New York City One Last Time!!!

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Hi All ,

One last time...one last time at big apple. August 7-8, 2004...exactly a month ago, I have been there on July 3-5, 2004...joining local people's celebration of their independance...and now again...but this time I knew that this is my last time in the big city on this
Tour.

New York City. The most happening place on the face of this earth. The best place to be in on a
Holiday. And there I was with my friends, Pracheer, kamlesh & Shailaja.All 4 of us. I arrived there at 11.30 am on Saturday morning in our colleague’s car.Sumit pande, a JP Morgan employee here was on his way to New Jersey on that day. It was very sweet of him to delay his visit from Friday evening to Saturday morning so that we can join him. This was 2nd
Time that he was dropping us to New York. It was 42nd street, Times Square that we got down
From a NJ Transit Bus. Immediately we rush towards Battery Park, the place where they have ferry to take people to Statue of Liberty. We almost ran from Fulton Metro station to liberty castle to avoid long queues. This effort helped but not much as there were already 100
People standing in the queue. Liberty observatory was re opened to public last Monday, admist red security alert in the city. But we were not fortunate this time. The observatory was booked for 2 weeks in advance. It was a disappointment, as we missed the chance to go on to the top of the liberty! Hard luck...isnt it?

A little annoyed we then preceded towards Chamber Street area on Wall Street for lunch at Tan door Restaurant. We have been here on our first visit. Food here is good though ambience is not attractive. It was the Indian food that drove us here. I had a Batura, roti with butter chicken & a veggie dish. For deserts I had Malays we do get Maze in New York! After refueling
Our tanks, now it was Brooklyn Bridge... Fulton Kale Ho and Ho...The place where SRK stands with arms wide open in Hard ghazi basal rah hay rope indigo number, the place where he meets Pretty Santa for the last time. The red brick Window where he sits and sings the title song...the chairs where Preti Zinta narrates Aman's story to her daughter with Saf Ali, the famous Wall Street Bull which was shown as meeting place for saif and preeti...we were there in all places. On the top of the bridge. In its shadow down under. We took 2 full rounds of the bridge until sunset. The Brooklyn Bridge offers a magnificent view of the downtown Manhattan i.e. financial district of the New York City & of midtown Manhattan at a distance. It was nice and cold then. I missed u all at that time!!

The harbor from where they park their ferry for Station Island was nearby. We were told that that ferry is free and takes us round the Liberty statue. Well what better than this? A New York City Cruise for free round the downtown Manhattan! We were on. It was one of the last ferries as it was late evening that weekend. I had a wish to travel in a river cruise in London &
Newyork cud not does it in London but I satisfied my wish in Newyork.Amazing feeling when u travel on borad!!It’s huge. Can carry thousands of people. Mainly it is used by residents of Station Island to travel to & from other islands of the city. Chilling wind, colourful people, Manhattan in front...whats more one cud asks for on a free cruise??

It was around 9.30 when we alight at the harbor again. And then it was straight Times
Square...again.Glitter, glitter and more glitter...Midtown Manhattan! Times Square is located
There on the 42nd Street between 3rd avenue to 8th Avenue.U get a totally different feeling there. This is the place where u find people of all colors from all over the world. and God that place is crowded, isn’t it? It was snaps time. we took numerous snaps from all the angles there..never felt like going back..bas ghumte raho,ghumte raho.And this is where a funny
incident happened.Pracheer ran out of his film roll and when opened his bag to take out the new one,realised that he got empty film dabba from apts.His mood was spoiled as he realised his blunder.There was no other option for him but to buy a bew roll.And this cost him USD 8..thats Rs.450..most expensive film roll he wil b purchasing in his life!!We never realised that its 12.45 midnight and we have to go back to New Jersey to our motel where we have booked the room in the morning.

We walked towards 33rd street Metro to pick up NJ transit Path train.Train was abt to leave when we got in.In 10 mins we were at Journal square station in Jersey.from thereon It was a 15 mins walk to our motel.We discuseed our day and the fun we had throughout on our way.I ate a apple and had a pepsi..and went to sleep in no time.

it was at 8 am next morning that we got up.kamlesh had a bath.myelf and pracheer just washed our face.we checked our stuff and left the motel at 8.30 to reach Hudson Bay at NewJersey.It was again a 20 mins walk to Journal Square from the motel.City was fast asleep
on that Sunday morning.Temparature was cool 18-20 degrees.It was a pleasent walk though a fast one!!We again picked up Path Train at got down at Newark station.This place is known as financial district of New Jersey.JP Morgan has 2 big offices in this vicinity.One of them is just onthe banks of the river.It offers magnificiant view of the city of New york Skyline across hudson river.

We reached the harbour and soon were astonished by the beauty of that place.fantastic..just too good.Broklyn Bridge..battery park..they all offer nice view of NY skyline.but nothing as nice as this.U wont believe but i took almost 15-20 snaps in that 45 mins from that place.Nobody knew at that time that this kind of shooting is abt to land us in big trouble.

Apparently residents in nearby buildings noticed us being there that long and shooting and takng
Pictures of their tall buildings.Much to our ignorance,it was a RED alert in the city of New york that day.Those residents i mentioned earlier called up New Jersey Police Dept(NJPD) and informed that there r 3 asians involved in suspicious activities along the harbour side.As we started walking back,we were stopped by 3 police vehicles..yes the kind of what we see in
Their movies.There were 4 officers.They asked us to show them our ID documents.We were caring copies of our PP and our JP Morgan employee card.We showed them all,but
they were not satisfied.They insisted on original PP.We gave them our business manager's tel no..but in vain as she was not at home.Finally as they were unsure our identities they told us that we need to come to police station and appear for inquiry before their crime detectives.they carried us to police station in their vehicle.at the police station,we were made to sit for around 10-15 mins as they try to reach our business manager on phone.We were tensed as they
made it clear to us that they wont let us go until they r fully satisfied with our dentification.After
15 mins we were presented before Crime Detective Angel Tavaroz for investigations and inquiry.Focus of the inquiry was on Kamlesh as it was he who was shooting on his newly bought handy camera.He was asked to sign no objection letter to search his bags.Detective
Tavaroz inquired him and then both me and pracheer.He took all our details.he sent one of their staff to nearest JpMorgan office for ID verification.now it was around and hour and 20 mins that we were in police station.Much to our relief,the staff informed Detective tavaroz that our ID's are valid.and then he let us go.But not before warning us abt the RED alert
and precautions that we shud take while traveling in USA for remaining days.I felt like i was thru hell!!

Life is great...U never know what r u in for!!Kanala khada lavla ki tyanchya instructions ya
pudhe follow karnar...who wants to land in trouble like this again??In the end i felt that we were not doing anything wrong.its just that we spent a little too much time at that place taking pictures and more tha anything else it was the skin colour that made them look at us suspiciously..It was a experience to remember!!!!

From thereon we visited a local supermarket.I got some good chocolates there.and soon we were on our way to New york City again.We boarded onto to Path train from Newark and got down at 33rd streert in Midtown Manhattan.We were damn hungry by this time..pracheer
guided us to Lesington Avenue (popularly known for its indian neighbourhood).There we had a wonderful Indian lunch.I opted for a Desi Thali..Pracher took a Madras Thali and Kamlesh a masala dosa.Dil me ek tamanna thi ke ,New york ke ek bade restaurant me aram se khana
khane ki..aaj woh bhi puri ho gayi!!Lunch was expensive.it was $17 for me.But who cares for a nice meal at a hype restaurant in Midtown manhattan!!

From thereon we walk across the Times Square again to reach 42nd street MetroPunched in for a $2 one way ticket and rushed for the earliest train.We were already late b'use of police inquiry!At Bowling Ally station on Wall street we decided to get separated and meet back again at the BULL after half an hour..once we finish with our individual shopping.My self and
pracheer picked up a small replica of Bull..some nice little stuff and waited for kamlesh.he arrieved a little late but it was ok.We informed Shailaja who is suppose to meet is Port Authority Station on 42nd street at 5.30 pm that we will be little late.We again rushed for the metro for Grand central.The Express metro took us 10 mins to reach there.From Grand
central it was again a 15 mins walk to reach Port Authority.We hurried up our way from the rush at Times Square.Luckily Shailaja came a little after us.I kept my stuff with them and went back to pick up something that i wanted to.

A SWATCH..yes another one.but this time for dada..I have picked up $120 Swtach Irony for him.Its beautiful black with a leather belt.Dada I am sure u will like it.this adds to the no of watches i have picked up here for u all..It was quick 10 mins purchase from a Swatch showrrom in Times Square.I returned at port authority.from thereon we called up Sumit again and confirmed the meeting place and time.It was 5th street on Kenedy Boulevard in New Jersey at 6.30.We reached on time and so did he.SO it was good..nobody has to wait.

I bid goodbye to Times Square..to New York City for one last time.this city is amazing..u have to be here to feel it..i have been there thrice..been there,seen all of it..from Liberty to Empire State..from Madam Tussads to Broklyn Bridge..From Battery park to Times Square..Newyork is colourful..its vibrant..its happening..its hot!!It resembles how our life shud be...As i flew a flying kiss towards Times Square I secretly wished to GOD to send all of u to this great city once in ur life..I had a lot of memories stored in my heart from this place whic will always be there
to cherish!!

We had a good time on our way back as shared our experiences with all in the car..had a good
laugh..at 10.30 we reached the Korman..i dumped my bags and crashed to sleep.

Its just crazy!!u cant explain how u feel when u get what u dream of in ur life.I dreamed of being here on the top of Empire State and god bless..i was there!!I never thought it will happen so soon in such a way!!New york the city of Dreams...next time i see or hear abt it i wont dream b'use i have been there...but of course i wud definitely wish to be here
again..this time with someone i luv!!May be all of u!!

Missing u a lot..

Sachin

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Photos

NJ River Front
NYC Skyline in the backdrop

Lunch @ Madras Mahal
Madras Mahal is a one of the best Indian Restaurant on 4th Ave