Liberty day

I write this post on the last day of our road trip as we arise to pack and take a final saunter through New York city prior to returning home via Newark to Heathrow.

Yesterday we made further use of the 48 hour pass on the Gray Line sight seeing hop on hop off buses to once again visit Battery Park, this time to use the free Staten Island ferry to get some close up pictures of the Statue of liberty.

The passes where used again later that night to take a night tour of Manhattan and Brooklyn, highly recommended as the sun goes down.

Over the last couple of days we have been regaled with information from various guides on these buses all of which has been informative, some of which has been humorous, most of which has been entertaining.

The one think that stands out is how New York city and particularly Manhattan has changed in the two hundred plus years since its inception and is continuing to change today. The neighbourhood names remain the same but their uses, their occupants and their values have shifted remarkably over the years.

We learned of the Native American indian tribes, the occupation and development by the Dutch, the forced buy out by the British Empire. George Washington's war of independence, Lincoln's speech on the abolition of Slavery, the coming of the immigrants, the establishment of the neighbourhoods. The slide into squalor during the depression and the building programs that introduced the tenements.

We learned also how a city was turned around, its streets unsafe and full of vice to become the most expensive real estate on the planet today and how this is continuing to happen to the few remaining areas of rent controlled accommodation in Manhattan and even now overspilling into Brooklyn.

Today will mark the 125th anniversary of the Statue of liberty and a firework party is planned to take place.

Beyonce is giving a free concert in Central park today also, although it is unclear if this is related or whether it is linked to the 4th July celebrations on Monday.

Many shops and attractions have signs indicating their closure on Monday for the 'Holidays', Some like the Empire state will remain open but be 'dressed' for the occasion,  Red, white and blue lights already illuminating the pinnacle.

Its been an intense eighteen days, the places, the driving, the temperatures and the vistas we've seen. We've been incredibly fortunate to undertake this journey and we thank you for taking the time to be part of it. Particularly our family whom although not present have travelled with us in our hearts and minds.

The ability to communicate across the distances involved from most locations freely has been remarkable. The internet can be an enabling tool for good, long may it remain open and unfettered by ill thought regulation and clumsily applied constraint.

Enjoy these final pictures and Thank you.

Posted in: travel