Lady Liberty

The staircase to the top
inside the Statue of Liberty

Which one is cuter?

The flame at the top is
covered in real gold

Ellis Island registration hall

Sony Wonderlab, you make shadows
 to shape the falling leaves

It’s an early start for me today, out the front there are all big black cars with Aussie flags stuck to the windows. What’s going on? There’s a media scrum at the entry to The Plaza, lets go over and see what is happening. How funny Tony Abbott is in town and staying across the road from me.

Now off to the subway and down to Battery Point. I have an 8am call to get on the ferry and visit the Statue of Liberty. This is more complex than I expected, line up and prove who you are with photo ID, then nearly strip off to get through security. Finally onto the boat and we are chugging through the fog, Lady Liberty is out there somewhere.

The captain finds his way and safely delivers me and about 600 other tourists to the island. Another lot of security and I am finally tagged for the climb. Yes, I am lucky enough to be climbing to the very top. First off is the 5 levels to get to the top of the pedestal, the big concrete structure then its another 354 steps inside the statue around a steep and narrow staircase to get to the crown. Finally I am there and there is about 2 metres of space to look out at the top before coming all the way down the stairs again. It really is an amazing structure on the inside.

Outside now and take a million and one selfies from many different positions to try and get one with both our heads included. Finally mission accomplished.

Now it’s onto Ellis Island, this is where immigrants to America used to be processed. They would sail in through the harbour, see the Statue of Liberty and then go into this massive hall and learn their fate to see if they would be accepted into the country. 12 million immigrants have passed through here.

Back up to 5^th Avenue I just have to check out Jeff Koons installation again, the structure is nearly finished. I am fading fast need sustenance. Let’s look in this fancy chocolate shop, Godiva. They have some kind of thick shake drink, Hazelnut please. One sip and I am now skipping up 5^th avenue who knows what they have in this drink.

So let’s go check out IBM building, ok. Sony Wonderlab is across the road but you have to book tickets well in advance but lets try anyhow. Come in Mam, right this way. I build robots, make animated movies and best of all make pictures with the shadow garden.

Back for a rest and then lets go out again, Museum Mile is on tonight where all the museums along 5^th avenue are free and the street is blocked off. So this is where all the New Yorkers are. Lots of dogs, kids, grandparents, people coming home from work and not a tourist in sight. Love the New York accents so strong. Feet getting weary now, lets go back.

I am crossing 5^th avenue and there is another media scrum and barricades in front of the Plaza surely that can't be for Tony? No one in the crowd seems to know what its for, the rumour is its Victoria Secret models. Anyhow lots of black cars pull up and lots of fancy people get out, lots of pictures are taken. I suspect in my dog tshirt and walking shoes I will not be able to cut through the Plaza today to get a frozen yogurt, so I hot tail it around to the side entrance.