Ellis Island

Location: New York, New York, USA
Address: Ellis Island
Date: Jan 2009
Website:  www.nps.gov/elis/index.htm
   Any trip to the Statue of Liberty also includes a boat trip to Ellis Island.  Ellis Island used to be the main point of immigration into America.  There were about 12 million immigrants from the time it opened in 1892 until it closed its doors in 1954.  After it closed it fell into disrepair.  It was eventually restored and re-opened to the public as an Immigration Museum in 1990.  The island is jointly owned by New York and New Jersey and after a 1998 court battle, the majority belongs to New Jersey.  During a typical visit to the island you will most likely have been in both states.  New Jersey even has a bridge that connects the island with the mainland, but it is not open to the general public. 

   To get to Ellis Island or Liberty Island you must go by boat.   You have the choice of deciding which return boat you take. It just depends if you wish to end up in New York or New Jersey after your visit.

  The Registry Room is the most impressive.  It is here that the crowds waited for their chance to enter the country.  There are also many exhibits that explain the building's history and show what the experience would have been like.  It also shows many of the faces that make up the country today.

  Across the water Lady Liberty is visible from the Great Hall.  Like all the hopeful immigrants who passed through this island many years ago, we arrived by boat.  However, the trip from Ellis Island was much easier for us.  The line-up for the boat was nice and short and we didn't even have to show any paperwork in order to be allowed back to Manhattan.

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Map of Our World
Ellis Island

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Post # 34

Statue of Liberty

Location: New York, New York, USA
Address: Liberty Island
Date: Jan 2009
Website:  www.nps.gov/stli/index.htm

  As we traveled on the subway towards South Ferry station there was an announcement that you needed to be in the first five cars if you wished to exit the train at that stop.  Being tourists, we were not sure how many cars make up a typical New York subway.  Is there ten cars? Is there more than that? How far back in the train were we anyway? At the next stop we ran forward from the car that we were in.  The train stayed at the station so we ran forward some more.  We were not alone as other passengers revealed themselves as tourists and joined the rush.  Eventually there was another announcement along the lines of  "You have moved forward far enough you only need to be in the first five cars".   We assumed this announcement may have been for us so we took a chance and stayed where we were.  South Ferry station is an older station with a platform that can only fit half of the train.  Luckily when the doors opened we had a platform to exit onto.
  We arrived in Battery Park and the lines of people circled through the grounds.   There was one line to get your Statue of Liberty tickets and then you moved on to the next line, where you waited to board a boat that would finally take you to Liberty Island.  Neither of the lines looked very promising.  We waited for some time and then noticed that people were arriving and heading straight to another line to wait for the boats.  We inquired and were told that they had timed tickets which they purchased on the internet.  This seemed like the better idea as it was a rather cold December day and we still had lots of New York to see.  We took one last look out towards Lady Liberty and vowed to return next year.

  Later that night we went online and purchased our timed tickets for two days later.  On New Year's day we returned to try again.  We sat right up in the front car of the train, but this time we were on an R train going to Whitehall Station so it was not required.  Whitehall and South Ferry stations end up being right next to each other so either one will get you close to Battery Park.  New York might be the city that never sleeps, but on New Year's day we think they make an exception.  The lines were considerably shorter and the weather was also considerably colder.  Despite the poorer turnout, our timed tickets still saved us from standing in line in the cold.

  Soon we were on our way sailing towards Liberty Island which is part of the National Park Service.  The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France and it was shipped in pieces to the USA.  It's official title is "Liberty Enlightening the World" and was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi.  It sits on an American pedestal created by Richard Morris Hunt and was dedicated back in 1886.  Once we were on the island we made our way from the dock and had a view of the back of the statue.  This view is limited only to those who visit the island, or someone in New Jersey.

  We made our way around the right side of the statue and we could tell that Lady Liberty is actually stepping forward.  You can see the heel of her right foot off the ground.  From the front or the left sides of the statue she always appears to be standing still.  Finally, we were able to stand beneath her and look up at her face from the front.  The statue itself stands just over 150 feet tall.  If you include the pedestal it is just over 300 feet.  She has seven rays on her crown to symbolize the seven seas and continents.  To go inside the crown or pedestal you must book online well in advance to get special tickets.  The tablet she holds reads July 4th 1776 in roman numerals.  This date is Independence Day when the United States of America declared it was independent from Britain.

  The Statue of Liberty shares Liberty Island with not much else besides some trees and The Crown Cafe.  It was from this cafe that we purchased a spring water bottle which contained many of the facts included in this blog.  Once you have visited Liberty Island you must then board another boat to take you either to Ellis Island or back to Battery Park in Manhattan.  Be sure to check the ferry times and line-ups to minimize your wait times.  Any trip to the Statue of Liberty includes the trip to Ellis Island so that is where we were headed next.

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Map of Our World
Statue of Liberty

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Post # 33

Toronto Zoo (The Santa Clause)

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address: 2000 Meadowvale Road
Date: Nov 2010
Website:  www.torontozoo.com

  If you have ever taken a ride on the zoomobile at the Toronto Zoo you may have heard the guide state.  "Our reindeer are movie stars. They appeared in the hit movie The Santa Clause starring Tim Allen."  Not only did the reindeer appear in the movie, but there are also a couple of scenes that were filmed on the zoo grounds.

  The first scene takes place in the polar bear underwater viewing area where Scott (Tim Allen) and his son Charlie debate whether or not he is Santa Claus.  This area has undergone a bit of a facelift since the 90s, but it is a great spot to watch these huge bears as they swim through the water.  If you are lucky one may come right up to the window to check you out.

  The second scene shows Scott and his son walking along the Camel Trail continuing the discussion.  The Camel Trail used to loop around the Eurasian section of the zoo and if you look closely you can still see some of the yellow camel feet painted on the pathway.  As they walk further along the path the son turns and smiles.  This is the big movie moment for the zoo's reindeer as they follow behind them walking in a row.  Why else would they be following Tim Allen?  He must be Santa Claus.
 

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Click here to take a virtual tour and see our collection of Toronto Zoo animal photos.

Map of Our World
Toronto Zoo (The Santa Clause)
Toronto Zoo (Tundra Trek)

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Post # 32