We usually show our visitors the Statue of Liberty by way of a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry. Today, however, we decided to spring for a ferry ride to the actual island. And what better day to do so than St. Patrick's Day, what the statue's famous oxidized copper. Also, it was sunny and beautiful outside (and my neck is now wearing its first sunburn of the season).
It was our first time visiting Liberty and Ellis Island since we've lived in New York, but it was my second time getting up close and personal with Lady Liberty. I first went when I was fifteen and flew to New Jersey to visit my first BFF, Sarah. (That visit itself is a story. Right, Sarah?) A lot has changed in the last thirteen years as far as protocol is concerned. Security measures have been heightened, and boarding the ferry is a lot like boarding an airplane, which was a little obnoxious, but what can you do? Because telling a two-year-old that you're going to go visit a statue doesn't have quite the ring of appeal, we hyped up our outing to Garrett by telling him that we were going to ride a boat. He was thrilled, and spent most of the ferry rides looking at and talking about the water and boats.
Our first stop was Liberty Island. We only had grounds passes and so could not go inside the statue. (Apparently you need tickets now to go up to the pedestal, and apparently they sold out while we were standing in line for our ferry tickets. There is a lottery system now for the limited tickets up to the crown, so it's possible to go up, but you have to nab them quick and way in advance.) Besides, Neil and stairs are not the best combination. We (by which I mean Gary, Blake's dad) got some great pictures of the statue.
Ellis Island was next. We browsed around the Immigration Museum. The exhibits were fascinating and filled with photographs and stories. Garrett had a great time talking on the phone to various immigrants. By the time we boarded the ferry bound for Battery Park, we were exhausted. But it was worth the trip.
On the ferry.
Lady Liberty
Neil relaxes on Liberty Island and Garrett watches the water.
Caleb had a great time, too.
Watching the boats. That's the Verrazano Bridge (the one in our neighborhood) in the background.
Us with Lady Liberty.
Garrett with the ferry we rode to Ellis Island.
Garrett thought this 3D graph was a bunch of building blocks. He really wanted to play with them.
The Registry Room at Ellis Island.
Talking on the phone with an immigrant.
This photo pretty much sums up how the four of us felt at the end of our outing.
2 comments:
Garrett was still pretty happy at the end, not sure what's wrong with the rest of you ha ha ha ha
Glad no one-legged man from the Mexican mafia wearing a cowboy hat and tennis shoes chased you around the island this time. Instead you were chasing a two-legged toddler, though you may be equally exhausted.
Good times. (It sounds almost too crazy to be real, doesn't it?)
Post a Comment