Start Spreading the News: the Supsics are in New York!

Manhattan from the deck of our ship

Our cruise ship will be departing from the Brooklyn Terminal in New York City, so we called upon our trusty chauffeurs, J & J Transportation, for a driver to take us up there. We have always had good luck with J & J, but the driver we were issued this time (Nick) was one of our best driver yet. He was excellent behind the wheel and a very interesting guy. Nick came from Italy to America with his family when he was 13 years old. He could not speak any English, and he had no formal schooling. Can you imagine? Thirteen is a tough age under the best circumstances!

Nick grew up in the Piemonte region of northern Italy which is one of our favorite areas. We had a great time reminiscing about our visit there – the food, the wine, the people. When he dropped us off, Nick told us how much he enjoyed our conversation and said, “I hardly ever meet anyone who has been to Alba!” (One of our favorite towns in the Piemonte.)

Incredible view of the Lady with the Lamp

We loved sailing out of the Brooklyn Terminal. The views from the deck of the ship were phenomenal. Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty were right in front of us, just a short distance across the East River. We were thoroughly entertained watching the ferries and sightseeing boats plying the water, and the flightseeing helicopters circling the Statue of Liberty. We could clearly see the New World Trade Center Building, looming high above everything around it on the southern tip of Manhattan. It was a tragic reminder of the events of 9/11.

Brooklyn Bridge on far right

Further down the East River, we could see the Brooklyn Bridge, as we stood there recalling images of traumatized and soot-covered New Yorkers pouring across the bridge on foot to escape the island. The low-lying buildings of Ellis Island were in front of us too, and we thought about all the immigrants who left everything they knew to come to this country to start a new life. Much like our own families and, more recently, our driver Nick and his family.

Stunning view of Manhattan after dark

The visuals only got better when we sailed out of the terminal on a perfectly clear night. Manhattan with all its skyscrapers lit up was one of the most poignant and recognizable city skylines we have ever seen. The Statue of Liberty had a soft green glow except for the torch which sparkled in the dark. What a start to our cruise!

Statue of Liberty from the deck of our
cruise ship