Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Bayonne Adventure....

Back around New Years, Amy, Alec, and I were out exploring the area. It seems that everywhere we go we run into JFK Boulevard. Amy asked, "Just how far does this road go?" We decided to find out. Well, It goes farther than I expected. It ends at the water, under the Bayonne Bridge. We also found the Bayonne Light Rail stations, and some shopping centers. While driving up and back down route 440 we noticed a sign for the Bayonne Cruise Ship Terminal. Since we all had our cameras on us, it was suggested that we drive in to see if there were any ships to take pictures of. A short distance in, we came to a military-looking gatehouse. The guard motioned us to a stop and asked where we were heading. I told him we were just curious and exploring. He said that there weren't and ships in port that day, but there was an interesting 911 monument down on the river. He told us to just follow the road and we couldn't miss it. I wasn't expecting much, but curiosity prevailed. We drove through what appeared to be an old military base, winding along a pathway defined by barriers and cones. At the end was a parking lot, and a small park surrounding a surprisingly large monument. It had a solitary message that had an effect on all three of us. A large teardrop embedded in a fractured tower. We stayed as long as we could tolerate the cold wind that had kicked up. Here is a picture I snapped with my phone. It really doesn't show the sheer size of it. This site lists it at 100 feet, and gives some history of this gift from Russia. Please go check it out if you get a chance.

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