On the ferry...

.. and it's only 0915!

Looking back at where the queue is... And it looks to be at the 90 minute wait already - glad I did thre early start.

They do a complete search process here as well (similar to airport, but at least you don't have to take off your shoes). That only took about f minutes - they seem to have more staff than the airport!

Another 5 minutes an we're on the boat - not sure how long for departure but should be soon now

Ellis Island this time?

Well, it wasn't the 8am start that I'd planned but I'm in queue at 0835... based on their previous time estimates I should be on a ferry in about 30 minutes or so...

Got up at 7 this morning and even had time for breakfast...

Queue seems to be moving quite well - maybe writing for the blog is making time pass more quickly

more form the island soon

Ellis Island - Attempt 2

OK - this time I was there at about 0900 and the queue for the ferry was already 90 minutes longs...

I had managed to book tickets but you had to queue in one line to get those and then join the 90 minutes queue to get to a ferry - unfortunately by the time I got the tickets the queue had grown to two and a half hours... bummer... if you're travelling ion a group you can at least have placeholders in the queues to minimise the overall time taken - unofrtunately it's one of the drawbacks as a lone traveller... and once you are in the queue you can't leave it to get refreshments...

The new plan is to try and get to the departure point by 8 tomorrow morning - at least this time i can just join the ferry line and wait...

Time to head back uptown again after a well deserved coffee and email check.

This afternoon is for a better look at the NY Genealogical Library and then on to soem of the museums/galleries on the East-side of Central Park.

Attempt 1 for Ellis Island...

…was unsuccessful - hence it being called Attempt 1.

Took the No.4 train from Union Square downtown to Bowling Green (in Battery Park) to get tickets for the Ellis Island Ferry. The ferry leaves Castle Clinton but when I got there at 1030 there was a line stretching back almost to the Staten Island ferry terminal!

I have since found out that you can pre-order tickets on the internet (as I have already done for the Empire State building) so I will make a booking when I get back to a wifi point or the hotel…

Instead I decided that a ride on the aforemetioned Staten Island ferry was an opportunity too good to miss - it passes the ol’ Lady o’ Liberty and Ellis Island and it’s free - woohoo! I’ll try and get some photos onto the Flickr site but I’m having a hit and miss effort with the wifi. I am using my old Dell laptop (didn’t want to risk the newer beasty) and I don’t know if the capabilities are just a bit lower but the connectivity is iffy…

After the ride to and from Staten Island and a wander through Chinatown amongst other things, it was time to take a trip uptown to 58th Street and the New York Genealogical and Biographical library to join up and have a look-see. Unfortunately it was 1630 by now and they close at 1700 on a Wednesday. Enough time to join but a visit tomorrow or Friday is in order.

Time to head back towards the hotel and may be a meal and a coupla beers at the tavern next door…

Boxing Day...

... and the first part of the day is the New York Public Library on 5th and 42nd Street.

A bit of a catch-up with the emails in the periodicals room (free wifi access) and then on to do a bit of a walkabout in this neck o' the woods...