From JFK to NYC and back

With 9 hours between flights we wanted to leave JFK and go into New York City - an easier option if we had purchased the JetBlue ticket from Singapore Airlines and checked in straight through to Frankfort when we checked in on-line with JetBlue. With this simple step could have checked our luggage from Rochester straight to Frankfort. Due to TSA regulations the JetBlue gate agent could not correct our oversight. Consequently, we landed in JFK with 4 checked bags and  backpacks (too heavy to drag around the city). Fortunately for us, a baggage storage facility in Terminal 4 (Arrivals Hall, first floor, next to hotel reservations desk) will store luggage  for 24 hours.

At baggage storage each bag was opened and cursorily searched. The agent seemed most concerned with whether the bags contained food (not allowed).  Doug presented his passport, had his photo taken, and left with tags for each left piece. The total cost was USD24 one large bag (USD 8) and four small (USD 4). Next we took the AirTrain to Jamaica Station (USD 5) and the E (express) train into Manhattan (USD 2.25). The total trip was about 45 minutes.

We did not make specific plans for our time in the city. We bought the just released Robert Caro's The Passage of Power - a hard decision because we scarcely needed to add a heavy book to our luggage. I have read Caro's other books and didn't want to wait. It may complement some of the content of The Presidents Club, which has served as my trip reading for the last legs of the trip. And besides we had a voice operated mule present....Doug, please carry this!

If we had arrived on a Wednesday we would have had plenty of time to see a matinee. Instead of visiting a museum we decided to take advantage of the spring weather and soak up New York City's  energy.

Approaching Rockefeller Center May 2012

Our first stop was at Nuts 4 Nuts vendor. To comply with New York City regulations the calorie counts for its various nuts were posted. The sugar coated almonds "weighted" in at 300 calories! Since this is a once a year treat I gave in and bought a packet.

USD3 and 300 calories - still it's worthy treat

Both Kosher and Halal foods are sold on the street -
although knishes are probably new additions to the halal options

Vendors (New York) or Hawkers (SE Asia)- look similar

Rickshaw may look like something out of Asia - but not the prices

The picture below captures Chinese demonstrators in front of the Philippines Consulate. I considered cropping the picture to exclude the man on his phone - but he and other walkers suggest the nonchalance of New Yorkers.

A dispute between  China and the Philippines over Huangyan
Island taken to the streets of New York