DAY 5: Hey Lady Liberty! Statue? Of Course!

Once again, we woke up bright and early after a late night - this seems to be a habit of ours on this trip. Today's destination: The Statue of Liberty, which easily became one of the highlights of our stay in New York City. From the minute we walked out the door, the weather was wet and drizzly (Q: Why does Snoop Dog carry an umbrella? A: Fuh drizzle!). We didn't mind, of course - this was a much welcomed change from Arizona heat. The wet weather worked in our favor by keeping other not-daring-enough-to-battle-the-rain tourists out of our path.

We arrived at the ferry (tee hee hee) dock and handed them our special security clearance passes to the Statue of Liberty. The security was absolutely insane - more intense than the airports. Because of the weather, the water in the bay was extremely choppy, only adding to the thrill and excitement we were feeling as we prepared to board. Ignoring the brisk wind, we ascended the ferry to the top uncovered level and braved the winds to ensure a proper view of Lady Liberty. The ferry ride was bumpy and chilly, but we arrived safely at the island.

We were able to go to the top of the pedestal - the stone base upon which the statue stands - which was well worth it. The views were spectacular and it was nice to get close up to the statue. We also walked the grounds of the island and soaked in all the history about the Statue of Liberty. Fun Fact: Did you know that figurines of the Statue of Liberty (much like the ones seen in gift shops all over NYC) were sold before the statue was even created. This was done to raise money to build her.

The next stop was Ellis Island, where all immigrants coming into the United States were processed. The processing facility has been recently restored and has just recently began to open to the public. We walked around the complex, following the footsteps of the immigrants, learning about their plights to become citizens of America. The free tours were informative and eye-opening. It's enough to cause one to be grateful for the sacrifices our ancestors made to get to this country so that their descendents would some day enjoy its liberties as we do today.

Sarah and I were in a hurry to get out of NYC and into Rhode Island. We stopped into China Town for lunch (um, this was quite an unpleasant experience), and Little Italy provided us with dessert - pastries and gelato. Ryan also may or may not have purchased a shady copy of the new Star Wars movie. In addition, we also may or may not have watched said movie the following evening. You didn't hear any of this from me, and you can't prove it. Immediately afterwards, Trevor and Ryan stayed behind in NYC as Sarah and Todd hopped in a rental car heading for Rhode Island - but what they soon learned is that driving in NYC can be a scary thing...

Actually, the drive in Manhattan wasn't too bad once you get the hang of it. Unfortunately, I don't believe I would ever get used to paying gargantuan tolls everytime I hop on the highways. We drove about 3 hours up the coast to Rhode Island where we booked a hotel and zonked out for the night.

DAY 5 Pictures
DAY 4 Pictures
DAY 3 Pictures
DAY 2 Pictures
DAY 1 Pictures