Liberty

I had just the morning left in NYC because I had to check-out by 11 o'clock, although I could leave my car in the Hotel car park for a few hours afterwards. So back down to Battery Park and a visit to the Statue of Liberty. Once again, I had been here before but as with the Empire State Building its one of those places you feel you must go to. The Statue is of course very impressive - but what it symbolises is even more impressive - which probably makes it the number 1 terrorist target in the world. Different to when I last visited, you can now go all the way up to the actual crown of the statue - but this is restricted to very limited numbers and those who planned well in advance and reserved a place - which I didn't. It's probably just as well because you would have to climb hundreds of steps and I probably wouldn't have made it! Then farewell Howard Johnson Express Inn - it was ok but the wi-fi connection was rubbish, maybe because my room was in the basement! Driving to Philadelphia, my sat-nav took me through Midtown Manhattan past the Empire State Building and through the New Jersey Turnpike where Tony Soprano takes a ticket in the opening credits of the Sopranos. Because I hadn't eaten and was low on petrol I ventured into New Jersey, walked into a McD's, saw the clientele and the way they looked at me, and walked straight back to the car again! Because of all my rushing around and the heat, (90+ degrees) I decided to have an early night so I could plan my day in Philadelphia.