Why?
Boats.
Okay, so I reflected on this for a while, and really, being able to give directions to neighboring towns isn’t all that interesting, especially since we’re talking about a requirement that would just end with me saying things like “take the train to Hoboken.” “Take the train to Jersey City.” And so forth.
Clearly, this is a requirement that’s ripe for a little tweaking and so, instead, I decided that the better route would be to find, well, routes to all five boroughs. (And yes. I live in one already. Stop looking at me like that.)
Today, I took on Staten Island. Now, I’ll admit that my only prior knowledge pretty much consisted of two things: driving across the Goethals Bridge to get to other boroughs and one particularly unflattering episode of MTV’s True Life (I can’t find the episode, but the clip here gives you the picture.) I will admit: I was wrong. I was biased, and I was wrong.
Because getting to Staten Island involves my three favorite words in the English language: Free boat ride.
Y’all, I have seen the light. The Staten Island Ferry leaves from the southern tip of Manhattan and friends, it is free free free.
Unlike other excursions so far, I even had company on today’s trip — my college roommate, Tracy, joined me. (She took one of the photos: guess which!) We met up at Whitehall Ferry Terminal and caught a 9:15 ferry to Staten Island. The harbor was busy and the sun was shining — perfect!
Also, please note that, from the water, the ferry terminal looks like a giant, gaping maw.
Once we arrived, however, we still had some exploring to do in what a sign in the terminal calls “The Borough of Parks.” We made a valiant effort to visit the Staten Island Museum (which doesn’t open until noon) and checked out the stadium for the Staten Island Yankees, who also have a Baseball Scout Wall of Fame. (Tracy and I momentarily misread this as the Boy Scout Hall of Fame and then were roundly disappointed.)
We caught our only downside on the return trip, when I tried to speak to some of the crew on the ferry. As they should have, of course, they asked the captain for permission to be interviewed, but he wasn't having it. Maybe I'm a security threat? I do look pretty tough.
The lesson? MTV lies, man. Go to Staten Island for the best $0 you can spend in the city.
Why doesn’t everyone do this all the time?
I, too, misread "baseball scouts" as "boy scouts" and was wondering what scouting had to do with the Staten Island Yankees!
ReplyDeleteThe SIY are always prepared.
ReplyDeleteAlways.
When Allen still worked at my office (which is not far from the tip of Manhattan), we definitely bought sandwiches and took them onto the Staten Island Ferry as a means of fighting the cubicle doldrums. It made for a very entertaining lunch hour excursion.
ReplyDeleteIf I worked in that part of the world, I'd be on the ferry every day. (Come to think of it, why aren't you there RIGHT NOW?)
ReplyDelete“Take the train to Jersey City.”
ReplyDeleteYou probably should do this, though, as part of the Pathfinding badge. The part that says Find A Path (or a PATH, ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaJCjoke!) To Kate's Apartment.
I like Staten Island primarily because my FIL lives there and is awesome. :)
Also that is a great picture of you, buddy.
Furthermore I think you should add the appropriate doodles to your gaping maw pic to send it here:
http://www.omnomnomnom.com/