Day 1, NYC: Statue of Liberty

New York was a blast. In every way, it lived up to my expectations. It started with a bang and moved at a fast clip for 6 days.

Monday, 4:00 a.m.--back out of the driveway, running through all the things I can't forget to make sure I didn't.

4:30 a.m.--race to Continental desk, mildly stressed but willing to believe the best.

5:45 a.m.--finally make it through security. That problem that Contiental had when I flew in May? Yeah, they still have it. Still, made it just fine and the trip was just like it should be. SuperShuttle was there within minutes. And this was a good thing...the longer I sat, the more certain I was that I'd made a mistake. If I'd been there much longer, I'd have been looking for the next flight back home.


11:30 a.m.--ordered a hamburger from roomservice. They had me at Diet Coke. And it calmed my nerves even though I could hear the clock ticking...

And then I hit the ground running.

First stop: Planet Hollywood. What? Just had to pick up my "hop on, hop off" bus ticket. And then I headed for the river. Google maps said a mile to the river. And I walked it. I mean, a mile? And it was 84 degrees...a piece of cake. Not so much. But I made it! Yeah! I was aiming for the 3 p.m. Liberty Cruise but was hustled on the 1 p.m. instead. This was a good decsion. I made lots of progress because of this decision. After the 75 minute cruise out to see the Statue of Liberty and back, I refueled with a soft pretzel and a beloved Diet Coke before making the mile-long trek back. I got hot. And sweaty and tired. But I saw the Statue of Liberty too. And all by 3 p.m...so then I went back to the hotel room and collapsed. NO, no I didn't! Because I'm cool like that.


Seriously, I'm posting about my trip to see the Statue of Liberty on July 4th. Does it get any better than that? I really don't know. How lucky I am to have been able to take this trip. How glad I am that I ignored my first inclination to sit under the covers in my hotel room, ordering room service for 6 days. My feet and legs will never be the same but I'm so happy I started out my first trip to New York on a happy boat sailing around the Statue of Liberty. This is a cool site with some info on the statue: HowTallIsTheStatueOfLiberty.com.

View of the Intrepid and Pier 83 from the boat





A bridge...Brooklyn, Washington...I should have taken notes. Sorry.




Downtown.I think the black-ish one with the cranes on top is the new Liberty Tower being rebuilt near the site of the Twin Towers. If I remember my tour correctly, it's only half built now and will be the tallest building in the city...




Vents for the tunnel...Lincoln? There are identical ones on the other side of the river.




Lots of traffic out to the statue



New Colossus by Emma Lazarus


Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "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-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"