Splinter from Wooden Deck

On our first full day in New York City we got a late start. I put on my sandals for the lobby and once outside slipped them back into my pack.  We then headed for the subway and our plans were thwarted by the confusing noodle of subway trains.  Now I've used the subway in Boston and Moscow, and you can figure them out in just a few minutes, but I just seemed to have trouble figuring out the NYC Subway system.  So the first day we didn't get as close as we could have to our destination.  But we wanted to see the sites, and we certainly did.  It was later on that I realized that the trains on each side of the platform  went the same direction and there was another platform for the opposite direction.  Also, each line color did not stop at every stop along that line, but rather you needed to pay attention to the numbers or letters for the stop you wanted, and take that train.

Coming out of the subway for the first time I thought how most people thought the floor of the subway was disgusting,  yet my feet didn't seem to think so and then I grabbed the stair railing as I walked up the stairs and my had said yuck, now that was gross feeling.  My sister agreed and said she never grabs the railings unless she has to.

Once off the subway we headed in the wrong direction, this was to be a recurring theme and we joke about it during our trip.  So we trudge onward and finally made it to the Shark Boats.  The dock here was old wood pier in various state of repair.  At one point my foot caught a splinter and my group all heard it snap under my foot.  It definitely hurt, but I assured them I was fine, while at the same time wondering how much my foot was bleeding.  Pride help me resist the urge to do a complete inspection of the damage and I didn't want my group to worry.

Wooden dock at the Shark Boat  

I had no problems boarding the boat barefoot, and I'm sure they had to have noticed my feet since they help everyone on board the boat one at a time.  My foot was still a little sore and I tried to discreetly inspect my foot while waiting for the ride to begin.  I couldn't feel any damage or piece of splinter left in my foot, but I was still wondering if it was bleeding.  Later when I got home and washed my foot I couldn't tell where the splinter had stabbed me.  My tough souls had done a great job of protecting my foot.

The shark boat is a speed boat and it zoomed us around the harbor at tremendous speeds, the sharp turns were not as thrilling as a park ride, but it was a lot of fun.  They do work a little bit at finding all the bumps and on getting you wet.  They stopped so we could get some great shots of the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and the new World Trade Center.  I usually get motion sick and don't like thrill rides, but this was great and I would do it again.

We then decided to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and grab a pizza in Brooklyn.  I saw one lady carrying her shoes and walking barefoot.  Once across we found a pizza place called Ignazio's and were soon seating with only a few stares at my feet.  It was a Sicilian style pizza and was good.  

It had been a full day, so we headed back and I once again put on my sandals to walk across the lobby to the elevator. A great first day being barefoot in New York City, but I was a bit bummed it wasn't 100% barefoot.  I decided tomorrow would be different.