The Statue of Liberty

On my familys's second day in the city, we continued to embrace all things toursit and did the water bus (aka boat) tour around Staten Island and all along the tip of Manhattan.

 

The Circle Line Sight Seeing starts from Pier 57 on the West side and goes all the way past the Statue of Liberty and up to Brooklyn Bridge. It's clearly a massively tourist thing to do and so is quite expensive and is certainly not where you'll be finding any locals, but all visitirs have to do it. The views are increadible and the info our tour guide gave us was all really cool, and well, who doesn't like cruising down the river in the sun??

 

 

Seeing the Statue of Liberty from the water was increadible, and very provocative of the memories of past New York. I suddenly realised what it must have felt like for all those immigrants - real people, like Chris and his father - who came to America, seeking freedom and a new life. She stands, so imposing and comforting rising from the water. And yet, so many immigrants were turned away, or sepertaed from their families. Our very knowledgable (and very American) tour guide nearly made me cry as he described the way that, despite America being know as the land of immigrants and the land of hope and freedom, many immigrants were turned away on Staten Island...

 

 

I loved exchanging roles so much; I totally embraced my tourist side; look at me taking my tourist snaps. I want to treat London like I'm a tourist.

 



 

It was a lovely way to see the city. If you can, totally do it.

 

You don't have to get the chocolate ice cream with sprinkles for breakfast. Only my sister did that.

 

We also passed on buying the statue of Libery head gear. Tempting though wning a spiky green foam headband is, I thought I wouldn't get much wera out of it. It was a shame really.