Staten Island Ferry & the Staute of Liberty

We took the #1 Express train all the way to the Staten Island Ferry. It was a short wait and we would be able to board. We thought we would grab something to eat, but since everyone had told us it was a quick 30 minute ride, we elected to wait until we got back from the ferry to find our New York pizza location.

It was breezy and cold, but the view was AMAZING!! The New York skyline at night was breath taking!

I wish my camera was better and the ferry bounced less! LOL

I tried to imagine it with the Twin Towers looming over it as well. It was a humbling thought.

LOOK! In the background you can kind of see the Statue of Liberty!

I am so sad I could not get a good photo of her! It was very emotional seeing our national symbol of freedom. It was extrodinary! (though I though she would be a lot taller! LOL)

The ferry was warm inside and despite our hunger we both tried to stay awake with the lull of the boat! LOL

The Brooklyn Bridge

Here we are in our cheap New York sweatshirts!

We tried to document them earlier in the bathroom mirror on Staten Island! LOL

Just to the right of us, was a sweet old lady (probably late 50's to early 60's) She was stripped to her bra and taking a bath in the bathroom sink. All her belongings were in trash bags beside her. I cant even begin to describe the all feelings I had....but I wondered what had brought her to this. I wished I was wealthy and could offer her a future. I felt emmensely grateful for my own life; home, hearth, food, husband, kids etc. It was a life perspective changing trip to the restroom for me.

On a lighter note... this sign was on the wall of the ferry station...

And placed hysterically here:

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! I laughed so much! I am not sure I *want* to use a restroom full of that many people!!!! LOL

It was a wonderful trip over to the island, and we arrived about 10:45 pm. Once there, they made us ALL get off the ferry and WAIT for the next one... an hour later!!!!! We were so disappointed! Our "30 minute trip" turned into a 2 hour expedition. We were stuck on Staten Island!! And the next ferry didn't leave until 11:40! ugh. And to boot there was no where to get food (unless we wanted candy bars for dinner). We started to leave the ferry station there to see if there was food on the island, but as we walked up the corridor out of the station, the Holy Ghost quite forcefully indicated we were to stay in the ferry station. So we turned around and found some benches and got comfy.

It was great opportunity to do some deeper friend to friend talking... which I think we both needed... so it was good!

As we loaded the ferry we realized it was getting to be past midnight... and the Holy Ghost really does seem to go to bed after midnight! We were still watched over, but there was this urgency to get back to the hotel as soon as we could.

The ride back was interesting! We were surrounded by gangsters looking groups, hookers and their pimps, and all around not the kinds of people we had been surrounded by before. The sightseers and family groups were gone. These people were dressed to party hard and got louder by the minute. We were still blessed to talk to some nice people though. Two hookers and their pimp sat across from us and discussed going to Times Square and "getting to work", one was commenting about her shoes being new and how her feet were going to hurt. (*giggle*) Patty, being the kind to speak her mind as soon as she thinks it, piped up that she loved her new leopard skins and black leather spike high heels! To which the girl replied... Thanks! The customers LOVE them! :O Yeah... it was a different experience to one I would have here in UT that is for sure! LOL

The people were still lovely though, and I can't explain it... but it I felt this deep love for every person I met. It felt as though going to the temple had put an eternal perspective on the city and the people around me and I was overwhelmed with love and compassion for them all. I wondered how our Father in Heaven and the Savior process all that emotion. It was quite eye opening and I felt in awe of the love we are given regardless of the choices we make.

I will remember the lessons I was blessed with by this whirl wind trip to New York City for the rest of my life! I will forever be thankful for Patty asking me to come along!