Today (Sunday) we had tickets to visit Liberty Island. After a slightly later breakfast, Helen was feeling a little fragile (still recovering from her recent flu/virus), and I had a few blisters after yesterday's mammoth hike so today we decided to take it a bit easier and catch the Metro to Battery Park, South Manhattan where we pick up the ferry to the island. The taxi would have been expensive e.g. 60 dollars one way, yet the Metro was only 3 dollars each per journey. We left Will in charge of finding the correct Metro line and station so caught the R line downtown for the 30 minute journey. The weather temperature forecast for today was seventeen degrees such a contrast from yesterday.
Well done Will for getting us on the right platform, and heading in the right direction!
Helen had arranged tickets well in advance, and we had tickets to climb the Statue of Liberty right up to the Crown. They only allow a few up and the tickets for the crown sell months before. Well done Helen for booking these in advance. We queued at Battery park, once the designated 'tip' of NY trash in the 19th Century, now a very pleasant park with many monuments, the most moving one was a battered sphere that used to sit in between the towers in the world trade plaza. It was dented and broken but still survived !
The ferry crosses New York harbour out to the two islands across the mouth of the Hudson River. We were faced with airport style security after quite a lengthy queue to board the boat. The security checks include removal of belts, wallets, camera equipment all placed in a tray and scanned. Along with the usual body scan too. Helen and Hayley set the alarm off as usual. Something to do with wire in bra's ... I don't know 😂
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island.
On arrival we were faced with another security check before being allowed through to the base of the statue.
Quite a huge statue when close up. Helen decided she would duck out of the climb up to the crown due to her bad chest, so we all decided to climb up to the base, before me and the kids go ahead and climb up.
Right under on the base plinth.
From the base you see this amazing view of the Manhattan skyline. Helicopters from the US Navy and coast guard heading over too.
The Freedom Tower at the new World Trade Centre.
The climb up to the Crown was via a very narrow twisted staircase. Over 300 steps in total. It was quite awkward to climb up, we found by leaning back on the central post or spine of the staircase and then pulling up the rail as if climbing a rope was the easiest way up.
There wasn't much space in the crown, as you can see from the small windows here.
Thankfully Hayley and Will waited for me, and time for a selfie !
Video Clip. Liberty Island.
The boat took us via Ellis Island, once famous for holding and processing immigrant entry into the US. As I understand most Americans can trace their ancestry back to entry in to the US here and can to this even today by viewing immigration records held on Ellis. We decided to skip the museum here, and stayed on the boat instead. We were all feeling hungry in need of a meal, so decided to find a place Will wanted to visit a famous restaurant notorious for huge milkshakes in the very nice upmarket Greenwich village.
We left Battery park and headed over to the West side via Metro.
When we arrived there was a queue up the street for a seat at the restaurant, apparently two hours wait time so we changed our mind and Hayley found out we should head for Lexington Avenue for good restaurants, so we jumped aboard another Metro train and walked some distance down Lexington before settling for a small friendly diner.
What a nice meal. Hayley had a wopping Pizza, Will a spicy burger and me and Helen had a Triple decker chicken sandwich, followed by a wonderful Authentic New York Cheescake each. 😀
Met a rreal,nice guy on the table next to us dining alone. He was a Missionary preacher probably in his 60's, lives and works up Harlem and we got talking about all kinds of subjects, he was a real baseball fan, had been all his life and followed the games from afar however he could while posted out to other countries doing missionary work. He told us where to eat and places to visit in NYC, Art galleries and museums to visit if we had time. Great guy.
After our meal we took a nice walk back downtown through more of Lexington Ave before heading back to the Hotel. What a great day out, and well done Will for navigating the Metro so well.
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