Thanksgiving in the Big Apple, part 4

Saturday after Thanksgiving our bus took us to the ferry where we headed to the Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty Museum. If you should decide to take the ferry over without the benefit of a tour excursion, I strongly suggest you get there early morning or be prepared to wait in a line forever. If we hadn't got there when we did, the line would have been at least an hour just to get to the ticket window.

World Trade Center and skyline from the ferry.

Statue of Immigrants, Battery Park ferry terminal

Dad and mom on the ferry.

From the observatory of the museum, the back view of the statue and the flag in the center of the common area.

Look closely to the left of her left arm. That small black dot in the sky is a helicopter. I thought it was cool to see it there.

In the museum is the original torch held by Lady Liberty until 1984. It was replaced with the current more efficient design she holds today. Here it is in the museum in the statue pedestal. So beautiful! 

After our tour of Liberty Island, we boarded the ferry to Ellis Island, a short ferry ride away. This was our best vantage point to see the front of the Statue of Liberty and, while the weather had been very cold every day, it was less cold, the sun was out and it was a gorgeous day for our tour. 

Yes, these are my own pics, taken with my phone, and taken through the window of the ferry. I was so happy to have gotten these!!

As with my post on 9/11, I've included a link here for tons of detailed information on the history of the island it how immigrants were processed etc. I could have easily spent at least a few more hours there if we'd had the time. It is so intriguing and amazing and fascinating, and I loved it. 

Ellis Island from the ferry

Inside the main building of the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration . Please click the link. This link gives you a sample of how the interactive tour works and some of what we heard, saw and read. 

It was fascinating to see all the photos and hear accounts of the experiences our families went through to become American citizens. It was such an honor for them to be here, they did not question the process. Where has the immigration process gone wrong?! It worked so well for so many thousands of people, and they were thankful for the opportunity. Now, well, that’s a story for another time and place. We all have our opinions on that. I was so enthralled, this is the one and only photo I took!!

That evening we were on our own and decided to visit The Long Room, just a few steps outside our hotel on the opposite side as the Bistro. Fun place! We had a great time there and the wait staff was fabulous. It would not be the only time we spent our evening there.