Wednesday May 20

Statue of Liberty!

You think airport security was just for airports?? I have been through more security monitors in the last four days than in my entire life!
With our special "New York Pass", we got free tickets to the statue of liberty as well as ellis island - we were unable to go up inside the Statue and to the museum however :(. But we got some GREAT pictures. The statue of liberty is on "Liberty Island" - so we got there by ferry. It was a very cool experience - although I wonder when they are going to wash her again... she is dirty from the sea water! Everything about her attire is significant - the seven points on her crown signify the seven continents, the broken shakles at her feet signify freedom, her tablet states July 4, 1776 - Independence day, the torch is to signify liberty and enlightenment. It used to actually give light (like a lighthouse).

Ellis Island is another ferry ride and is where the immigration museum is located. We spent more time than we thought in the immigration museum - it's crazy to think of the process each immigrant to the united states had to endure in order to be accepted into the United States. Families were separated. Women were not allowed into the country alone and could not go with a man that was not related to them. Each person endured a: Health Exam, Mental Exam, Literacy exam, Occupational screening, etc... and was never quite in their favor. After the museum, we went to the wall of all of the names of the immigrants in the book - I found Mahaffey/MacPhie, Camp, and Raby.

Afterwards, we went to the TKTS booth - no luck for us today on the shows... perhaps again on Friday. We happened upon a very CHEAP store, "KARA". If you see it, they have very good deals!

After resting for a bit, we went to dinner uptown and went to "Top of the Rock" at rockafella center. What an amazing view at night!!!! I took some pretty cool pictures. The good thing about the top of the rock is that it is in the middle of the city, AND you can see the Empire state building. (Changes the sky line from when you're in the Empire state building). It's crazy to think how many buildings and people are crammed onto this TINY island! You don't realize how grand the city is until you take a step back and look from above. Quite inspiring.

After Top of the Rock, we went to a place in Union Square called "Side Bar" and met up with my friend Shawn - she was an ADPi with me at ASU and was in Val's wedding... it was great to see hre. She told us about work and how her apartment looks... it sounds TINY and she pays as much as I do for my townhouse in North Carolina!

After all that walking, we are sleeping in tomorrow!