On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
ema
Here are some pictures from my recent trip to the far, far away land of Jersey City, NJ.
I took the Path train from the Oculus station, that architectural masterpiece that almost rivals the one at Hudson Yards. Almost.
If you visit the city, Path trains are a good way to get around. Clean, frequent departures, several lines – all the way to Newark – and you can use a MetroCard (not the monthly one, for some reason, only the regular one).
There is a caveat if you use the Jersey City line. Apparently, you are expected to be quite the sporty person. If the escalator breaks down, up 128 steps you go. (Yes, I counted them.) Better yet, take the train one stop back to the city and jump on a ferry to NJ.
This is Jersey City, or, rather, the sliver I saw since my building was near the waterfront. I did catch a glimpse of a tram behind the buildings, and a very nice promontory with ducks and a pair of swans. Worth a return trip to explore.
Southern tip of the city, with One WTC/Freedom Tower and a local seagull eying me with suspicion.
Not sure why I thought the city’s port was somewhat of a vanity project. Throw together a couple of ferries, a few yachts, and some reckless jet skiers and, viola, a Port! Turns out The Port of New York [and New Jersey] is the largest port on the East Coast, and the third largest in the nation. The More You Know…
I took the ferry back to the city. This is another good way to get around if you’re visiting. The East River ferries run between the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn for $2.75 + transfer/trip. The Hudson River ferries run between Manhattan and NJ for $9 + free city bus/trip (not sure about a transfer).
Back to the ferry trip, behold the Hudson Yards $200 million art masterpiece the [shawarma-like] The Vessel (with the Empire State Building behind it). Granted, de gustibus and all that but, come on artist and architect people, make an effort and design something better and safer.
Last, but not least, heliports are for the birds. Initially, I thought the gathered seagulls had suffered some type of industrial accident; a lot of them only had one foot. I was relieved once I noticed they were just resting. Why don’t they just sit down and rest both legs at the same time? I don’t know.
What I do know, because I was wandering and looked it up, is that seagulls can drink ocean water: The salt they take in is absorbed and moves through their blood stream into a pair of salt glands above their eyes. The densely salty fluid that results is excreted from the nostrils and runs down grooves in the bill.
January 2022/cellphone pics
War for Ukraine Update 29: The Poles Have, To Paraphrase Popeye, Taken All They Can Stands and They Can’t Stands No More!
mrmoshpotato
Ex-otic!
eclare
Hasn’t the Vessel been permanently closed? I did not realize it was so noticeable from water.
Great photos
Eta> I hate ledges, makes me nervous even to look at the thing. I would never step foot on it.
Baud
What shots did you have to get before your trip?
Wag
Excellent framing of the Empire State Building above the Vessel and between the skyscrapers. All the photos are great!
Dorothy A. Winsor
Really nice pictures. They make me want to go there.
HeartlandLiberal
Great pictures of urban landscapes!
But tell us the important part: Did you run into Stephanie Plum??
NotMax
To make things even more murky for the uninitiated, on one of the PATH lines there are two separate stops named Penn Station, one in NY and one in NJ.
There is still signage in Manhattan identifying PATH service by what it was formerly called, the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad. Another.
If you want to exercise your obscure history chops, refer to the whole shebang as the McAdoo Tunnels.
WaterGirl
This is a really fun set, and of course water always makes me happy!
Benw
@Baud: I got my two Covid shots in Manhattan just two blocks from the Vessel!
ETA: great pics, I especially like the one of the southern tip of the city!
Makeitso
I grew up in Jersey City and West New York, NJ and took the PATH all the time. Trust me when I tell you it was not that pretty. Amazing job done by the Port Authority. And the PATH takes you to the Village….
VeniceRiley
Looks like the bottom section of Starship Enterprise crashing after separating from the saucer.
JAFD
Hi, Ema !
Hope to see you at the Meetup !
JustRuss
Nice pics, but sorry, still not on my bucket list. Interesting seagull factlet!
Xennial Dysentery Dodger (formerly texasboyshaun)
Late to the post (story of my life!) I’m in Jersey City now, I made the move here from Houston three weeks ago. I am in love with this city. The architecture, the history, the amazing food, the climate, the public transit, everything is just right up my alley. This move is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! I’m staying at an Airbnb for the next two months. I’m 50 feet from two bodegas, two bus lines stop in front of my building (one going straight to the Journal Square PATH station), and I’m across from a park with beautiful cherry blossom trees blooming.
Yutsano
I must take issue with one of your statements. Seagulls do not eye humans with suspicion. They eye you for foods.
That looks like a fun little trip!
ema
Ha, viola! Silly auto-correct.
@eclare:
Yes, it’s been closed since July 2021. Not sure if it will ever reopen, at least not in its present form.
ema
@Baud:
Forget shots. Strict quarantine both before and after my trip.
ema
@Wag:
Thank you. I cold have done a better job but the ferry windows were quite dirty.
ema
@Dorothy A. Winsor:
Thank you. Come on over, you will absolutely love it*.
*This message brought to you by the New York and New Jersey Tourism Board. (just kidding)
ema
@HeartlandLiberal:
Thank you. No, short visit, but who knows, maybe on my return trip.
ema
@WaterGirl:
Thank you. And since you like water, I will send in some pictures of city adjacent Atlantic Ocean coast.
ema
@Benw:
Thank you. My favorite, as well.
ema
@Makeitso:
My first time taking the Path to NJ so I defer to you.
ema
@JAFD:
I’ll be there in spirit (work). Have a great time!
ema
@JustRuss:
Thank you.
Also: The New York and New Jersey Tourism Board Wants *You* to Come to the City!
ema
@Yutsano:
Funny story about the last picture with the three seagulls.
They were resting after having just dive-bombed me when I made the mistake of offering a different seagull a bit of food. I was a bit taken aback by how aggressive they were.
One would expect better manners from seagulls.