What is the 64 Million Dollar Question?

Well, it's about the statue of liberty.

Is she naked under that toga? She's French, after all.

The answer is I don't know, but if we're going to find out it'll be today, on the harbour cruise around what is apparently the greatest city in the world, according to our tour guide, who has spent his entire life here.

(By that rationale someone like Joe Coon could argue Mount Isa is the greatest city of all time, but still.)

Anyways, let's get down to business. It's currently approaching midnight here at a rapid rate, it's been an extremely long day so I'm trying to get this done without my characteristic dicking about. As an incentive, I'm currently listening to a mp3 of the final movement of Beethoven's 9th, so I have 23'44" to get this finished. Starting now.

*Flexes fingers*

Well, we started in a similar vein to yesterday by heading back down to the cruise line. This time the cruise was not cancelled, and we boarded a barge masquerading as a ferry for a cruise around the island of Manhattan. It is a very picturesque place, once you get past the evil looking waters of the Hudson and East Rivers, as well as the rather pungent odour wafting up from said rivers.


A shot of the USS Intrepid, from the Hudson River. You can see the Concorde beside it, as well as the submarine Growler in the background.


The skyscrapers of the Financial District. In previous years, this would have been a photo that include two gigantic towers, looming up above everything else around them, right in the centre.


A shot of New York Harbour. This was actually taken from the Brooklyn Bridge - more on that later.


A shot of the Empire State Building and surrounding, lesser skyscrapers.


Ellis Island Immigration Centre - 16 million immigrants passed through this centre in the years of mass immigration to the United States. It's known as the island of tears - most immigrants cried tears of joy upon being allowed entry to the United States, but for a smallminority, 2%, they were tears of sadness upon being denied.

The vast majority of the tour was bridges and buildings and stuff. As you'd expect, when visiting an Island with the world's largest number of skyscrapers. But bridges and skyscrapers, you can get them anywhere. The main attraction is unique to New York. You can't get this anywhere else. It was the first thing many immigrants saw, as the huddled masses, yearning to breathe free, gazed up in awe and wonder.

She's got a 36 foot waist, and a right bicep like a rock, cause she's been holding a torch aloft for over a hundred years. I give you, Liberty.


Many thanks to the crazy Russian person I bailed up to take this photo of me and the lady in green.

While I, like Bill Murray, was unable to determine if she was actually naked under that toga, I'd hit it.

Anyways, after disembarking from the tour, we made our way down into the depths of the subway system, and endured a bone-shattering ride down to Wall St. Upon arriving, we made a beeline for Ground Zero.




It seems odd that in a city of so much bustle and haste, that the site of the World Trade Centre is still a huge hole in the ground. I suppose that they're anxious to ensure that they choose the right sort of design to replace the towers, but still. I personally think the sooner they begin work, the sooner New York can move on, and put the awful occurence of September 11th behind it.

After Ground Zero, we moved through the financial district to the economic heart of the entire world.


When this place breathes, the whole world holds its breath. It was the collapse here in 1929 that plunged the entire world into recession. No wonder they had cops swarming all over it. Any disruption here could be more catastrophic than any terrorist attack on any building.

Now, after the Wall St extravaganza, we were going to take a brisk walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and back again. Now, this became an hour and a half longer than anticipated, as we encountered a charming lady from upper Manhattan, who, in an hour and a half of conversation, managed to slag off Jews, Negroes, Mexicans, Homosexuals, Jews, Republicans, Democrats, Asians, Bush, the French and the NYPD. Needless to say, she's a New Yorker through and through. We had a very interesting chat.


All of this, took place here, on top of the Brooklyn Bridge. It's a most surreal place to discuss the finer points of anti-semitism, I must say.


Traffic on the bridge. Note the moron in the green van in left lane who has successfully broken down, causing mass horn blaring and abuse to be directed towards him.

After the bridge, we made our way back to the hotel, stopping off at the Empire State Building for a looksee from the 82nd floor, and Grand Central Station. No photos from Grand Central, but some snaps from the lookout platform - sorry about the haze.


The Chrysler building, amongst other structures. This shot is taken facing in a NorthEast direction.


View directly North from the Empire State Building. You may be able to see Central Park faintly in the background. (Look for where the buildings end and a large dark area begins).


View to the SouthEast, showing some hotels in the foreground, the Financial District in the far right and bridges over the East River on the left.


View to the West. Just to the left of the large black building sticking straight up, you can see the curved wall of Madison Square Garden.

Well, that's basically everything, I reckon I might to head to bed soon. In about 24 hours I'll be in England, jet-lagged to hell, so the blog might be out of action for a day or so. Oh, one last photo.


Yet another homeless bastard. Can't be bothered classifying this, except he didn't move when I set a flash off ten feet from him, so he must've been wasted. Normally I don't wind up sleeping in the garden until 2am on a Friday night.

Later all.