This is not much of a diary - more of an observation.
Just a little glimpse into a few minutes of the Big Apple, when streets get closed off, and the POTUS visits.
More below the orange cloud.
I left from the Veterans Hospital tonight, and headed to Second Avenue and East 23rd street to catch the bus to the ferry.
I notice what seems to be a NYC police car rally at the intersection. Then I remember hearing that President Obama would be in New York City tonight. I purchase my ticket for the bus, and start to wait for it to come - I could see it stop just one block north of 23rd Street.
This is when the complex job of protecting the president of the United States was put on display.
Police officers moved barricades together, blocking pedestrians from crossing the street. Police cars moved to block access to 2nd Avenue heading south.
Motorcycle police made numerous passes on 23rd Street, heading East and West across the intersection. Unmarked police cars, lights blazing, made multiple passes, and then 4 police cars bracketed each side of 2nd avenue. People asked police - "when is President Obama coming?" They were told "soon, but I can't say exactly when."
People pulled out their smart phones and took pictures and video of the multitude of police cars and activity preceding the arrival of "44." (I left my phone home today!).
Then, at 5:59 PM, the motorcade zipped by. People were applauding, some young women shouted out to the cars as they zoomed by. It was over in a minute. The road was quickly unblocked, and I and other New Yorkers resumed their lives.
For a few minutes, the city paused, praised, and then went home to dinner and family, with a story to tell, and probably pictures and video to back up this brief brush with history. Just wanted to share this glimpse.