Just Jul Lee

Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, W.T.C. and Coney Island

Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, W.T.C. and Coney Island
DATE: July 29, 2005

So, we’re finally going to the Statue of Liberty. This icon of America stands tall and proud in the NY harbor, Manhattan viewable from her feet and ferries taking folks there in thirty minute intervals.

My mom realizes that she is in need of film and so she pays and arm and a leg to purchase film from the small store where we purchase our ferry tickets. I stop at a vendor on the way in to purchase my Liberty keepsake at a surprisingly good price. There are folks dressed up like the Statue and you can take pictures with them, which we do.

We wait in line for about twenty minutes before being able to purchase our tickets. Unfortunately, we couldn’t buy tickets to go up into the Statue but that’s okay.

We proceed outside and get into a very long line to board the ferry. I think we wait about forty-five minutes before we get into the building that leads out to the ferry.

We board the ferry and head out toward Liberty Island. You can see Ellis Island from the ferry and I admire the lovely white buildings as we pass. We land at Liberty Island and the first place we hit is the gift shop.

Surprisingly, I don’t buy anything…then, anyway…and we continue on to the front of the Statue.

We take many pictures and one of the employees takes pictures of us all together, which came out awesome, and then we return to the gift shop. I buy a copper coin made of the same thickness of copper that the Lady is made of. Then we go to wait for the ferry.

We board the ferry again and head off to Ellis Island. Ellis is filled with history that could not even be comprehended. The first thing you see is piles of luggage. We ended up getting separated after lunch and I journeyed upstairs to discover things on my own. The clothing and books and other items that had were truly worth taking the time to look at. I couldn’t have asked for a better day.

I purchased a couple of books for my Pastor and skimmed one of them while waiting in the large entrance for either my mom or PJ to stumble upon me. Eventually, my mom does.

I ask the help desk if they have a way of tracking down lost folks and they inform me that they don’t have a P.A. system but that I could leave a note with them. I decide against that, thank them and return to my mom.

“They said I could leave a note but I don’t think that PJ will stop there to see if there is a note. They don’t have a P.A. system.”

“Well, let’s just go and wait for the ferry and we’ll see him when he comes out.”

“What if he doesn’t come out before the ferry comes?”

“Then we’ll wait for the next one.”

So, we wait.

We actually are at the front of the line, only five or so folks ahead of us, and right before the ferry arrives, PJ is spotted on the steps of the building. We frantically wave him down and he joins us. We board the ferry, this time my mom and I sit on the top level, and cruise on back to NYC.

We walked to the location of Ground Zero, where the Twin Towers used to stand, and we look at the hole that is all that remains. I feel tears tugging at my eyes but I refrain from crying with great effort.

We head to a camera store and buy more film and then I say that we should take the bus to Coney Island, rather than the subway. Mom agrees but PJ doesn’t quite. Whining wins out and we take the bus.

It is a rather long bus ride to Coney Island but I enjoy seeing the sights that we wouldn’t have seen on the subway. We arrive at Coney Island, take a quick stroll up the boardwalk and on the sandy beach, which despite statements to the contrary, is quite lovely and clean, and then we grab a bite to eat. I finally have a hot dog.

We hang out for a short while then we get on the subway to head back to our hotel. The subway actually goes above ground here and there on the trip back, which I felt was pretty nifty. It was a rather long subway ride but at least we were sitting down.

We may have had to switch trains (I know we did other days!) but I can’t really remember. We go to the hotel and watch TV, which is beginning to be a very unflattering pattern, and soon we go to bed.

F.Y.I. I’m writing this entry and those that follow it in October, so you must understand why I don’t remember much anymore. I should have continued writing when the trip was fresh in my mind but I didn’t. Sorry