NY / Boston March 16th - 23rd
Hey everyone. Again, it's been a while since the last post. Not that there isn't anything going on, it's that there is too much going on. Seems every night Hiroe and I are up until 11 PM trying to get work done. But the blog posts will get more frequent as we get closer to the baby being born. Tracking the progress... getting a crib (thanks Jim and Carola!), baby clothes, getting the bedroom ready, etc. etc.
But back to our New York and Boston vacation. We went there during Hiroe's spring vacation. I think if we went to New York every weekend Hiroe would be happy. So we go when we can. Of course, when you arrive you instantly start to learn the rules....
The first thing we did was a little event that Hiroe sigend me up for. All she asked is if I prefer Sunday afternoon or evening. Only after she signed me up did I learn I was going to take Trapeze lessons. It was kind of an adventure thing for my 40th birthday. I went skydiving on one of my birthdays (25th?) and always like the idea of doing something fun to mark these occasions. Though it's a little past my birthday, this was still good timing.
So here's how it goes. You take the train to this big tent in the middle of lower Manhattan. Listen to a brief instruction on what you'll need to do. Then you climb up on this platform...
And look out at the open space in front of you.Yes, there is a net below.
Reach out, and grab the bar. This woman was in the class before me.
Then the guy behind you says 'go' and lets go of you.
At the end of the first swing, begin pulling your legs up.
Legs over the bar.
Like so...
Now extend your arms out as far as you can.
Because there is someone waiting to catch you.
Then hold on tight and release your legs from the bar.
Soon it was my turn.
Hold on to the bar...
Jump!
Legs over the bar
And reach!
Another fun thing you learn is to spin after you let go of the bar. No, I didn't land on my head.
On Monday we were able to see the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York. We showed up early to get a good spot. This was taken on the way to to the parade. Everyone getting ready...
The parade consisted mostly of policemen, kilt wearning bagpipe players, high school bands, and firefighters. They were from many cities acroos the country. I saw policemen in the parade from New York, California, Texas...
It's quite the party.
Hiroe enjoying the parade.
The parade kept going and going. After about a hour we left to get lunch. When we were done with lunch the parade was still going on. I think it lasted at least 3 hours.
The next day we went to my favorite camera shop - B&H. The place is huge with these conveyors running all over in the ceiling, delivering people's purchases to the cash register or to shipping for internet orders.
That night we went to a cool show in Manhattan. This is prior to the show. There were no seatz, everyone was standing during the show and the stage moved around in the center several times we all moved as they moved the stage or set up for the next part of the performance.
The show started with this guy on a treadmill. Hiroe commented that I should enjoy the show and not concentrate on taking pictures. This is the only photo of the guy on the treadmill stage that I have, but it was pretty cool...
This was a woman in water, a guy hanging below her, all suspended from the ceiling. My understanding is that some of the performers are from cirque du soliel.
People spinning around the outside of the room.
There was a portion that inluded a lot of confetti. This was a pretty cool capture. Three of these people were from the audience. They were dancing on stage, then had to stand still while a big platform of styrofoam and confetti crashed on them...
Festive, yes?
From an engineer's perspective, this was to coolest part of the show. The entire ceiling of the room was this swimming pool of sorts with a clear floor. They lowered it until is was less than a meter overhead. I think it touched my head a few times. There were women in the pool sliding around and doing lots of acrobatic moves. It was amazing to think of the planning that went into this, and the stuff needed to make it work. It was impressive, to say the least.
This was my favority shot from the show. This is one of the performers in the pool.
This was from the end of the show... some of the performers...
After the show they had a dance party. This is the DJ spraying the crowd with a water mist. Refreshing...
We then took a train to Boston. Hiroe studied and I played with my camera. I don't think she approved.
Studying hard...
In Boston we toured the Samuel Adams Brewery.
The best part was the taste testing at the end. I think we tried 5 different beers.
Hiroe bought a new hat at Quincy Market.
I did too.
And Hiroe had a corndog...
In the Boston Subway.
One of the days we headed to Salem to see all of the witch hunt exhibits.
Back in Boston, at the farmers market.
The Boston freedom trail. Follow the red bricks.
Me an a bronze donkey. Don't know what that was about.
Lots of history in Boston.
While walking the freedom trail, we happened across an Anime convention. Omoshiroii, to say the least.
Huh?
You really, really have to like anime to wear something like this in public...
The best part of this guy's costume is the 'su' hiragana on his chest. 'Su'perman, I presume.
Back on the freedom trail. Untill you come to this locked gate, and have to take a detour. Odd.
Hiroe on the trail.
The last evening in Boston...
But back to our New York and Boston vacation. We went there during Hiroe's spring vacation. I think if we went to New York every weekend Hiroe would be happy. So we go when we can. Of course, when you arrive you instantly start to learn the rules....
The first thing we did was a little event that Hiroe sigend me up for. All she asked is if I prefer Sunday afternoon or evening. Only after she signed me up did I learn I was going to take Trapeze lessons. It was kind of an adventure thing for my 40th birthday. I went skydiving on one of my birthdays (25th?) and always like the idea of doing something fun to mark these occasions. Though it's a little past my birthday, this was still good timing.
So here's how it goes. You take the train to this big tent in the middle of lower Manhattan. Listen to a brief instruction on what you'll need to do. Then you climb up on this platform...
And look out at the open space in front of you.Yes, there is a net below.
Reach out, and grab the bar. This woman was in the class before me.
Then the guy behind you says 'go' and lets go of you.
At the end of the first swing, begin pulling your legs up.
Legs over the bar.
Like so...
Now extend your arms out as far as you can.
Because there is someone waiting to catch you.
Then hold on tight and release your legs from the bar.
Soon it was my turn.
Hold on to the bar...
Jump!
Legs over the bar
And reach!
Another fun thing you learn is to spin after you let go of the bar. No, I didn't land on my head.
On Monday we were able to see the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York. We showed up early to get a good spot. This was taken on the way to to the parade. Everyone getting ready...
The parade consisted mostly of policemen, kilt wearning bagpipe players, high school bands, and firefighters. They were from many cities acroos the country. I saw policemen in the parade from New York, California, Texas...
It's quite the party.
Hiroe enjoying the parade.
The parade kept going and going. After about a hour we left to get lunch. When we were done with lunch the parade was still going on. I think it lasted at least 3 hours.
The next day we went to my favorite camera shop - B&H. The place is huge with these conveyors running all over in the ceiling, delivering people's purchases to the cash register or to shipping for internet orders.
That night we went to a cool show in Manhattan. This is prior to the show. There were no seatz, everyone was standing during the show and the stage moved around in the center several times we all moved as they moved the stage or set up for the next part of the performance.
The show started with this guy on a treadmill. Hiroe commented that I should enjoy the show and not concentrate on taking pictures. This is the only photo of the guy on the treadmill stage that I have, but it was pretty cool...
This was a woman in water, a guy hanging below her, all suspended from the ceiling. My understanding is that some of the performers are from cirque du soliel.
People spinning around the outside of the room.
There was a portion that inluded a lot of confetti. This was a pretty cool capture. Three of these people were from the audience. They were dancing on stage, then had to stand still while a big platform of styrofoam and confetti crashed on them...
Festive, yes?
From an engineer's perspective, this was to coolest part of the show. The entire ceiling of the room was this swimming pool of sorts with a clear floor. They lowered it until is was less than a meter overhead. I think it touched my head a few times. There were women in the pool sliding around and doing lots of acrobatic moves. It was amazing to think of the planning that went into this, and the stuff needed to make it work. It was impressive, to say the least.
This was my favority shot from the show. This is one of the performers in the pool.
This was from the end of the show... some of the performers...
After the show they had a dance party. This is the DJ spraying the crowd with a water mist. Refreshing...
We then took a train to Boston. Hiroe studied and I played with my camera. I don't think she approved.
Studying hard...
In Boston we toured the Samuel Adams Brewery.
The best part was the taste testing at the end. I think we tried 5 different beers.
Hiroe bought a new hat at Quincy Market.
I did too.
And Hiroe had a corndog...
In the Boston Subway.
One of the days we headed to Salem to see all of the witch hunt exhibits.
Back in Boston, at the farmers market.
The Boston freedom trail. Follow the red bricks.
Me an a bronze donkey. Don't know what that was about.
Lots of history in Boston.
While walking the freedom trail, we happened across an Anime convention. Omoshiroii, to say the least.
Huh?
You really, really have to like anime to wear something like this in public...
The best part of this guy's costume is the 'su' hiragana on his chest. 'Su'perman, I presume.
Back on the freedom trail. Untill you come to this locked gate, and have to take a detour. Odd.
Hiroe on the trail.
The last evening in Boston...
posted by john and hiroe at 10:51 PM
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