The Big Apple--Part I---February 15, 2008

Well, I am just getting settled in to my room. I am staying at a Marriott Courtyard near La Guardia aiport in Queens. I had a nice flight (about 1 hour, 10 minutes) from Charlotte, NC, this morning on board an Airbus 321. It is very similar to a Boeing 737 but it seemed a little quiter. We circled Queens/Bronx at least once due to some "emergency" at LaGuardia that had to be "cleaned up" according to the captain. We never found out what the problem was. I had no more left the terminal when I witnessed TWO separate (and very loud) arguments between cab drivers. Just like on TV!

I go into Manhattan (Harlem) tomorrow to present my paper that the podiatry school here. I may have to go in tonight, but I am not going to unless I have to. There are also workshops and seminars to attend so I should stay pretty busy.

I took some pictures from the plane, but they did not turn out very well. I will post them anyway. Maybe I will come across something better later.

I think this is Philadelphia, Pa.

Statue of Liberty

Lower Manhattan

The Empire State Building is right

in front of the wing. It is the tall

building with a spire. This is Midtown Manhattan.

Central Park

This is LaGuardia Airport (foreground) and Riker's Island (in about the middle of the image. Riker's Island is the jail for NYC at usually carries a population of around 10,000 inmates. I have lived in cities that weren't that big! Right below the island is the threshold to Runway 22 at LaGuardia which is the runway we landed on. It looks like you are going to hit the water!