Cue Gilligan's Island Music

[wlotus]

Ready for Boarding

Yesterday my family and I went on the Circle Line for a 3-hour boat ride that circumnavigated Manhattan Island. We were blessed with beautiful weather. The boat was spacious enough that I was able to easily go from side to side and make photos throughout the trip.

Here's my favorite shot:

Lady Liberty

I feel awe every time I gaze on this statue. Even though my ancestors' arrival here was not filled with the joy of gazing on her and knowing they had finally arrived where they wanted to be--even if they passed through New York Harbor, they were most likely locked in the bottom of the ship as cargo--I still feel happy when I see her. (I want to explore why that is.)

A friend of mine has never been to Liberty Island, so we are planning to make a trip there and to Ellis Island (which I have never visited) when she returns from vacation. I'm looking forward to getting a closer look at the statue that day. I think the last time I was there was in the late eighties, when I graduated from high school.

Comments

[nimbrethil.livejournal.com]

That stupid song is in my head now, thanks very much.

Also, do you plan to put the Lady Liberty photo in your Etsy shop? It's gorgeous.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

Glad to be of service.

I'll have to check the legalities of selling photos of the statue. I may not be able to add that image to my shop. That said, what is done in private is another matter. :-)

[miss-shelley-p.livejournal.com]

All of my family (mom's side and dad's side) came through as war refugees from either WWI, WWII, or the ongoing religious conflicts in the Balkans. I often wonder what is was like having to flee your home country and leave the familiarty, friends, and family behind. Not knowing what lie ahead of you, and not knowing what happened to those who couldn't make the trip.

I look forward to you exploring your happiness reasons :)

Side note, if you haven't seen Hitch, there's an amusing scene set there.

[spilling-fire.livejournal.com]

Perhaps the reason it causes such awe in you is because it represents what we crave but don't quite have enough of. Liberty, freedom, equality, truth, beauty in life.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

That makes a lot of sense. Besides it just being a great piece of artwork. The engineer in me is in awe of the logistics of the statue, while the artist in me is in awe of the artistry.

[verucas-chaos.livejournal.com]

I can't stop looking at her. This is an amazing photo. It brings me to tears though thinking what she used to represent and what she struggles to represent now. I just finished watching Dixie Chicks Shut Up and Sing. I guess this photo overwhelmed me with my own emotional ties to freedom or the lack of it.

But then again....I am always moved by your wonderful photos.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

I think...yeah, it's a struggle to understand what she stands for now, in light of the direction this country has gone in over the past seven years. Even back when Ellis Island was the first stop for immigrants, Lady Liberty's message was only given lip service; reality was far harsher to many of those who came here seeking a better life.