See the Statue of Liberty

“It was 40 degrees on a Wednesday in January, so being open to freezing our asses functioned as our fast passes. We reached the two-floor boat quickly, most passengers opting for the outdoor, upstairs view, while I hid on the first floor to stay warm. There was a small concession stand in the center that sold coffee and chips, positioned in a way that the employees who staffed it couldn’t take in the view. From afar, the statue looked like a chess piece—the last and only queen left on a kingless and pawnless board. As we moved closer and closer to Liberty Island, she felt like one of the large stone sculptures at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring, hands raised in defiance against the foes of Gondor.”

“When we arrived, the Statue of Liberty had its back turned to us. The gates and doors at her rear weren’t super clearly marked. A park ranger in green checked my ticket but didn’t really tell me where to go. It’s a bit of a figure-this-out-for-yourself situation, this coming to America. At the base of the pedestal were unmanned glass doors, giving way to what felt like a vintage government building. The entire vibe was more DMV than Disney. To reach the top of the pedestal, I had to climb a first set of stairs, taunted by fun facts on the wall along the way.”

“Finally, I was ready to begin climbing. As I climbed up the first 192 steps, I counted each one along the way. At the top, I noticed the pedestal viewing deck was pretty empty, so I decided to head outside before going all the way up. Believe it or not, in all the times I’d been there, never once had I gone outside. [...] The view was exactly as I imagined it. Crystal clear skies and the iconic NYC skyline stretched out across the Hudson. You could see the Brooklyn Bridge perfectly, and even follow the western coast of Brooklyn all the way to the Verrazano Narrows. I knew I could stay here for hours, but I took several photos and made my way back inside.”

“Part of the Statue of Liberty experience was standing in line. For everything. I waited for the restroom, the drinking fountain, the tickets, the ferry and the souvenir Statue of Liberty plastic crowns. But not everyone chose to wait in line. Some people (you know who you are!) did the line merge where they slowly blend their way to the front of the line. My hateful glaring did nothing to stop them.”