america: new york city and west point

Kelley drove me to the airport at 2200 Sunday evening, several hours after we had returned from Kokomo. I'd booked a flight to New York City leaving at 0600 the following morning, and I wasn't about to ask anyone to drive me to the airport at 3 in the morning. I've slept in airports for years, and will probably continue to do so for a while.
My flight was supposed to leave at 0600. I was checked in and past security by 0400. Unfortunately, the flight didn't happen as planned. We boarded on time, I had high hopes. Then the pilot spoke to all of us and said we had to wait for a storm coming through. Ugh. After a couple announcements, they said we could get off the plane if we wanted, at 0730, but we all needed to be back by 0815. I didn't bother going anywhere, as I was sleeping.

Finally, we took off at 0900, three hours late. It was only supposed to be an hour and forty five minute flight, but we had to go around the storm, which added time. Plus New York is an hour ahead of Chicago. Instead of landing at 0900, I landed just after noon. Ugh.
One of my rugby friends from Korea had arranged a place for me to stay, so I took public transport to get there, to Brooklyn. Easy! I introduced myself to my temporary roommate, changed clothes, then took off again.
I met up with another rugby friend, my old rugby captain from Korea. We decided to hang out in coffee bean, which I know ice mentioned before is my favourite coffee shop chain. I love their chai lattes! Great to see Nat again, I think it had been 5 years. She still lives in Seoul, but was in NYC to train for a jiu jitsu tournament.

Nat had to go to jiu jitsu training after a couple hours, so I walked around Manhattan, just enjoying the atmosphere of NYC. Lots of people, lots of very tall buildings. I came very close to eating in koreatown, I really miss Korean food. (I just wasn't hungry.)
I walked one of the main streets in Brooklyn for a while before returning to the flat. Always fun to explore a new place, though Brooklyn isn't as photogenic as Manhattan. (I'm sure there are plenty of people who would disagree.)
The next morning I woke up slowly, because I could. Eventually I got on the metro, riding all the way to 86th street. I used my phone to find the closest coffee bean and started my morning with a chai latte. (This company really ought to hire me as a brand ambassador.) Down the street I found a bagel shop, yum.

Then I walked to the metropolitan museum of art, about three blocks. There were hot dog vendors out front, people hanging out on the steps, and giant posters advertising the current temporary exhibitions. The museum is iconic, for good reason. (It's one of several museums on the so called 'museum mile.')
There is no required entrance fee, but the suggested fee is $25. I opted to pay $15. The weather wasn't so great, I was in the museum with thousands of my best friends.
The metropolitan museum of art (often shortened to 'the met') is big. Really big. I spent 3 hours, and I'm pretty sure I missed quite a bit. There was a European section, a pacific island section, ancient civilizations, Asia, etc... It can be overwhelming. No selfie sticks allowed :)
Eventually I escaped, found my way back to the metro and rode downtown. I got off at Washington square park, and walked to a bookstore on the square to meet one of my old rugby coaches. We spent a few hours hanging out, catching up. Apparently this NYC visit was all about rugby folks :)

The next morning I was up early, so I could be sure to make it to grand central station on time for a specific train. While talking to Nat the first day, she had mentioned another of our teammates had just moved to West Point with her husband. I sent a message to Allie (half the team called her Kentucky, as that is where she is from,) who said it would be awesome if I could come up for a day. So I did.
Allie picked me up at the train station, and I realized it is completely inconvenient for people living at West Point to get to the train station. West Point is almost directly across the river from the train station, but the bridges don't connect the two. You have to drive several miles either way to get to a bridge. How annoying.
Allie used her ID to get me on post without a problem, and we drove to her new house. They'd literally just moved, arriving there only a couple previously. Household goods had arrived the day before I came up, so the house was chaotic. Plus they have a new puppy who didn't yet know the rules. So cute.

After a while chatting, we drove to the visitors center for the school and signed up for a tour.
The United States military academy at West Point is old and storied. Many of America's greatest military leaders went to school there. It's a beautiful campus, with plenty of history, traditions, and stories. Academics are rigorous, cadets (students) are busy all the time. In addition to a regular academic education they also have military education. Every cadet who graduates must serve five years active duty starting just after graduation. I know a few army officers who graduated from West Point, they stay in touch with each other and the bond is strong.
Our tour took us to a few highlights of the campus, and the tour guide gave her spiel pretty well. I wish I was allowed to wander around on my own, to see the beauty at a slower pace, and have more fun with photos. Other noteworthy members of our tour group: 3 Buddhist monks, and a family wearing navy gear. The rivalry between army and navy is HUGE (even though navy has won all the gridiron matchups in recent history) so wearing navy anything on a tour of West Point is...interesting.

After the tour we found a gift shop on campus, I bought postcards. Of course.
Next we had lunch at a local place. Highland falls (the name of the town just outside the gates of West Point) isn't big, and I'm guessing nearly everyone who lives there is either directly dependent on the academy, or indirectly.
We found a gift shop back
A couple hours later Allie drove me back to the station. It was sooo good to catch up with her :)
Dinner that night was low key, pizza.
The next day I flew to DC, but not until afternoon. I used my metro card to get back up to 89th street, and have another chai latte from coffee bean.
Then I walked down 5th avenue. All the way to 23rd street. In less than 2 hours, including brief stops in at Patrick's cathedral and a couple shops for postcards. The weather was great, and I love to walk.
Then I hopped back on the metro, went back to the flat, packed everything and made my way to the airport.
Thankfully, this flight left on time :)