Battery Park is a straight shot on a nearby bus to South Street Seaport, and we explore it in bits after we pick up our tickets in Clinton Castle.
Angelfish gleam with an aquatic sheen as they await riders on the SeaGlass Carousel.
There is a sculpture of The Immigrants depicting diverse struggles, a moving monument to difficulties our ancestors endured to give us the life we live today.
The American Merchant Mariners Memorial guards the dock near the boarding of the boat, and watching one man pull another out the depths combined with the speck that is statue we all came to see imparts a sense of safety and peace, a confidence that this country will continue to do for us.
Statue of Liberty
35 years ago, which I now know is the last time the Knicks won the playoffs, I stood next to my mother in JFK, frantic 5 year-old eyes searching the escalators for my father who we hadn't seen in over a year.
We found him and the rest is history, and it's here that I always feel most grateful, cruising toward the symbol of my freedom from a country that makes dissenters disappear.
The best view of Manhattan is as you're sailing away,
and there are no bad views of Lady Liberty as you approach.
We got the coveted crown tickets three months in advance, and I have zero regrets as we ascend the steep spiral staircase.
There are unparalleled views of the scaffolding, the mechanical marvel that makes this modern madonna stand.
The crown itself is a significantly smaller space than you'd think, squishing at most six acquaintances at a time, all of whom have hopefully recently showered.
Often seen as a far-away sight from any harbor, nothing prepares you for the feelings of safety, of gratitude, of overwhelming joy as you stand in the shadow of this majestic, MAMMOTH symbol of freedom.
The pedestal provides a close-up of the detailed folds of fabric,
and even at the bottom, we're so close we can see the writing on the book.
The museum right under the statue isn't much of a photo op, but there are surprising stats on the history of the construction and moving testimonials from those with a profound sense of hope as they move or flee from circumstances in which they could not stay.
There other museum however, houses the original face and torch, so snap your selfies while you still can.
There's more of the same in Ellis Island, and they preserve the original building as a monument to those who once moved through those halls and walked those floors. It makes for an emotional day, one filled with gratitude and wonder in equal parts.
Joe's Pizza - New York, NY
Have you really been to New York if you don't stop for a slice?
We're starving as we disembark, and in the gap between no lunch and a later dinner, there's a floppy, fold-and-stuff piece of pizza.
Maybe it's the mass production, but I don't know if I like this classic New York slice as much when I'm sober.
No comments:
Post a Comment