ENJOYED THE YANKEES, HATED THE SUBWAY

Day 138 of the Lower Puna Eruption, and nothing particularly new.

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I planned early about catching a Yankees baseball game and purchased a ticket from the desk at the Sheraton on Monday.  The man there said that they don't use tickets anymore.  I would get an e-mail Saturday morning for the Sunday game, and had to download the ticket to my iPhone, which would be my entry.  Saturday meant I left at 6:30AM so the desk was not open.  I didn't see anything on my e-mail that day.  When I returned at 6PM or so I immediately went to the desk, where that same guy was still there.  He showed me how to download my entry to the game.

However, I had to catch the subway to get there, and this is something I've never done in this town.  Perhaps I've seen too many movies, but I've alway had a fear of the New York City subway.  I'm a world class subway passenger authority with vast experience on every continent and more, even in countries where English is just not used.  I go out of my way to tour them and am looking forward to the Honolulu version.

For several days now I've been reassured.  Yankee Stadium?  Just walk to the corner and catch the D train.  Even the person who sold me the game ticket reassured me, plus that there is a kiosk with a live person to help me.

Gameday, Sunday, I walk down these dark stairs, a lot longer than I expected.  There are signs everywhere that the D train does not stop at this station today.  Various signs say go to the 50th Street and 8th Avenue station.  I see no kiosk to ask a question.

So I go back up those stairs and walk eight blocks.  But nothing about the D train.  However, I make it down a new set of dark stairs and there seems to be total chaos at the bottom.  The machines for cash are not working.  A street-person tells me to try the machine to the left which had no line, but use a credit card.  I do, and after making a few mistakes, pay around $12 for a card.  Each ride costs slightly less than $3, no matter where you go.

He shows me how to use the card and I ask him how do I get to Yankee Stadium.  By this time I figured out that he actually worked here for the MTA.  He says take the C line one stop and transfer to the D line.

The D train comes and I get on.  I'm immediately worried because hardly anyone is inside.  From 50th to 161st there are five stops, and only a very few get on.  How can this be possible when the game starts in an hour or so?

However, I get off the train, catch an elevator up to street level and there is Yankee Stadium.  I'm still puzzled.   Anyway, I go to the end of the line, which is at least 100 yards long.

A staffer yells that the next gate has no line, so I follow part of the crowd and walk about a quarter mile to the other gate.  Surely enough, no line.  

I have some difficulty finding that ticket on my phone, holding back the entrance.  But I eventually succeed and the attendant used a device to shine on my quick response code.  You know, that black square with a design.  Most people these days refer to it as a QR code.  They give me a free t-shirt.

I walk around and take photos of Yankee Stadium:

I get to my seat and noticed I'm in the shade, but the row below me is sunny.  Either I will be in the sun all day again, or not.  What luck, after a few minutes I saw that the movement was in my favor.  Thought I'd get something to eat, so went to Nathan's and ordered a foot-long with a cup of beer.

After a while, I went back up and got a plate of garlic fries with cheese.  As this could well be my final adventure, I might as well totally ruin my diet:

Everything is so expensive.  The beer you buy from sellers walking around cost $15.10.  But can is the larger size.  The game itself had the Yankees leading the Blue Jays 2-1 in the seventh inning.

Guess what they sing at the top of the seventh?  No, not Take Me Out to the Ballgame.  YMCA! Then comes the bottom of the 7th.  Song?  God Bless America by Kate Smith.  No, she's not still alive, but  by recording.  Then, Take Me Out to the Ballgame.  I thought I'd here leave to beat the crowd on the subway.  

The Yankees eventually lost.  But watch out when Aaron Judge returns this week.  He makes that crucial difference.  Looking out in the crowd, he is also the most popular by uniform names.

My best meals on this trip were eaten in my room.  The Food Emporium served as my source:

Today I had some leftovers and a new Caesar salad enhanced by walnuts, blue cheese, chunks of cucumber, slices of radish and onion and corn:

Got up at 3:30AM, something I really, truly hate.  The ride to Newark took half an hour, so we checked in early.  Went to the United Club and took this final photo of New York City:

They serve free wine, champagne and beer for breakfast:

A larger than usual morning meal because the flight will be around eleven hours, and I'll no doubt skip buying a meal.

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Hurricane Florence:

• Killed at least 18 people.
• As of this posting, more than half a million homes and businesses are out of power in North and South Carolina.
• Florence is now a tropical depression with sustained winds of 30 MPH.
• Left at least 30 inches of rain in certain locations.
• Now moving at 13 MPH toward the north-northeast.
• There will be more weakening, but will intensify on Tuesday/Wednesday into an extratropical cyclone.
• Here is what's next:

Typhoon Mangkhut:

• Reached 180 MPH and made landfall over the northern Philippines as a Category 5.  
• At last count, killed 64 in the Philippines, four in China and 1 in Taiwan.
• Struck Guangdong at 100 MPH, killing four, dislocating 2.4 million.
• For the first time closed all 42 casinos in Macau.

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