Monday, July 25, 2016

Seeing the sights in New York City

So. Many. People. I've never seen so many people.

Yesterday I saw New York City for the first time. I had my first commuter train then subway ride; I didn't realize it was so hot down on the subway platforms, but maybe that was because it was so hot anyway. And there were so many people. Still, my son assured me that there weren't that many as it was the weekend. Wow. At that, we actually got around town rather easily.

Don't get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and left very impressed with New York and wanting to come back to see more. We went to Liberty Island and saw the Statue of Liberty, then Ellis Island to learn more about the history of immigration into the US. I took what I thought were a couple good pictures of the new World Trade Center, and the reflecting pools memorializing the victims of 9/11 were such a sublime, beautiful tribute that I found myself choking up. They are that powerful.

I also experienced my first NSA search, which was required to see Lady Liberty. It wasn't bad, other than having to remove my belt after emptying my pockets. As I has popped the button on my short pants I stood with some small fear waiting as my items went through the metal detector; if those britches gave way I would have faced charges completely unrelated to national security.

But it was a great way to spend a Sunday, and I do intend to come back and see more of Sinatra's kind of town. For today, it's on to Boston to see the Tigers play the Bosox at classic Fenway Park.

That's all for now. This is Charles Martin Cosgriff reporting from Newark, New Jersey.

No comments: