Our alarms sounded at 04:30 am for us to get up and begin getting ready to drive to the Port Jefferson station (LIRR) in hopes of getting a parking spot. At 05:30 am there was ample parking and since the next train didn't leave until around 07:00 am we took a tap. On the train we couldn't hear anything the announcer said; however, we needed up getting off at the right stop and switching trains for the one that took us to PENN station. Arriving at the station is was mad confusion in figuring out how to get out and on the metro towards Battery Park. At a coast of $2.75 we finally made it to Battery Park with limited trouble.
Outside was humid and overcast but not yet unbearable. We made our way to the ticket booth for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry. We got lucky for two reasons: the first, was there was a parade/band going through so we beat the crowds, the second, was that although online tickets were sold out we were able to get two tickets for $37.00. Otherwise, we would have had to pay for a ferry to New Jersey on top of paying for the ferry to Ellis Island or just not see either of the monuments.
Security went quickly and soon we were onboard the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. While about to dock the ferry seemed to list to one side very badly and I wondered if it was due to all the people trying to photograph the statue which one could only see from that side of the boat. Lady Liberty did not disappoint in the slightest; unlike Mount Rushmore and others that I thought were going to be "larger than life" so to speak and were less than I had envisioned. I think also I was expecting it to not add up my expectations and so I could not be disappointed. It is amazing to think people made something this grand! Walking around the air clung to me it was so humid and I was perspiring badly. Jason and I acquired a refreshing lemonade and pretzel that we shared. Then we boarded the ferry to take us to Ellis Island. We would later learn that only a few hours from when we were there the Statue of Liberty was shut down due to a protester who had climbed the pedestal.
Ellis Island was interesting with its architecture and history. The bottom floor was all on the history of human migration which most of it was the stuff one was taught in school. Scanning through it all one begins to notice a trend. All the mass migrations and movements were caused when depleted our resources in an area causing starvation and disease or when one people were eradicated from an area. You would think after awhile we would learn that we need take care of our planet. The second floor, was more along the lines of what Jason and I were interested in: the past of Ellis Island. It doesn't seem like the building was the big on the outside but the exhibits kept popping up and more anymore rooms appeared. I couldn't even begin to imagine what all these people had to endure and that not knowing if they will be sent back. Near the end we browsed more often then stopped fo other was just so much to see. WE ended up being there around 2.5 hours.
Back at Battery Park in NYC we caught an awesome street performance by Jamaicans. (Will try to post video when I have service :) ). When that ended we made our way to see the Charging Bull statue; however, there were so many people around that we didn't take a picture which was fine for at least I was able to see it. By this time we were starving so we walked to stone street and ordered food at the stone street tavern. My meal was delicious but Jason complained about his and then about the bathrooms too. Part of me feels as though I am dragging him through the city and that he doesn't really want to be here; yet, I tend to over think things a lot.
Leaving Stone Street we made our way to the 9/11 Memorial. The city is no where near as bad as I was anticipating but maybe that is due to the roads being closed for the fourth. The amount of homeless people also doesn't seem to be as bad as in Seattle but that could just be due to where we are located in the city. The streets are pretty easy to navigate also. The 9/11 memorial was a sight to see and we also saw the Trump Tower, NBC News building, Rockefeller Center, New York Stock Exchange, Grand Central Station, Empire State Building, Chrysler building and Times Square among others. Times Square was not as impressive as I tough it would be. All in all we walked 13 miles and when we went into a Starbucks they wouldn't let us use the restroom for they were closing in ten minutes which we thought was absurd especially since we were buying things from them! The streets at this time of day were now piled with garbage and police officers were everywhere; especially, when the time for the fireworks approached.
I was hoping to get to the fireworks area sooner but it did not workout that way and then it was like mob of people all heading in one direction. The police shut down a lot of the access roads to FDR road where the fireworks were to take place so we were rerouted multiple times on our walk which frustrated us greatly. People were pushing one another and the heat and humidity from being in such close proximity to others was insane. I was getting really frustrated myself and at one point contemplated saying fuck it to everything and just leave. In the end it all worked out and although we could only see one of the three barges it was still the best fireworks display I have ever seen.
Afterwards, we missed the 22:21 LIRR back to Port Jefferson so we sat on the floor of the train station until 23:30. Jason slept on the train ride back and we finally arrived at the camper around 01:30 am and got back to the campground around 02:30 am.
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