New York City Tour
With our tour guide Al and bus driver Shinaid, we left the campsite at 8 am in a full size, “Leprechaun”, air conditioned bus. On the road to New York City, Al was updating us and giving us a history lesson on the surrounding area,. He also informed us that a new house in this area (50 miles from New York) for $400,000 would have property taxes of about $13,000 of which $6,600 is school taxes. Also taking a bus into the city from this area is $200 a month.
First stop, Times Square, Al dropped us off and let us know where there was a great place to get some New York cheesecake @ Juniors. We had an hour to look around and shop. There are 5 Boroughs, as they are referred to in New York City; Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staton Island, Queens, and The Bronx. The financial district is in Manhattan and referred to as SOHO District or South of Houston. Manhattan has 19 bridges and 4 tunnels and it is about 15.5 x 2.5 miles.
We were told a good place to get tickets for shows are at
TKTS where tickets are 2 for 1. It is
right behind me in the picture. But be
prepared to stand in a line up! Good
thing the “natives” the locals, as Al put it, were off today otherwise this
place would be packed, wall to wall!!
But there were some strange characters walking around. We got our cheesecake before heading back to the bus. I wish I had bought a bigger piece, it was sooooo good!
Trinity Church
Bell of Hope
Inside St
Paul’s Chapel
Three churches survived the falling of the Twin Towers; Trinity Church, St. Paul, & St. Peter. We walked into and around the churches. They are beautiful with their architecture and stained glass windows. It is a miracle they were not damaged. We walked by the Financial District or Wall Street and past the New York Stock Exchange. We entered Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel and exited a few hours later by the Holland Tunnel (which was totally flooded in Oct due to hurricane Sandy) going under the Hudson River about 75 feet. We were taken to Jersey City in New Jersey for lunch at the Liberty Park Diner. Food was great and lots of it including coffees for under $20. Al said if we had eaten in New York it would have cost double.
Buildings still being restored
after 12 years
New York sky line 12 years later
We couldn’t go to Ellis Island due to hurricane Sandy last October. But the Statue of Liberty was just opened to dignitaries
July 4 and today was the first day the public were allowed back due to the
hurricane. Where we loaded the ferry was
an old dilapidated train station where immigrants came after they were
processed on Ellis Island so they could head to their new homes in search of
the American Dream from 1892 - 1954. The
station was closed in 1957.
After a 10 minute ferry ride we were on Liberty Island with a few thousand other tourists. The Statue of Liberty was closed for awhile last fall while an elevator was installed to help seniors and disabled people get to the top of the statue. It was just about to open when hurricane Sandy hit. The copper skin of the Statue of Liberty is 2 pennies thick or 3/32. It took the copper 30 years to turn green. My only complaint is by the time we got to the Island we had ½ hour and had to be back in line for the next ferry. What a fantastic day, just a little hot!
Today's distance: 175 km in the bus
Weather: Sunshine; High: 33 degrees; Lo: 24 degrees
Campsite: Black Bear Campsite, Florida NY
Tour from campsite: Mon, Wed, Fri, 8 am – 6 pm $106/ person incl. $17 to see Statue of Liberty
Walking: Manhattan & the Statue of Liberty
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