posted on October 13, 2001 09:07:58 AM new
I'd appreciate any insight/advice from NYC area people.
How much more difficult is it to get around the city now? For a few days, I was seeing on the news little snippets about closing part of the Holland tunnel, inspection checkpoints, etc., but I haven't seen that lately. How unnavigable is it?
Also, have any of you heard of any especially good rates on hotels in the city and/or airline tickets? Is hotel occupancy still down? Is there a good possibility of booking a reservation now for a stay a few weeks from now? What's your perception?
The reason I ask is that my brother, who lives in NM, was due to fly to NYC to take a deposition Sept. 12th. He's rescheduled it for the end of this month. Meanwhile, my sister has been feeling nostalgic since Sept. 11 and has mused several times that she'd like to go back, so she's thinking about hooking up with him up there.
So, how's the tourist situation? Any thoughts would be useful. Thanks.
posted on October 13, 2001 10:08:33 AM new
"Your sister hooks?"
No, but she came close once. She was in the city one evening when she saw a small group of women running down the street. Being the type, like me, to run first and ask questions later, she started running with them. It was only when she was crouched down behind a parked car with them that she began to realize she'd joined group of hookers who were running from the cops.
posted on October 14, 2001 06:29:47 PM new
Hi: After asking several people, some who work and live there.....a couple of others just do shows there once in a while.
The answer is........take something for the smell. Hotel occupancy is down and so is the tourist count. People are afraid and the residents [according to my very small sample] are quietly scared. When the wind blows in the right direction the odor can be detected in areas of Brooklyn & Queens.
The almost 5,000 victims did not just dissapear.....think about it.
We are staying away.....and we did at least 3 or 4 outdoor shows in the Fall season.
posted on October 14, 2001 06:56:27 PM new
Thanks for your response, DrTooth.
The smell, that's something I didn't consider when thinking about planning her trip. I did read something weeks ago, some guy's suggestion that they not clear out WTC but leave the rubble as a monument, and thought then - big mistake.
She's wanting to find a hotel room around her old stomping grounds in the city, since she's feeling nostalgic. Fear doesn't seem to be a problem for her; if you wanted to be someplace safe, NYC was never it, but though it was always pretty stinky, maybe she'd rather stay with her niece out around Islip now...
posted on October 15, 2001 12:05:00 PM new
I was in the city on Saturday, came in from CT where there are currently no closures or travel restrictions. The restrictions are for those roads towards the southern tip of the island. There are tunnels that are still closed and bridges with lanes closed. I believe most of the open routes in that area have restrictions that only allow cars with two or more people in them to cross over. Everyone else is diverted. All trains are running into Grand Central. There are subway closures to the south end of the island still.
As for the smell...there isn't one that permaeates over the entire city. What happened is concentrated to a rather small portion or the island and unless you are a gawker and insist on going down there to see the wreckage you would barely know anything happened if you're just walking around the rest of the city.
posted on October 15, 2001 03:00:42 PM new
Thanks for the observations, sjl1017, that sounds a bit more encouraging.
Today, she's rethinking... She doesn't mind the possibility of being bombed in New York, but she doesn't like the idea of having her plane quarantined in Cleveland
