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| We left Time Square in the early evening hours of
September 7th on a gorgeous late summer day that was soon coming to an end. NY
City Harbor was pulsing, it was still relatively hot and the evening breeze
coming in from the water was sheer relief. Pier 61 was our final destination,
the Sprit of NYC. We were told that until we've seen New York from the water,
we really haven't seen the Big Apple. The maritime feeling on the pier
captivated our attention; luxury yachts of unheard dimensions were silently
parting the duck pond-like waters of the Hudson River. Well-dressed people were
welcomed onboard with a sincere smile and a warm handshake by the Captain
himself. As my party of four approached the gangway, the evening sun turned the
river into gold. |
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"Well dressed
people were welcomed onboard with a sincere smile and a warm handshake
by
the Captain himself. As my party of four approached the gangway, the evening
sun
turned the river into gold." TBP |
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The New York Spirit City Cruise ship appeared to be
relatively new, from the outdoor decks to the sleek decor. We got to enter the
all-window
dining
room over a truly grand staircase that reminded us a bit of a scene right
out of the movie "Gone With The Wind". Restaurant manager Charles Dore inquired
after our wellbeing. As we were lead to our table, a beautiful blond angel
(Damien DeShaun Smith) opened the stage in true Broadway style with the
Spirits' own theme song. A well-chilled bottle of Moet Chandon (White Star) was
soon pearling in champagne flutes that featured the logo of the cruise line,
inviting us to celebrate an unforgettable evening, unforgettabel in so many
ways... The fabulous entertainers (Damien DeShaun Smith and Holland LeDelia
Taylor) presented us with more ever-greens and by the time they got to Frank
Sinatra's New York ~ New York my neck hair was standing up straight and
we all had goosebumps. The view of the dramatic skyline from our table, from
any table, was plain dazzling. This is the quintessential Manhattan
experience.
We got to see NY City from the cruise ship in this
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- Empire State Building: This
impressive 1,250-feet tower opened in 1923 and was the world’s tallest
building for 30 years.
- Brooklyn Bridge: Regarded as one
of the greatest architectural achievements of all time, it was designed by John
Augustus Roebling.
- World Trade Center Site: Built
between 1966 and 1976, the World Trade Center’s twin towers were once the
tallest buildings in the world at 110 stories each. They were destroyed by an
act of international terrorism on September 11, 2001.
- Battery Park City: This office
and apartment community was built on the landfill from the excavation of the
World Trade Center in 1977.
- South Street Seaport: Once the
heart of the 19th century Port of New York City, it has been revived by the
transformation of Pier 17 into shops and restaurants.
- Governor’s Island: These
203 acres have been under military command from the 1700s through 1996, making
it the oldest continuously operated military post in the U.S.
- Statue of Liberty: A gift to the
people of America from the people of France, “Liberty Enlightening the
World” stands 300 feet above New York Harbor. She was built by sculptor
Frederic Auguste Bartholdi.
- Ellis Island: Nearly 17 million
immigrants were processed here between 1892 and 1957.
- Colgate Clock: This stately
timepiece once graced the Colgate Palmolive plant. When the factory was
demolished in the 1980s, the clock remained.
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| This cruise Chef de Cuisine featured a fine selection
of internationally acclaimed foods: an irresistible Cob Smoked Ham, a most
tender Rosemary Round Roast, Stuffed Sole Chesapeake, Sesame Stir Fry, Chicken
Teriyaki, Roasted Vegetable Lasagna, Chicken Marsala, savory Smoked Andouille
Sausage, Lemon-Garlic Shellfish and a Crème Brule to dream
of. |
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By the time we got closer to
Miss Liberty, we were truly humbled by the dame's night light 'at the golden
door' competing with a trillion sparkling stars. We all thought of the people
who came from so many places around the world, for whom this statue became the
first glimpse of America, the promise to find their American
Dream...
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to
breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the
homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden
door!" |
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| We all went outside on the upper desks to get closer
to 'her' and that very moment a grand fireworks started over the fascinating
skyline. "I ordered if for you, honey." I whispered in my wife's ear. Two large
beams of light lit the sky where the WTCs use to be before the infamous hours
of 9/11. And suddenly we all understood, this was the test fireworks for
September 11th, Patriots Day, to honor all the fallen heroes and souls
lost. |
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| “If you haven’t experienced New York City from the water,
you really haven’t experienced the Big Apple.” ~ TBP |
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by
Thorsten Buehrmann (Piosczyk) & Simone Buehrmann
Editor: Ingrid
Lemme
Editor-in-Chief: John Lomitola
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| © 2005 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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