New York and New Jersey: bloodied but unbowed

Like the line from the poem, Invictus, the New York and New Jersey areas torn asunder by Hurricane Sandy are emerging from the wreckage bloodied, but unbowed.

The New York metropolitan area is slowly coming back to life with all three airports (JFK, Newark and LaGuardia) back in service, although on a limited basis.

The New York subway is slowly re-opening with some trains running above 34^th street again on a limited basis. Many tracks are still being pumped of flooding water and some have damaged electrical equipment.

Much of the city below 34^th street, large sections of Coney Island, Queens and Staten Island remain in darkness without power and many residents have no heat or hot water. Communities in New Jersey like areas in Hoboken and Secaucus are also dealing with floods and power outages. The New Jersey PATH train service between Northern New Jersey and Manhattan remains suspended.

City buses on limited runs are currently free. Taxis, which are getting more plentiful on city streets, are still being allowed to take on additional passengers, which should not cost passengers more than $10.00 per extra person.

The lights of the "Great White Way," Broadway, are back and many of the shops on Fifth Avenue have re-opened for pre-holiday shopping.

But New York and New Jersey are far from "back to normal."

Many roads and highways are unnavigable and a trip via taxi or bus to any of the metro area's three airports could take as long as a flight to Los Angeles given lines, delays and traffic blocks.