Cruise around Manhattan

One Monday morning (P-day!), we decided to act like New York tourists and take the Circle Line Cruise around the island of Manhattan.

Our boat.  It doesn't look like much, but we were very impressed by what it had to offer...like witty informed guides (many are actors)!

The boat departs from Pier 83. Soon we were 'cruising' down the Hudson River seeing all the sights of the West side of Manhattan....like the Empire State Building and this huge sports complex that has a cool driving range where one can try to smash golf balls out into the Hudson.

We sailed past these well known monuments....the One World Trade Center or 'Freedom Tower' as it has been nicknamed...

...and of course, the Statue of Liberty. The cruise offers a great view of 'Lady Liberty' if you are not willing to fight the huge crowds that this icon generates.

It was a very sunny day, and I was sporting my 'Jackie Onassis' look....scarf around my head and big sunglasses! Stan, however, came prepared. Leaving the New York Bay...

...we found ourselves cruising the East River and getting an incredible view of this New York icon...the Brooklyn Bridge.

Completed in 1883, it was the first bridge to connect Manhattan to another land mass. Before this, ferries were used to transport people and goods into The Big Apple.

Spanning the East River, it was the first steel-wire suspension bridge constructed. It originally carried horse-drawn carriages and rail traffic back and forth from New York to Brooklyn. Today, the main roadway carries 6 lanes of automobile traffic and the upper level is for pedestrians and bikers.

Since its opening, the Brooklyn Bridge has been a New York icon and is a designated National Historic Monument.