Staten Island Ferry

This morning it is windy, with low dark clouds, very ugly morning. The boat is rather clean from last nights exfoliation of rain and hail stones. We decide to go into Manhattan after breakfast. John gives us a ride to the train station so we can get a train to the Staten Island Ferry dock. 
 

Waiting for our train

We pay for the ride after we get off the train and purchase a MTA card. The Staten Island Ferry is free. I was going to brag to Martin how I remember paying a nickel to take the Staten Island Ferry as a kid. Can’t think of anything that has gotten cheaper in 50 years.

 

Ellis Island from the Staten Island Ferry

Downtown

I want to see the Highline on the West side. It is an elevated train platform that was used to move manufacturing goods out of mid-town and transport materials and farm products back in. The train was elevated in the 1930’s because the street level train was killing too many people, even though it moved slowly. Now it is an elevated green way through the city. It is pretty cool.

The High Line

More High Line

 

From there we walk over to Times Square. I haven’t been there in 50 years. I have to say its much improved, but I can wait another 50 years to return. 
 
















We were going to take the Express bus back to Great Kills, but they stop taking cash (quarters) a couple weeks ago. We were planning on getting rid of our laundry quarters. I did not think we had enough money left on our MTA card, so we take the subway back downtown to take the Staten Island ferry back. I nod off and Linda misses the station and we get a ride to Queens. We hop of the train and ride back to down town. As we walk to the Ferry Terminal the sky is getting very dark. 

It starts raining as the ferry is crossing back to Staten Island. We find the 78c bus to Great Kills and are surprised that we get a free transfer from the subway ride. You get an automatic transfer if your last ride was less than two hours ago. It pours for the 45 minute ride back. We hope it stops before we get off, it doesn’t. We have our light rain jackets, but could now use our foul weather jackets. We get rather wet walking to Coles Dock Side for dinner. We have a slow dinner hoping the rain and lightning will stop before we leave.