April 9,

The last few days have stretched into the night and have been starting early so here is an update.

April 9:  We made an attempt on the 8th to the see the Statue of Liberty but the line was long and we had lots to see. As it turns out this was a great decision. Because of the possibility of a government shutdown many people canceled their reservations which was a bonus for us. We arrived about an hour before time and purchased our tickets only to find that we had "pedestal access" (for those of you who are unfamiliar that lets you go up to the bottom of her feet) yea us! After a two hour wait we were on our way to see the Grand o' Lady. What a beautiful site to behold. The day was extremely windy but clear. We spent several hours touring the island taking pictures, exploring the museum and going up inside the pedestal and out onto the viewing platform. (excellent view of Manhattan. The wait for the boat ride coming over plus the wait for the boat to go back left us short on time for the day so we opted not to get off at Ellis Island, some regret but after 6 hours we needed to move on. Back on the walking trail. We walked up to the site of Ground Zero. You really cannot tell anything happened in the area and the actual site is a big construction area. Still very sad. Back underground and across town to Brooklyn and Katz Deli. "Best pastrami & corned beef sandwiches". After a long and tiring day a cab back to the hotel where everyone passed out.
More updates to come tonight.