Cosmopolitan Eye

It was so exciting to learn about this ship on Monday morning, when the news covered its maiden voyage up the Hudson River, stop in front of Ground Zero, do its 21-gun salute and move on to dock next to the USS Intrepid.

It was a very proud moment, I am sure, for all New Yorkers, and any of us who are still touched by the grief of 911. It’s a bit of a Phoenix-bird-rising-from-the-ashes story, and it has managed to capture our imagination, our hearts, and for many of us, our curiosity, enough to go visit her while she is temporarily docked on Pier 88 here in NYC.

The USS New York will be commissioned this Saturday, November 7th, and will leave the city on Thursday, November 12th, to get its assignment, somewhere in the planet, to fight those posing a threat to our way of life.

Having this beautiful ship here visiting us is a proud moment, and I couldn’t wait to go see this magnificent Phoenix bird. Tuesday was a perfect, blue-skies-sunny fall day, just right for pictures and capturing a few sights to share with you here.

Basically, the tour is free to all visitors. It is advised that you dress comfortable. Make sure to wear sneakers because you’ll be walking a lot and will have the opportunity to climb in and out of some our fine war machinery. Also, bring small bags. No large packs, no backpacks are allowed, and no water bottles. There will be a screening area, a bit like the airport. There were lines, but on Tuesday they moved rather fast. Also, bring money or plastic. They have great merchandise such as the fabulous USS New York hats, T-Shirts, golf shirts, commemorative coins, sweatshirts, etc. There is no way you can walk away empty handed. As you will see in the pictures, there is also one of those typical hot dog/snack/drinks stand, as well as porta-potties for your comfort (or discomfort).

Don’t assume you’ll be allowed into the control room or the sleeping quarters of the soldiers. There is no access to any of that, thank God. What they do have is a museum-like exposition of weaponry and some of the great transportation items the ship carries. I found it a bit odd that our armed forces had no problem displaying that, and had no restrictions on taking pictures. Since guns and war machinery don’t impress me much, I didn’t take too many pictures of the transports and weaponry displayed inside. I was fascinated by the ship itself, its sturdy construction and the landing dock. So the pictures you will see here are mostly from those spots. Also, I’d feel odd placing pictures of our war equipment on such a public site.

I invite you to visit the ship. The line moves fast. The soldiers, crew, staff, etc. are all very friendly and very helpful. They posed for pictures. They were wonderful hosts and hostesses. Make sure to contribute by buying some commemorative merchandise. I was proud and happy to wear my crew hat.

Prices for the merchandise are as follow:  Crew hats $15, Admiral/Captain hats $20, Commemorative coins $10, Commemorative coins in leather box $25, Sweatshirts $40, Golf shirts $25-30, T-shirt with hat $25. This is to give you an idea of the kind of money you can spend there.

Visiting the USS New York, as a denizen of this wonderful city, was a delightful duty, and meeting the fine people working the ship, was an honor. I hope you have the chance to do the same. I was happy to thank personally those great soldiers for all they do for us. No doubt, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  You can’t miss it. So go before the ship is gone!

For more information, visit the USS New York website, by clicking here. Or go directly to:  http://www.ussnewyork.com/

If you’re interested in purchasing any of these pictures, feel free to contact me by clicking here.

Thank you for visiting and enjoy the views! As always, your comments are welcome.

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