Manhattan

Upon arrival in Newark, I had to explain to a TSA officer that I was interested in taking a train to Manhattan, not a bus. At an NJTransit ticket kiosk, I purchased a round-trip ticket to Penn Station NY and back and hopped on the airport’s Airtran to the train station. This ride was slower than I expected, but provided some distant views of the NYC skyline.

Penn was the third and final stop on the train, and soon I walked up the steps from the bowels of the massive underground transportation hub and into a beautiful, warm, partly-cloudy New York City day.

Having checked the NYC weather the night before, I expected it to be raining in the afternoon, but it was not so. Heading north up 8^th Ave., I found a Chipotle at 51^st St. and stopped in to have a burrito and take off my [warm] Marmot soft shell jacket.

Continuing north, I sat for a brief respite and photo op at some benches around 56^th St., and then kept on to Columbus Circle (Time Warner buildings) and the southwest corner of Central Park to browse a couple stores and watch the hustle and bustle.

Time to head back to the station and airport, grabbing a HaggenDaaz milkshake along the way.