New York, day three.

Also known as "Bucket List" day.

I've always wanted to go to the very tippy top of the Statue of Liberty.  I've said if/when I ever got to NYC, that is the one place I would insist upon visiting.  So when I found out I would be headed to the Big Apple, I immediately got online and reserved my tickets to go to the "Crown". 

Here's the scoop:

 Before 9/11, the trip to the top took something like 5 hours and you only had a few seconds to look around once you got to the top.   After 9/11, visitors are required to make a "reservation" months in advance. Upon arrival to the statue you are sent through a very intense screening process (read: MUCH more involved than airport security) and groups are taken up every 20 minutes or so carrying only a camera and the clothes on their backs...No bags, no purses, no backpacks.  All belongings must be stored in a locker before heading up to the top.  Groups are limited to 15 people and once at the top, you get to spend a good 10 minutes taking pictures, looking out the windows, and chatting with the park ranger.  You also get this groovy orange bracelet to wear proving that you are indeed allowed to head up to the tippy top.

Now...if you read back to the very beginning of this post (which isn't so far away, because I've only just started my rambling), you'll notice that I got my reservation to the Crown about a week in advance.  When I told the park ranger this, he told me to "be quiet!" and said something like "I have no idea how you were able to do that.  People usually have to schedule the trip months in advance to get a spot."  So I did exactly what he said...I shut my mouth, grinned really big, and started the climb up.

  334 steps up to be exact.

I know this because I followed a little Japanese woman up the narrow steps.  And she counted--in Japanese--every step.  When I would "check-in" with her and ask what number we were on, she would hum to herself for a moment and then tell me in English what number step we were on.  I thought that was pretty impressive seeing as how I can only count to three in Japanese.  She and I became "friends" and she was able to speak a bit of English to me in order to tell me that she too was visiting alone, and that this was her second time to visit the Statue.  The first time was before 9/11.  She told me this time, things were much much different. 

About halfway up, I paused to get one full breath of air "enjoy the view" and snap a picture.  The below picture is me just pointing the camera straight up and snapping the button.

Then we got to the top, my Japanese "friend" and I.  And Wow.  It was worth the climb.

 The picture above is looking out to the right.  You can see the tip of the torch and a bit of her fingers.

And this is looking out to the left at the tablet she holds.

Then my Japanese friend motioned for my camera....to take my picture.  I smiled at the thoughtfulness of it.  And I almost flashed a "peace sign" but decided against it.

 The picture below is of me facing out, toward the windows...you can see the innards of Lady Liberty.  See the ripples of her hair on the ceiling?

Then it was time to go down.  I think it was worse than going up.

See??  That'll make a girl dizzy!

On the way down, the park ranger told us to look for the reverse of Liberty's face.

Sure enough...there it was.  Eyes, nose, mouth.

Do you see it??

And again, my Japanese friend motioned for my camera.  She is looking up at me coming down the stairs.

I looked for her at the base of the statue, but couldn't find her.  I guess that's how some people are.  They come into your life for a moment...and then as quickly as they come they are gone. 

Thank you Japanese friend...for documenting this very special journey for me.  I hope you know how much it meant to me.

Once at the base of the statue, I began to notice the beauty of the architecture.  The folds and curves of Lady Liberty's dress.  The sharp lines of the pedestal.  The minty color of the copper.  So I just started snapping. 

This picture below was taken at the very base of the pedestal.  It is some sort of air vent.  But I was fascinated with how the copper had "dripped" off of the Statue and onto the metal squares of the grate.  It was lovely to me.  One thing bleeding onto another...all things linked in this world.

This is what you see as you look out from behind the Statue of Liberty.  I felt so proud to be American.  It just washed over me.  So proud of that flag and what it means to me...to my children.  I wanted to be in the middle of it...be in that picture of freedom.  But when you travel alone, you can't really take a picture of yourself (unless a nice Japanese woman offers to do so)...so I backed up the camera the best I could and got this picture....

And P.S. On the ferry from the Statue to Ellis Island, I heard a worker on the ship say to another worker "YO!  Mikey...Little baby new year come visit you dis year?!" (Please say this to yourself as loudly as you can with your most authentic New York accent.  Place strong emphasis on the "YO!")  It was quite possibly the best true New Yorker I had heard.  I sorta wanted to see if he would say it again so I could record him.  But in true NYC fashion, he was very large and rather unapproachable, so I went on my way.  *Ahem*

Carrying on then...

NYC skyline as seen from the ferry going to Ellis Island. I wanted to burst into song!!

"OH BEAUTIFUL FOR SPACIOUS SKIES!! FOR AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN!"

Ellis Island.  Quite amazing if you think about it.  Built solely for immigrants coming into the states.  And what a beautiful building.  Here is the Registration room.  The audio tour said it was standing room only during Ellis Islands glory days. 

The ceiling is all very intricate teeny tiny tile work

Okay...I don't know if you're able to see this or not.  But it was so curious to me, I have to share.  The picture below is a copy of a registration sheet.  You have the person's name, age (in years and months), sex, and "calling or occupation".  If you read, most people listed "laborer" or "farmer" under this last column.  But about 7 rows down, a woman lists her "calling or occupation" as "wife".  I absolutely loved this!  Often, when asked to fill out a form for the children's school or medical records, I am asked the same question "What do you do?  Where do you work?"  and I am a bit shy to admit that "all" I do is stay at home with my children, that my "calling or occupation" is "wife, mother"...I am not shy anymore.  I am proud to be grouped with the Ellis Island women.  It is a "calling" and an "occupation" and I am dern proud of it!

There was so much history here...you could almost reach out and grab onto it.  The air was so thick with the stories of people dreaming of a new land and a new life.  This quote below made me chuckle...it was in the "medical room" explaining the tests given to the immigrants to measure their educational level. 

Haha!  You tell 'em girl!  Wonder what she did become?  What future America held for her?

So I spent all morning and part of the afternoon at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  I can't really explain to you what it meant to me.  It certainly lived up to all my expectations and more.  There's something so fulfilling about marking something off your "bucket list"....

By the time I hopped off the ferry for the last time, my legs were so tired I was having sweet fantasies about the hard plastic seats on the subway...I had hoped to see "Ground Zero" as it is fairly close to the Statue, but instead I bought one of these...

A chocolate cannoli.  There are simply no words to describe how amazing these things are...

And rode the subway back to the hotel where I fell into a chocolate cannoli induced coma and slept until Earl got finished with work. 

We spent our last night in NYC just strolling around.  I say strolling, but for me it was more of a "limping"--I must have walked 20 miles in the 3 days I was there.  My legs were sore!  Earl picked up on my sluggish-ness and insisted we find a place to "sit and eat".  So we did.  The Carnegie Deli.  Perhaps you've heard of it.  We shared the most delicious, most ginormous Reuben sandwich I have ever seen.  I was looking around for the "Man vs. Food" cameras.  Seriously, it was that big.  Then maybe I got another cannoli...but who's counting at this point right? And we headed back to the hotel room. 

What a memorable trip.  We're still talking about it...still laughing about it...

Oh and just so you know...

Yup...I did it...

Iboughtahotdog.  And it was pretty tasty.  And...I'm still alive. 

Thank you and good night.