Monday was Statue of Liberty day. Kevin and Mom started the day off early by wandering down to the Today show (really, just a 2 block walk from the hotel…I could hear the crowds from the room). They didn’t make it on TV, but listened to some performances from the new Broadway musical “Rock of Ages”
The boys and I met them out there about 9 am; heard them performing “High Enough” by Damn Yankees and realize that if I had heard this earlier in the trip we would have gone! Hope it comes to East Lansing.
Took the subway down to Battery Park and boarded the ferry for Liberty island. Really enjoyed the trip, both over and back.
Ellis Island, from the ferry. Would like to go here, and think I could spend the better part of a day here, but that wasn’t going to be on this trip.
You can see the observation deck on the base of the monument. We had tickets, and went up there. Had to go through another security screening on the island (went through the metal detector to get on the ferry). The screening at the Island involved the newer devices that ‘puff’ air on you and then the machine ‘sniffs’ the air to see if you have any chemical traces you shouldn’t have on you.
The ferry went around the island to dock, so, that was excellent for the views.
The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge
Matthew declined to be in this picture
The view up from the base. 160 steps up to this level, will have to come back sometime and go up to the crown when it reopens. Really am glad I got to do this….was telling Kevin that for me, this is the most ‘American’ of things, or, the one place that represents our country the best.
The Iphone panorama of NYC from the base
Staten Island Ferry on the way back
Took the ferry, and then the subway, back to the hotel to relax for a little bit and then headed off to our second pizza dinner, Grimaldi’s, over in Brooklyn. Again, had to wait almost an hour to sit, and the seating was simply a collection of long tables. Pizza was very good, I think I liked this better than Lombardi’s, but, realize now that I like Giordano’s in Chicago and Vincent’s in the ‘burgh better.
Best part of the evening was walking back across the Brooklyn Bridge at dusk. Suzanne, I think has much better night time photo than I have, but, this is the one that I have that came out really well.
Got up early (5 am) and were on the road by 5:30 Tuesday. Think that this was a really good move; we were in PA before 7:30 am and missed all of the traffic (although it was pretty heavy eastbound in NJ). Made it home at 4 pm.
