NYC Thursday

 

On Thursday, I started much later.  In the morning, I took care of laundry.  Fortunately, there is a room in the basement of Camilo’s building, the machines all operated by swiping a dedicated card.  I did laundry three times during my stay, and I didn’t see anyone else in the room – I had all the machines to myself!  On one occasion only did I bump into the superintendent as she busied herself with other chores in other rooms of the basement. 

Camilo and I stepped out together at noon.  We headed to Jackson Heights, in the opposite direction to Manhattan.  This part of Queens is occupied and operated by Latinos.  South American flags (and a few from the Caribbean) were visible everywhere.  There were Hispanic restaurants, street food and drinks.  We walked mostly along Roosevelt Avenue, beneath the cacophonous 7 train.  Eventually, we stopped at Angel, one street north of Roosevelt Ave, for an Indian lunch.

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Then it was time for me to make my way to LaGuardia Airport.  Erin would be arriving just after 4 PM.  Camilo showed me to the free shuttle bus.  It was awesome to see Miss Plattner again.  The last time we met was in Barcelona in 2017.  From the airport, we rode an Uber to Erin’s airbnb.  She had booked in Astoria, not terribly far from Sunnyside.  We got her checked in and then went for a wander.  

We decided to get dinner at Ruta Oaxaca Mexican Cuisine.  We started with a beer, and then perused the menu, ultimately concluding that this place was too expensive.  We left and found food elsewhere; we had a shawarma sandwich (mine beef and lamb, Erin’s chicken, if memory serves) at a hole-in-the-wall, unadorned eatery called Shawarma Spot NYC, still in Astoria, Queens.  The prices here were much more sensible.  The meal was delicious, and the most authentic example I’d had since arriving in these United States.

Erin and I then made our way to Manhattan.  We ambled aimlessly as we caught up.  We stumbled through Times Square, and then stopped at a pub for a drink.  Then it was time to call it a day.