UA_Flyer

UA_Flyer

Thanks for your comment.
I was only in BNE for two days. Unfortunately, most of the time were spent in meetings. Photos were taken the day I landed (in the moring) and I had a wonderful afternoon walking around the city including crossing the river on the bridge you mentioned. Your office must have great views!

Appreciate your comment. I hope to get down to Australia more often. I owe it to my mate to learn to appreciate and explore Australia. Although flights are long, flying SQ is always a joy!

One thing I learn is that east coast Australia is so far from anywhere in the world. PEK-NYC is only about 15 miles more than PEK-SIN-BNE, and China and Australia are supposed to be in the same region (for most of the business organizaiton in managing regional operations).

UA_Flyer

UA_Flyer

QFBoy

Oh glee! Can't wait to see my old home town through your eyes (and camera)!!! Shame you only spent a couple of days in Brizvegas (as we call it). I hope you at least had some delicious meals!

UA_Flyer

As a long time DC-Metro resident, I have been to the Grand Hyatt a several times. My visits there had been attending conferences. The DC-Grand Hyatt has a huge ballroom and several function rooms in the basement of the hotel. It is a hotel easy to get in and out thanks to the direct passage way to the Metro Station of the DC Subway system.

This was the first time I stayed at the DC-Hyatt. When my work takes me back to DC, I have been staying at the Park Hyatt at Georgetown, Arilington Hyatt, Bethesda Hyatt, Marriott at Metro Center, and other Marriott properties alone the stops on the Red Line of the DC Subway system.

I was surprised to receive an upgrade to a suite room. The surprise was not the upgrade but the size of the room. It is a massive room located on the 4th floor at the North end of the hotel property (Hotel Entrance side) facing the ground where the old DC Convention Center used to sit.

It was only an one-night stay and I was not able to full appreciate and utlitize the room. While sitting in that massive room, I could not help to think the room may have been used for staging parties by DC lobbysts or politicians. Once that idea got into my mind, I was just happy to check out quickly the next day.

UA_Flyer

QFBoy,

Thanks for your comment. Yes, I had really good food in Brizvegas! Beautiful city and great people!

BTW, love your blog!!^

UA_Flyer

UA_Flyer

UA_Flyer

My trip was all about work, and I was flying to New York after a day of meeting in Washington DC.

Just before I was about to depart for DCA to catch the US Shuttle for LGA, my phone rang. The Conference that I was scheduled to speak and participate got cancelled due to Hurricane Irene. NYC decided to shut down its public transportation systeme and all three airports were going to close starting later in the evening (Last Friday in August).

I faced a dilemma..should I stay in DC (where Irene was also going to come through during the weekend) or try my luck in NY? I did not want to break my RTW itinerary and having to refare and reroute. In addition, my mate and a few other friends worked and lived in NYC, and may be I will get to spend sometime with them during the hurricane. NYC is not exactly foreign to me as I had lived a block from the Grand Hyatt on Lex and 44nd when I worked in NYC a few years back. It would be a good opportunity to walked around the old neighborhood if the weather is not too bad.

With my mind made up, I decided to head to DCA to continue my RTW itinerary as it had originally been ticketed.

UA_Flyer

This was two weeks before the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on NY and DC. DCA and Grand Hyatt-DC (as shown earlier) had the Star Spangled Banner out to memoralize the event.

DCA traffic was heavy as people were trying to get out of DC before Hurricane Irene began to approach the eastern seaboard.

After checking into my flight, I walked around the terminal and saw a UA A320 painted in the retro "Friendship" livery....my favvorite United livery of all time. It was a great day at DCA with lot's sun and minimum clouds. Once I shot the United Friendship A320, I took a few US planes parked at the gate. In order to celebrate the "old" United Livery, I have decided to make the photos B&W to give that "Old" feeling.

UA_Flyer

(note to self: my 7000th posts)

UA_Flyer

UA_Flyer

Thanks for comment. I have always love taking photos of reflected images in the windows or mirrors.

UA_Flyer

New York Grand Hyatt has recently completed its multi-million Dollar renovation. Back in the last week of August, the lobby was not completed and the lounge was closed. The floor/room I stayed did receive a the make-up. Everything looked fine except I wish there was a bath tub and a bigger bathroom. However, I do note real estate is at premium in Manhatten.

Hotel was packed when I checked in Friday evening as tourists got stucked due to advanced cancellation of many flights out of NY due to Hurricane Irene.