When I experience something wonderful, my first inclination is to share. "Wow, this is delicious, have some!" (Jason's a little too generous in that he likes to share his miserable experiences too. "Ugh, this is terrible. Smell it." Um, no thank you.)
Back to the point at hand, after a great day in the city, Jason and I were eager to share the experience with the rest of the gang. Fortunately we were pretty up to speed on how to get around. Here we are aboard the Long Island Rail Road--off peak, of course, because we know how to make the dollars stretch. We even learned that seniors don't have to buy their tickets ahead of time. Guess they figure that the older generation might forget. ;)
NomiAnn and Tally Wally.
Brooklyn looks thoughtful.
Alesia, our resident hair-braiding expert.
Eli and Annie cuddle in close Annika was extra snuggly after having taken a terrible tumble off of the bathroom sink the night before. We're just glad she's okay.
Last but not least, Janet and Jeanette.
Our first destination was Hudson Yards. The Vessel was even more impressive in the sunshine.
Since Papa Kay is still waiting on his second robot knee (arriving Thursday), he and NomiAnn got a lift to the top.
Worth the trip.
We also took a little time to explore the High Line and its love languages.
Aunt Janet and two of her babies. Yup, they grow up fast.
The subway escalator at Fulton Station is an experience all of its own.
Our next adventure: a ferry ride through New York Harbor to the Statue of Liberty.
Loving New York.
Traveling the city can make you hungry. Good thing we packed sandwiches!
A beacon of promise. I can only imagine what this sight must have meant for those hopeful immigrants arriving from across the sea.
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
We all need to remember.
Admiring the New York skyline from the pedestal.
Better yet, we reserved tickets to go up to the crown six months in advance. Since Annika wasn't tall enough, NomiAnn and Papa Kay were kind enough to stay at the pedestal with her. Meanwhile, the rest of us got our cardio workout climbing all 162 stairs of this narrow double helix.
Unlike the crowded pedestal experience, our visit to the crown was extremely intimate. Apparently they only let a couple hundred people visit the crown each day, as opposed to the 3.5 million that visit Liberty Island each year. When we got to the top, there were a couple of park rangers waiting to answer questions. Otherwise, we had the crown completely to ourselves.
A few photographs, as taken through the crown's small windows.
Lady Liberty and some other familiar faces.
The new Statue of Liberty museum opened just this past May. It was really well designed, both inside and out.
This was one of my favorite interactive exhibits. You could snap your photograph at one of several kiosks, and then watch it meld in to become part of Liberty.
Indeed, we all play an integral part in protecting the freedoms we so often take for granted.
Our next stop: Ellis Island.
Re-energizing with a TTT break.
The Great Hall. You can feel the dreams and occasional disappointments of the twelve million people who passed through this space.
I'm grateful for these spaces to reflect and remember.
Tired but happy, it was back onto the subway to get back on a train to get back in our cars to get back in our beds.
1 comment:
Visiting NYC this summer was tremendous on many levels. The Statue of Liberty never fails to inspire me — or, more specifically, what she really represents always inspires me. My sincere hope is for this to always be so.
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