I will never have this adventure,

but I am very proud of the one who did.  Back in the Spring of 1947, my father left his country of The Netherlands, for his new Promise-land - the United States of America.

Arriving by ship - after several days at sea passing over the waves of the North Atlantic... he would see this prominent landmark... 

Lady Liberty in all her glory.

As the ship neared the mouth of the Hudson River, the Statue of Liberty would show her age. Her once shiny copper finish would be green with oxidation, yet, she is the symbol the essence of America principles.

The ship would dock in the channel of Ellis Island, in the middle of the Hudson River, just mere few hundreds of yards from the place once called New Amsterdam!

Once the ship was docked, the immigrants would disembark from the ship and gather in the terminal building just a few feet from the dock.

 And would gather their few possessions...

and proceed up the staircase to the "Registry Room", to be official allowed to enter the United States of America.

Once they were checked off the ship's passenger list...they had three possible destinations... beyond the doors at the far end of the hall would be "The Stairs of Separation".

No one wanted to walk down the "central steps" - as that meant you would probably be making another crossing back to your original place of departure and leaving your dreams behind.

I can proudly say that I walked down the "right-hand side" with a tear in my eye - with the words echo in my head "If you don't like it in America, you can always come back home!" (Words of my grandfather to my dad as he embarked on the ship in Rotterdam)

 Ellis Island on the left and "New Amsterdam" on the right.

Veendam - Rotterdam to Ellis Island, NY