After the loss of a day of our trip due to the storm that hit the New York City area on Tuesday, we were finally able to cross the bridge into the Big Apple to do some exploration.  We had a lot of time to make up, so we soaked up as much as we possibly could in one day.

We started by heading to the 9/11 Memorial to learn more about the terrible tragedy that affected this city so deeply 16 years ago.  It was a very humbling experience for the students who have learned all about the events in school.  After that we headed to the harbour to take a cruise to see NYC from a new perspective.  It was a cold journey for those who braved the outdoor terrace of the boat, but those who did got impressive photos of some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Governor’s Island.

After a quick lunch at Chipotle (a first for most of the students) we travelled to the Museum of Natural History.  We were there for 2 hours and we all felt that we barely scratched the surface of what the museum had to offer.  We all met up at the end and swapped stories about the rather impressive displays – from the gemstones room, to the dinosaurs, to the giant blue whale replica that has been showcased in so many movies and TV shows.

From the Museum, we travelled back into downtown Manhattan to check out Rockefeller Center and it’s world famous skating rink and art deco architecture.  The students were given some free time to explore the complex where ice cream from Ben and Jerry’s was the treat of choice.

After dinner, we did a quick trip into Times Square to check out the frenetic energy and crazy neon that makes that area so special.  It was clear that everyone was planning their agendas for when we return to the area tomorrow.  To complete the day we took an evening tour of the Empire State Building for a one-of-a-kind view of the city.  The views were absolutely breathtaking, although the frigid winds were even more so.

Despite all we saw today, there is still so much more and we all can’t wait to get back to it tomorrow!