Captain Henry's 'Half Moon' Sails the Hudson 1609 - 2009

On route to Albany once more

Dear Postcard from New York Reader,

A year long celebration of Henry Hudson's voyage up the river that bears his name began a couple of months ago in Amsterdam, but officially gets underway here this weekend when The Half Moon (a replica of Hudson's ship) leads a flotilla up the river to Albany. The impressive fleet will retrace Hudson's 1409 journey in search of a Northwest Passage to China.

New York and the Netherlands have staged a series of exhibits and events in both places along the waterfront, at botanical gardens, museums and architectural landmarks, to make this an excellent occasion to reflect on New York's Dutch roots, and to honor the many contributions of early Dutch settlers and why many sites, streets and parks bare their names.

How did an English sailor happen to arrive here as captain of a ship owned by the Dutch East Indian Company in 1409?

Take a walk through the Dutch Rooms of the Metropolitan Museum's European Art Collection; notice the many portraits of prosperous soberly clad businessmen and their wives by Rubens, Van Dyck, Rembrandt and Frans Hals. They are the visible evidence of the wealth of Amsterdam, Haarlem and the Dutch Republic in the 17th century. Surrounded by water, ships and trade were the life blood of their economy; they were one of the first with the idea that a quick way to China could be found around the Artic Ocean's ice. Such a trade route would have made Dutch merchants even richer than they were.

The man they sent in search of the "Northeast Passage" was Captain Henry Hudson. We know he never found China, but his voyage gave Dutch settlers the right to lay claims to what would become New Amsterdam. Near the entrance of the Museum of the American Indian, you will find a sculpture that marks the spot where Peter Minuit in 1626 made a deal with the Mahican tribe to purchase Manahatta -"island of hills."

Before your calendar becomes crowded with summer activities check the Henry Hudson 400 website now and plan to attend many of the events scheduled throughout the five boroughs; one that will give you a chance to climb abroad the Half Moon and experience what it might have been like to sail such a small ship on the high seas is at the Atlantic Salt Company maritime festival on Staten Island, August 29th.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York



---------------Advertisement-------------------


The Secret to Getting Around New York like a long time resident can be yours “FR*EE!”


"New York Get There 1 2 3 " the handy guide that gets you there as easy as 1, 2, 3. Get There 1-2-3 is:


• Compact – fits in a jacket pocket, briefcase, or the slimmest purse.


• Easy to read – with step-by-step directions to over 400 locations by subway, bus or train.


• Time and Money Saver – have hours of operation, cost and admission information a glance away.


Find out more and claim your “FR*EE” copy of New York Get There 1, 2, 3 here. TODAY!

----------------------------------------------


Address to Remember: Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island, NY 10004, 212-363-3206, http://www.nps/gov/stli

Directions: From Times Square MTA 1 to South Ferry, R, W to Whitehall, short walk. Ferry to Liberty Island departs from South Ferry.

If you like today's issue, why not become a subscriber to Postcards from New York? To start receiving your own copy visit http://www.postcardsfromnewyork.com/ and enter your email address. Or, forward this to a friend so they can sign-up to receive Postcards from New York too.

You can choose to receive Postcards From New York as an e-mail or RSS feed. Click on the small orange button on the right side of the webpage to activate the RSS. Then you will receive new "Postcards" on your email homepage, or enter your email address on the Home Page at www.postcardsfromnewyork.com to receive "Postcards" via email. Be sure to check your email in-box for a confirmation email, then just click where indicated to activate your subscription.

Photo courtesy of Journal News




© Copyright 2007-9 The Cable Group

Staten Island Ferry - Voyage across New York Harbor

The tip of Manhattan as the ferry leaves Whitehall

----A Postcard from New York Encore----

Since we suggested the Staten Island Ferry as a complement to a visit to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in the last Postcard--New York for Kids.

*********************************************


Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

Lift your face to catch the cool breeze off the water as the ferry slowly pulls away from the dock, become mesmerized by the stoic beauty of the tall buildings that crowd the shoreline along State Street.

On the rare occasions when I take the time to make the trip, I wonder once more, why I don't do this more often. It's only a half-hour ride each way; an hour round-trip. Yet time is always the issue. It is the recurring New York "problem," too many things to do--too little time.

No inside seat for me, I remain on deck the entire voyage, speechless as I suck in the serenity of the almost cloudless azure blue sky and gently rippling waves dappled with sunlight. Never quite prepared, but always anxious for the moment when I cross over to the opposite deck and my eyes are caught, arrested might better describe it, by the sublime beauty and graceful line of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. It never fails to take my breath away.

Yes, the Golden Gate, London Bridge, and Brooklyn Bridge are magnificent engineering achievements, but they cannot compare with the Verrazano's sweeping elegance.

Standing at the mouth of Upper and Lower New York Bay it overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Its long lilting cables and slender towers painted "battleship gray," make it appear to melt into the skyline and become a natural extension of the landscape rather than something man-made.

Experience the Verrazano's majestic beauty and enjoy the waters refreshing cool. The Staten Island Ferry departs almost every half hour every day from Whitehall Terminal. And, I'm surprised most people don't know this. It is free!

Best time to avoid the crowds, early Sunday morning, the ferry's almost empty. Once on Staten Island, don't rush back; there's lots to explore, like the Staten Island Botanical Garden, with its Chinese Scholars Garden, the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Alice Austen House and the Garibaldi Meucci Museum.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York


---------------Advertisement-------------------


Have you ever been lost in the “Big Apple?” Even veteran New Yorker’s have been known to get lost.


Armed with your copy of New York Get There 1-2-3, your days of getting lost and the anxiety and frustration that come with it are over. Feel confident to get around like a local and discover rare adventures that will put the typical experience of other visitors in the dark. Visit Postcards from New York's home page to claim your "fr*ee" copy of New York Get There 1-2-3.

----------------------------------------------

Address to remember: Staten Island Ferry Whitehall Terminal.

Directions: From Times Square, MTA 1 to South Ferry, N, R, or W to Whitehall Street.

If you like today's issue, why not become a subscriber to Postcards from New York? To start receiving your own copy of Postcards, click here. Or, forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to receive Postcards from New York too.

You can choose to receive Postcards From New York as an e-mail or RSS feed. Click on the small orange button on the right side of the webpage to activate the RSS. Then you will receive new "Postcards" on your email homepage, or enter your email address on the Home Page at www.postcardsfromnewyork.com to receive "Postcards" via email. Be sure to check your email in-box for a confirmation email, then just click where indicated to activate your subscription.

Photos by Joseph Knight

Copyright 2007-9 The Cable Group

Far from the Maddening Crowd - National Museum of the American Indian

Imagine sliding down this banister

----New York for Kids Part 8 ----

Dear Postcards from New York Reader,

Do you remember the first time you saw a spiral staircase? Did your heart jump at the thought of sliding down the serpentine banister?

See if those thoughts flood back as you crank your head to look up this swirling stairwell as it swirls and twists its way to the skylight at the top of the U. S. Custom House at Battery Park, better known as the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. It is sure to trigger a whoop of glee from youngsters; so make a point to enter the museum on the street level and not by the grand staircase facing Bowling Green Park.

The marble staircase is not the only attraction that makes this a terrific place to take kids on weekends. The galleries are gloriously spacious with high ceilings and wide open spaces easy to maneuver with strollers; kids will feel comfortable running about and making a bit of noise. In other words, the reins can be left a little loose. You will not have much competition for space as this museum does not get nearly the traffic its wonderful collection warrants.

Colorful exhibits feature mixed-media shows of everyday life of native peoples steeped in tradition from Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, the jungles of Brazil and the Great Plains. Oversized drums, ornate feathered headwear, beaded costumes, totem poles, enormous bird masks, hand-carved canoes, and a child's winter sled of buffalo bones will captivate young viewers.

Kids can roam the galleries, poke around at interactive media stations to rotate objects, stop to watch films, listen to a Native storyteller, learn songs, participate in hands-on workshops in weaving, painting, print making, or, gaze up-close and handle toys and musical instruments like a conch shell trumpet. Daily screenings especially for kids begin at 10:30 and 11:45 AM. Museum shops on both the main and lower level offer lots of books, videos and artwork for youngsters.

Be sure to see the handsome portraits of adventurous navigators like Henry Hudson (this is the 400th Anniversary of his voyage up the Hudson River), Giovanni de Verrazano and Cristoforo Colombo, in flamboyant hats and buccaneer boots, near the ships that brought them fame painted on the ceiling of the long oval gallery on the main floor across from the Entrance.

Escape the throngs of people, crowded galleries and long lines at the popular uptown museums (The Museum of Natural History and The Children’s Museum) that attract herds of parents and kids. Venture downtown this weekend and unleash the explorer instinct in your youngster; check for a schedule of upcoming workshops and events at http://www.americanindian.si.edu/.

The Museum of the American Indian makes a terrific outing, add a short roundtrip ride on the ferry to Staten Island, a photo shoot on or around the Great Bronze Bull (former symbol of brokerage giant Merrill Lynch--find the bull outside Bowling Green Park), an impromptu picnic in Battery Park of hotdogs and potato knishes purchased from a vendor cart--- you have the recipe for a perfect day downtown with kids.

Jacqueline Cable
For Postcards from New York

P. S. Best of all, see your tax dollars at work, admission is free.

---------------Advertisement-------------------

The Secret to Getting Around New York like a long time resident can be yours “FR*EE!”

"New York Get There 1 2 3 " the handy guide that gets you where you want to go as easy as 1, 2, 3. Get There 1-2-3 :

• Compact – fits in a jacket pocket, briefcase, or the slimmest purse.

• Simple directions – step-by-step how to get to over 400 locations by subway, bus or train.

• Time and Money Saver – have hours of operation, cost and admission information a glance away.

Find out more and claim your “FR*EE” copy of New York Get There 1, 2, 3 here. TODAY!

----------------------------------------------

Address to Remember: Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, One Bowling Green, New York, NY 10004, 212-514-3700, http://www.americanindian.si.edu/

Hours: 10 - 5 PM Daily, Thurs until 8 PM, Closed Christmas Day. Admission is Free.

Directions: From Times Square MTA 1 to South Ferry, R and W to Whitehall Street, short walk north to Museum.

To end here

If you like today's issue, why not become a subscriber to Postcards from New York? To start receiving your own copy visit http://www.postcardsfromnewyork.com/ and enter your email address. Or, forward this to a friend so they can sign-up to receive Postcards from New York too.

You can choose to receive Postcards From New York as an e-mail or RSS feed. Click on the small orange button on the right side of the webpage to activate the RSS. Then you will receive new "Postcards" on your email homepage, or enter your email address on the Home Page at www.postcardsfromnewyork.com to receive "Postcards" via email. Be sure to check your email in-box for a confirmation email, then just click where indicated to activate your subscription.

Photos by Joseph Knight

© Copyright 2007-9 The Cable Group