Jersey City, New Jersey

Tuesday, June 28th, the four of us continued our adventure 213 miles to Liberty Harbor RV Park in Jersey City, NJ for our LAST week Together:>( where we spent ANOTHER 7 days on the GO!! The RV park is basically a parking lot with water and electric hookups. Not much to look at,

It's a BIT Tight!!

BUT, the LOCATION is FANTASTIC!!! We could see the Statue of Liberty from our motor home, once the bus left that was between us and the water! One of our FIRST jaunts was to Stella's Pizzeria, which we were able to WALK to!

Cheryl was the ONLY one that needed a doggie bag!!!

As usual, the food was EXCELLENT!!! and, OF COURSE, we walked off our dinner by walking home!!!!
Once we figured out the Ferry system, we rode a Ferry

to Liberty Island State Park where we went through the Ferry Station security check point with NO problems, I might add.

Front of Ferry Building

Inside Ferry Building

and caught the Ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

View of Ellis Island from Ferry

Guess Who???

Directory of Ellis Island Museum

Information, Baggage Room

Diagram of Museum

Registry Room

Great Museum. Another MUST SEE!!
Then we went back on the ferry to the Statue of Liberty.

View of Manhattan from Ferry

View from ferry

View from land

 

Full-scale copper replica of face made in the same technique as the original

Full-scale copper replica of foot made in the same technique as original

Picture taken of workers 

Rich REFUSED to walk another step!!

So we rode the elevator to the top of the base, which is as high as you can go in the statue, THEN took the 113 steps DOWN. SLOWLY we walked to the concession stand for water and SAT until it was time to catch the ferry back!!! GREAT EXPERIENCE!!!  And BOY, did we sleep GOOD THAT night.

Stay OFF the Jersey Turnpike!!

Ok, I HAVE to jump in here and tell you about the drive from Hell. We left Jersey City Monday morning. Norm & Cheryl headed to Niagra, New York, and Rich and I headed to Plymouth, MA with a stop in Lincoln Park, NJ to visit with friends, Rich & Ginny Louis.

First, we missed one of our exits and had to go 10 miles out of our way! No BIG Deal!!!

Second, on our way to Rich & Ginny's we ended up on a dead end road with construction workers ready to leave.  They couldn't leave until we unhooked the car and backed into some one's driveway, then Rich couldn't turn the motor home around  until the CONSTRUCTION WORKERS left! Rich, of Rich & Ginny, happened to call while we were stuck, and came to us to lead us to their house AND, after our visit, he led us back to the freeway!!

Third, the Jersey Turnpike has GOT to be the ROUGHEST road, with expansion joints and pot holes, even worse than Southern California's I-5 AND they have the nerve to MAKE you pay AFTER driving on it!!! BEFORE paying almost $80.00 for the PRIVILEGE of driving on it, the surround sound speaker on the driver's side FELL! It's AMAZING it didn't hit Rich on the head!!! Several drawers kept opening up and ONE of the kitchen cabinets opened up and items FLEW OUT!! Luckily NOTHING broke!!! The turnpike is HORRIBLE and the New Jersey drivers are UNBELIEVABLE!!! Not only do they drive like maniacs, they drive like maniacs AT LEAST 10 miles per hour OVER the posted speed limit!!!


Fourth, the truck stop Rich had put into the GPS was no longer there and we had already driven 500 miles on that tank of fuel! He SWEARS to me, we have PLENTY of diesel to last us until we LEAVE the campground and get to another truck stop!!


Fifth, we turned ONE block too soon for the campground, and Rich HAD to make a u-turn INTO several LARGE trees with LOW branches!!!!


Needless to say, by the time we got to our spot in the campground Rich was ready for a beer(s) and I was ready for a wine cooler(s)!!!


I was going to write this after a wine cooler or 2 BUT I was still very upset and shaken. THEN I was too tired!!


So NOW I will get back to where I was on the blog!!!!

U S Holocaust Memorial Museum and War Memorials

Saturday was our day to SOAK our feet and give our legs a much needed REST!!!   

Sunday, Rich & I went BACK to the War Memorials we had seen on the Twilight Tour and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.  What can I say?? I'll let the pictures say it ALL!!

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Just ONE of the Exhibits

The exhibition is based on experiences of children who survived the Holocaust and who recorded what happened to them between 1933 and 1945. A MUST SEE for ALL ages! 

The Protocols

Although the exact origin of the Protocols is unknown, its intent was to portray Jews as conspirators against the state. In 24 chapters, or protocols, allegedly minutes from meetings of Jewish leaders, the Protocols "describes" the "secret plans" of Jews to rule the world by manipulating the economy, controlling the media, and fostering religious conflict.

Another EXCEPTIONAL Exhibit

A Reminder for ALL of us to NEVER let this tragedy be forgotten

Then we moved on to the World War II Memorial...

EACH Gold Star represents 100 American who died or remain missing

The wall holds 4,048 Gold Stars

View of the Fountain in the middle of the Memorial

The sign says "Please Respect the Memorial
No Wading,  No Coins

She had the nerve to WAVE as I took her picture

And the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial

EVERY Name is listed in a book at the Memorial that tells you WHICH WALL and WHICH LINE on the Wall you can find the name

The Three Soldiers

The Nurses

All I can say, our time in Washington DC was AMAZING and EXHAUSTING!!! 

Unfortunately, Tuesday morning, we had to say good bye to Dennis & Darlene, as they headed to Solomans, MD, not to meet up with us again UNTIL mid-October when they will return to Happy Trails.:(  Rich & I and Norm & Cheryl headed to Jersey City, New Jersey for OUR LAST week TOGETHER!!:(

Arlington Cemetery & Tour of the White House

Thursday, Rich & I rode the Metro train to Arlington Cemetery.  Another MUST SEE!!

Just a SMALL portion of Arlington Cemetery

Resting Place of John F Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Two Kennedy Infants

The grave area is paved with irregular stones of Cape Cod granite, which were quarried about 150 years ago near the site of the President's home and were located by members of his family. Fescue and clover have been planted in the crevices to give the appearance of stones lying naturally in a Massachusetts field. 

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

View from Tomb of Unknown Soldier

21 Gun Salute done for Funeral Service while we were there

Friday was our day to tour the White House, thanks to Dennis.  HE fought ALL the red tape and made ALL the arrangements for U S Capitol tour AND the White House tour. So you can imagine our surprise when Darlene, HIS WIFE, and I, his friend, did NOT pass the security check!!!  WE had to go into the FENCED IN (REJECT) area to get further verification because our BIRTH DATES were WRONG!!! FINALLY, after 10 or 15 minutes, and verifying our birth dates with our social security number, they RELEASED us to join the group and stand in line for the tour. Ok, even Security said we can't blame Dennis. Once he sends in the information, SEVERAL DIFFERENT people have to input it into the computer and THAT'S where the mistake is USUALLY made!!
Unfortunately, they do not allow cameras in the White House so we have NO pictures!! BUT, I CAN tell you, the RED room is RED, the BLUE room is BLUE, AND the GREEN room is GREEN!! And NO we did not see the first family OR their dog, BO.
After the tour, Rich and I went to the Holocaust Museum, American History Museum, and Natural History Museum, ALL part of the Smithsonian. All 3 are MUST SEES when in Washington DC, BUT you have to be ready to do A LOT of WALKING!! EACH museum has 3 or 4 HUGE floors and LOTS of interesting STUFF!!! Remember, this is the SAME day as the White House Tour so we have NO pictures! Just LOTS of MEMORIES!!!