I know where I'm again, I see signs to I-95 and Rt-46. Rt-46 East gets me to the George Washington Bridge.
Now that is always an adventure, here is where just hundreds of cars, trucks, limos, vans, 18-wheelers, 23-wheelers, motorcycles and me try to get over to Manhattan, 2 decks of traffic to and fro Manhattan on local and express ways. Before that all trucks have to get off for inspection, probably one of those after 9/11 procedures, but there are vehicles everywhere, coming, going, crossing, pushing, stalling, towards the toll-booths.
So much traffic, it is amazing that I get to where I wanna go...
The view off the bridge is awesome, wish I could park and have a better look, but no...
It took me 2 hours to the last 40 miles of this trip!!!
At 6 thirty I park my car at the Old Stone Mill Restaurant in Tuckahoe, NY, I'm ready for a drink, that's for sure. Here I meet my friend Victoria Winter, a.k.a. Vicky. She is having dinner with some coworkers and friends here, while I join them for a glass of wine, after they finished their meal.The welcome committee at the Old Stone Mill Restaurant...
These ladies are having a blast here, shmoozing with the owner to get more drinks out of him and talking about husbands, boyfriends and what have ya. One is even convinced that once I go back to Switzerland I'll find a women I get merit to and all be fine, her name starts with a C... Now lets c what that is all about???
After all that fun I follow Vicky's car to get to her new place here in Tuckahoe. I met Vicky when I stayed in Brooklyn together with Christoph and Ina in July of 2006. Christoph and Ina had a consulting job somewhere on Long Island and wanted that a find an apartment for them in Brooklyn. I was so lucky to find a place for us in Park-Slope in a typical Brownstone house, it was a great time. One night I go out to a Zydeco dance and that's where I meet Vicky. Dwayne Doopsi was playing at a club in Manhattan. I make a lot of new friends there, one of them is Vicky. The following year when I travelled through New York again she offered me to stay at her place in East-Chester. It was great, I had a safe place to leave my car, a great friend to stay with and close enough to Manhattan to go there and explore. Every year since then I'm back at her place. Late last year she sold that huge house in East-Chester and bought herself an apartment here in Tuckahoe, close to the train and everything else. I feel so lucky that I can stay here too!!!
Her new place is cool, a 2 bedroom apartment very nicely furnished and decorated. I have my own room with the too familiar sofa to sleep on, but it is all good. We chat for some time and Vicky had to hit the hay because she has to get up early to go to work, not like some other people here in this place. As for me... I finally get to take a shower,somehow I didn't shower the last night at the campground, so I really needed it. After that I went immediately to work on this blog here, downloading the pictures from the cameras, and some writing until the wee hours of Friday.
In the morning I was up before Vicky went to work so I could continue on reliving my journey on how to get here, the time flies and I eat the second part of the sandwich I ordered yesterday. The weather is kind of shitty and that reduces the guild for not being out there playing around and explore.
Three o'clock hits fast and hard, I'm in my new office ploughing away on blog and more...
making coffee in Vicky's apartment!!!
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