Day #5 Culture Shock

Alarm went off late this morning, which was a blessing. The past few days have been very busy and I was grateful of an extra half hour to sleep. Today we were under the time crunch. Our train left at 1pm and we were still hoping to get some things done off our list. We got the bell man to get us a cab and we headed straight for Battery Park. We had not yet been this far south and so enjoyed the ride through different neighbourhoods along the water. We arrived at Battery Park, cleared security and we thankful that our City Pass let us jump to the head of the line. We got on the Liberty Island Ferry but realized if we got off the ferry on Liberty Island we might miss the train. The ferry got us around the Statue of Liberty and to Ellis Island. It was beautiful to sit on the upper deck in the sun and take in the skyline, the rivers, and the sights.

Being in the Financial District weighed heavy on my heart, we decided not to go to Ground Zero but you could feel the sorrow seeping from the pavement. The city has picked up and moved on, but it bears the scars. We listened to the people talking on the ferry, remembering where they were for 9-11 and hearing the stories and legacies that will never be forgotten.

After a stroll through Battery Park, we caught a cab back to the hotel and returned to the Comfort Diner for another round of pancakes for breakfast. We took our last walk, for this trip, up 42nd Ave and retrieved our bags from the bellman. Onward to Penn Station – it’s been a blast NYC.

Things to see on the next trip:
Get off on Liberty Island & Ellis Island
Tiffany’s
Serendipity’s
Another Broadway show
Guggenheim Museum
Bike ride through Central Park
Bloomingdale & Macy’s
NY Stock Exchange

When we arrived in Penn Station, we found a place to sit and wait; mailed some postcards; got some food; called home to talk with my parents and nephew. And then we waited. The train was delayed. But eventually the gate was announced and we were standing right beside it – so down the escalator we went and we were off. I watched the skyline recede into the Bronx and then the inside of my eyelids. When I woke, we were already heading through Connecticut. Watching the clock closely, we saw the time before our connection get closer and closer. When we arrived in New Haven, we stepped out of the train, across the platform and onto the next train and we pulled out of the station.

We returned to our quaint Windsor Locks Amtrak Station and called a cab to come and get us. We rented our car a set out through Connecticut countryside. We drive through to the University of Connecticut and have had a very quiet evening. We are surrounded by rural country and it is so dark and quiet outside. We have gone to a near polar opposite of NYC. Looking forward to exploring New England before heading into Boston. A quiet goodnight from the sleepy countryside.