Flamin' Liberty

We were all up bright(ish) and much, much too early this morning.  Flicking back the curtains we could see across the airport runway and, in the distance...the Empire State Building! 

New York, New York!

Labor Day of course.We didn't need to hurry back to Albany, so we decided to do some sightseeing.  Liberty State Park, the start point for the Statue Cruise ferry, was just a few minutes drive from our hotel so that's where we headed.  Before we knew what was what we had tickets and were going through airport-style security prior to boarding a boat.

The Manhattan skyline was looking fine, even against a cloudy sky.  New York is an exciting city to be in, but I like it best of all as a view.





First stop, Ellis Island, which of course was also the first stop for millions of immigrants to the US at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.  Hard to imagine the emotions of those settlers, eager to start a new life in America, saying goodbye to their homelands forever.  Just arrived back here and still feeling the tug of home, I'm not sure I could ever take such a step.  But maybe, in a way, it's something that's easier to do when you have no option of returning.

Back on the ferry and over to Liberty Island to see the world's most famous statue.  The kids were interested that Liberty is depicted as a female.  I don't know why that is, do you?  Security checks again, then we climbed the pedestal, and enjoyed more views across the Hudson, the great green lady towering high above us.

Finally back to the car, back on the road, back to the Capital District.  And back to bed already for the kids - me too, quite soon, I think.