POSTCARD FROM NEW YORK CITY! – SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2009

We said goodbye to New Jersey and headed up the road to New York City!!!

Thankfully we were able to solve the mystery of The National Treasure just as we crossed through the Lincoln Tunnel and into New York City – we’re here!  But so is the rain….  L

Jim Dandy Driver dropped us off at Battery Park where we walked over to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal to catch the 11:00 ferry .   And in spite of the rain showers, there she was – Miss Liberty in all her glory.  Even if the photos don’t show up really well, we all got a great view!  We disembarked the ferry on Staten Island and followed the crowd to the other side of the terminal to get right back on to return to Manhattan.  On the ride back, to the delight of some of the ferry passengers, the kids sang Star Spangled Banner. 

Back on Manhattan, we hoofed it up a dozen or so blocks to the World Trade Center site where we entered the WTC Visitor Center.  They have put together some great videos of before 9/11, just after 9/11 and now the rebuilding and memorials of the site.  In addition, there were a number of artifacts from the rubble including a jet plane’s window frame, a cell phone, wallet contents, brief case, and more.  Amazing that any of that was ever recovered.  There were photos and quotes presented in a very tasteful layout, easy for everyone to read and appreciate even though there were a lot of people in the small space.  One display had photos and memorability that families have submitted of their loved ones who died.  Another showed a wall with photos of missing loved ones just like we had all seen on the moving news reports back in 2001.  The final room was filled with responses from people about their experiences and memories and emotions of the whole event and the exhibit.   We left the Visitor Center and hiked up to an overlook of the construction zone.   Thankfully, at that point, Jim was able to drove to use rather than have us trek back down to Battery Park. 

We were whisked to our hotel, checked in, settled in, and ate lunches.  I stayed behind to run to a laundromat to take care of 4 sets of WCC T-shirts for everyone (a HUGE THANK YOU to those of you who remembered to write your name in the shirts!!!) while everyone else reconnected in the lobby for a 2^nd round of walking after Jim dropped the gang off near Rockefeller Plaza….”near” because it took a few U-turns on the walk to finally reach the destination.  Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.  Are we going Uptown or Downtown?  No worries, because finally the Plaza was in sight and anxious shoppers converged on the NBC gift shop.  Tickets arranged for a trip to the Top of the Rock, 70 stories above street level where, at time of getting into the elevator, visibility had gone down to ZERO.  But, that gave them the place to themselves to experience the galactical-like elevator ride – zooming to the top in 45 seconds!  Although Central Park was visible, not much else was.  But still, a fun time!  The group even ran into some people who had seen us all hiking through Philadelphia and in a funky laser light-filled room, sang Roll, Jordan, Roll for those folks.

Back down on ground level, walked down a few blocks and came across a TGI Fridays for a wonderful sit down dinner and a memorable waiter, Noah, originally from Oconomowoc!  Jim picked everyone up on schedule and dropped them off at the hotel where 2/3 of the group were anxious to unwind and socialize and the other third were chauffeured up to Times Square and Broadway. 

Don't forget to check out the photos on the website:  www.wisconsinchildrenschoir.org, and click on the Summer 2009 Tour link.

Tis now late and I’m pooped, body is screaming in pain (especially the feet!) and comfy cozy that we’re not out in the rain.  All kids are secure in their rooms (yes, we did a room check!) and recharging their bodies for SHOPPING tomorrow!

Til next time, from the Big Apple,

Sue