When I booked my Southern States trip, I added an extra few days to the tour to spend a few days looking around New York before flying home. 

Exploring New York.

I have not always enjoyed the time I spent in New York but I did enjoy my trip there this time. I saw a lot more of New York and it has made me want to visit again.

Central Park.

I enjoyed walking around Central Park, including the Strawberry Fields area where John Lennon used to live in a large apartment. What I enjoyed was the free kayaking that I did on one of the large ponds in Central Park. As I was walking around, I saw people going out on the lake and on investigation, I discovered that for this weekend only, they were lending out canoes and kayaks for free. My Uncle Dave didn't want to go but waited for me whilst I enjoyed a half-hour kayaking around one of the ponds in Central Park.

Ellis Island.

I went to look around Ellis Island, where the immigrants were processed when they arrived in America. I didn't realise that so many of my ancestors had been through New York to a new life in America. The conditions they travelled in to get there and the way they were treated when they got there was horrible. I intend to go back one day when I have discovered more about my ancestor's migration to America to see if I can see anything related to them.

Statue of Liberty.

Knowing that we could not climb the Statue of Liberty, we viewed it from the boat as we passed on our way to Ellis Island. Again I would like to visit it but only when they allow visitors to climb it again.

Battery Park.

After our trip around Ellis Island and past the Statue of Liberty, we stopped in Battery Park for a few beers in a quiet garden. It was very nice and gave us time to relax before returning to the hotel and then out for a meal.

911 Monument.

Maybe because of all the hype surrounding the 911 monument, I had built it up to be something spectacular, and I was very disappointed. I'm not sure what I was expecting but this wasn't it.