Day 2 started with a subway ride down to Battery Park in Lower Manhattan. We had tickets for an 11:00 Statue Cruise to go see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Battery Park looks a lot more like what we are used to at home. Trees, grass, parks, still lots of buildings but not nearly the chaos of midtown. This squirrel was running up to people. It was insane and everyone was taking pictures.
The boat ride felt amazing since in was already 90 degrees by 11:00.
We were so close we could read "July 4, 1776" on the table she holds in her hand. It was very surreal being there and understanding just what Lady Liberty means to our country on the eve of it's 242nd birthday.
As we got in line to board the boat for Ellis Island a huge storm was brewing across the river in New Jersey. The lightning and wind were pretty scary so we decided to head back rather than stop.
I was disappointed because I had spent a long time trying to explain exactly what Ellis Island was and what it stands for to the kids. With all that is going on with immigration in our country right now, I really wanted to see it and teach the kids about it's history. But better safe than sorry.
After we got off the boat we walked a few blocks in search of real authentic New York style pizza. We found it, kinda. We happened upon a kosher deli where there was plenty of pizza, but no meat. We lurve us some pepperoni. So we ate ziti pasta pizza and multi cheese pizza and a few yummy sushi rolls but the kiddos agreed they liked Little Caesars better. Lol!
We had 3:00 tickets to The Freedom Tower. We had decided before we came that the kids were too young for the 9/11 Museum but we wanted to see the memorial and where the towers had stood. That was something I will never forget. Those pools of water and fountains flowing. Wow, it was absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking. Then Trace noticed the names. So many names. All the way around both building sites. He got it. Even though he wasn't even a twinkle in our eye that awful day, he got what it meant and seeing those names made it real for us all. We tried our best to answer all of their questions but how do you explain something you can't even understand yourself even all these years later.
We went to the top of Freedom Tower after that and the views were unbelievable. A totally different view of NYC than we saw from the Empire State building the day before. We paid $20 and got iPads that showed and told about everything you can see from the top. Trace was in heaven.
After that tour, Jimmy was in search of some new shoes. His feet were killing him (he's old ;) and in our search for Sketchers, we found the Westfield Mall. It's an underground mall build right beside the memorials and Freedom Tower. It was SO cool! It even had a subway inside it.
We got back on the subway and headed uptown and popped up at Grand Central Station. The kids got to see "the clock" from Madagascar. Such a beautiful, iconic place!
Then we grabbed a taxi and headed back to the hotel for a little rest. We got ready for dinner and walked next door to the Empire Steak House. Jimmy's only request of the trip was to have a really good New York Steak. I can say, it's the most we've ever spent on a dinner and the fanciest place we have ever taken our kids but he said that Porterhouse for 2 was the best steak he's ever eaten.
After dinner, we grabbed a cab and headed to Times Square. We knew we needed to see it at night and it didn't disappoint.
The only NYC souvenir we bought all week. She loved her blingy hat!
We headed home stuffed and exhausted. I think I could have slept right there on the sidewalk of Times Square. It had been a long, full day and we were ready for bed and then day 3.
0 comments:
Post a Comment