A day with my dad in NYC

Hey guys! Well last Monday, I had the distinct pleasure of showing my dad around Manhattan for his 54th birthday. He hadn't been to NYC since the 70s so I thought this would be a great place to take him for a surpise birthday day-trip. I listed us for the flights to/from LGA about 2 weeks before on DL through my employee website. I kept it a secret until Sunday night. Then I told him we were going to NYC in the morning and to be ready to leave the house at 6am. He was very surprised and excited. So here we go...

Monday, October 16, 2006
Delta Airlines
Flight 1888
MCO-LGA
Scheduled Departure Time: 8:00am
Pushback: 7:56am
Wheels Off: 8:13am
Departure Gate: 74
Departure Runway: 17R

Scheduled Arrival Time: 10:32am
Touchdown: 10:29am
Gate Arrival: 10:36am
Arrival Gate: 2
Arrival Runway: 22

Aircraft: N941DL
Seats: 23D, 23E

So we go to MCO, checked in, went through the employee line in security, got hassled by TSA for bringing a non-employee (my dad) through it but they let us go anyway. Then got to the gate, and sat. There were 15 open seats in coach, 0 in first and my dad and I were # 2 on standby. We got our seats, boarded and pushed back a few minutes early. Mid push, we stopped and sat there for a moment, not fully pushed out of the gate area. The captain interrupted the safety briefing and announced the ramp crew was having a problem with the towbar. 5 minutes later, we continued our push. Finally we disconnected and taxied to the runway. We took off, climbed off to the east and then headed north, flying in the clouds the majority of the ride at FL320. It was a very uneventful flight. Both my dad passed out after the captain announced we were over SAV and we both woke up around decent over New Jersey. As we made our approach, I quickly realized we were flying up the Hudson, heading to 22.

Here you can see Manhattan with some nice window glare:
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/9...ure2004zq2.jpg

So we landed on 22, quickly made our way to the gate and got off in about 10 minutes. We immediately went straight outside to enjoy the nice, cool temps of NYC. What great weather we experienced! We hopped on the Q33 bus into Queens. We rode it the whole way till the end and got off at 74th St. We then bought our day pass Metrocards and got on the E train to the World Trade Center.

Please ignore the dust spots haha

The new 7 world trade center looking beautiful:
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/9...ure2010ah0.jpg
http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/654/picture2024yu0.jpg
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/3...ure2027ia6.jpg

We walked around the entire area and then headed back onto the E train to head north. We rode it up the W 4th St Station and connected to the F train to head up the 34th St (thanks to Brian Futterman for this connection suggestion). We got off at 34th and found a hot dog stand to grab a bite to eat, $8 later, we had 2 hot dogs and two sodas. Oh well. We then went to the ESB (Empire State Building)

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/624...ure2032mb0.jpg
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/6...ure2031mk6.jpg

We bought our tickets and made our way up 86 floors in about 30 min waiting time.

Up top:

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/2...ure2040ul6.jpg
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/4...ure2044wt5.jpg
http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/5...ure2045sy6.jpg

My dad enjoying his time up there:
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/7...ure2050nk6.jpg

After about an hour up there, we headed back down and being not quite full from one hot dog each, we stopped in the pizzaria downstairs and got a slice of pizza each. Man was that good. Afterwards, we walked 3 blocks west to 6th Ave to catch the 1,2 or 3 train north to Times Square and passed Madison Square Garden along the way:

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/460...ure2060dy3.jpg

After a quick visit in that area, we hopped on the 1 train and just rode it till 42nd St. We got off and walked into the vast craziness that is Times Square. I think my dad's expression says it all here:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/7...ure2062hb2.jpg
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4...ure2064tp1.jpg
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/713...ure2065ww6.jpg
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/289...ure2063xc0.jpg
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/531...ure2069ah0.jpg
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/2...ure2068mg7.jpg

After some time in Times Square and watching TRL being filmed upstairs in the MTV studios, we went back to the subway station we emerged from earlier. We then get on the S train to Grand Central. After that short ride, we connected to the 4 train. After a few stops, we get off at 86th/Lexington, my old stomping grounds when I stayed in NYC with Joey Collura and his family back in June. Anyway, we get off there and walk over to Central Park a few blocks away. We walk to the resevoir and then around the great lawn and finally make our way over to Turtle Pond:

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/4...ure2071yq2.jpg
http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/1...ure2073xa5.jpg
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9...ure2076ni0.jpg
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3...ure2080ej7.jpg
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2...ure2085kt5.jpg
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/1...ure2090zn9.jpg
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/6...ure2093az8.jpg

Finally, a shot of me that day:
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/2...ure2094fr5.jpg

Around 6pm, we made our way to 77th and Lexington and got on the 6 train, northbound. We got off in scenic East Harlem, 125th/Lexington. We then connected to the M60 heading towards LGA. As we got on, it was packed, being rush hour. We had to stand up the majority of the ride but at least we knew we'd be to our plane on time. As we got close to LGA, I talked to Ron Peel on the phone and we planned to meetup at his terminal. We got off at UsAirways and hung out with Ron for a while before heading off to DL. Ron was very generous with his time and it was much appreciated. After a while, Ron walked us over to the DL terminal and saw us on our way. We then walked through security, and grabbed some quick dinner at Burger King. Finally we got to gate 4 and saw we were #12 on standby with 22 open in coach, 7 in first. Not as great as I thought it'd be but still very do-able.

Monday, October 16, 2006
Delta Airlines
Flight 1847
LGA-MCO
Scheduled Departure Time: 8:26pm
Pushback: 8:24pm
Wheels Off: 8:40pm
Departure Gate: 4
Departure Runway: 13

Scheduled Arrival Time: 11:25pm
Touchdown: 10:44pm
Gate Arrival: 10:51pm
Arrival Gate: 77
Arrival Runway: 17R

Aircraft: N998DL
Seats: 11B, 11C

So we got a middle and isle seat. Not as nice as a window and middle but oh well, what do you want for standby and 4 months of seniority? haha. We boarded, pushed back and took off 13. I ALWAYS enjoy a night takeoff from LGA. The view is always amazing. NYC at night cannot be topped, I'm sure of it. What a view! We climbed out, turned left and flew back over Manhattan and got one more great view of the town. Nothing exciting at all happened on this flight. But I have to say, we had the most amazing in flight service I ever experienced, in first or coach. The F/A, Cory, came by every 10-20 minutes offering our section of coach snacks and drinks. I think during the entire flight, I had 2 bottles of water, 1 full can of coke, 1 full can of pink lemonade, and 1 full can of sprite, 2 bags of sunchips, 4 biscoff cookies and a bag of peanuts. I was amazed. Anyway, we landed very early at MCO due to the lack of departure delay out of LGA and landed on 17R, followed by a short taxi to gate 77. We deplaned, pleased with how the entire day went so smoothly, yet relieved it was over so now we could go to bed and rest our feet from so much walking that day. NYC gave us a great time and I was very happy I was able to give my dad such a gift as a tour of Manhattan. Thanks NYC for such a great time. Thanks also to the NYC guys for any help provided in preparation for this trip.

That's all folks!

-Justin