And so to the Statue of Liberty.
I went the day after the Brat's school group had been stopped from going because of a bomb scare, but everything seemed back to normal. It was beautifully sunny, but it was still very cold, and while on the boat I was glad I had my winter woolies on, including a scarf and gloves!
She was a gift to the US from the people of France and stands 93 metres tall on Liberty Island in New York Harbour. The statue is covered in a thin sheet of copper which has oxidised, giving it its green colour.
Ellis Island lies just behind the the Statue of Liberty and was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States from 1892 until 1954.
The Empire State Building on the right and the Chrysler Building to the left of it in the background.
I got off the boat at Pier 79 and managed to get myself onto a bus which dropped me off near the hotel. I finally checked in and was ready to pass out, but I had to collect the Brat a bit later on, so I had a shower to revive myself and headed out again!
It was the Brat's group's last night in NY, and they were going to the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square for dinner, so I was going to meet them all there. The doorman at the hotel directed me to Times Square - about a 15 minute walk from the hotel. I have to say that not once did I ever feel uneasy about walking around on my own.
Times Square is at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, and is the centre of the Broadway Theater District . It is one of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections, which I can vouch for!
The Brat was told by their guide that approximately 350,000 people pass through Times Square daily!
Apparently, if you have a shop, theatre or restaurant in Times Square you have to have your name up in lights - even the police department!
The photos don't do it justice, but there are lights everywhere and at night, it still feels like daylight!
I had arrived too early, so I sat down and watched the spectacle that is Times Square!
There were people dressed up in every conceivable costume you can imagine, trying to get people to take a photograph with them for a few dollars. Some girls went without costumes and were just covered in paint - rather brave in that cold weather!
Then there were the "crazies" - people wandering around brandishing bibles or placards and ranting about the end of the world, abortion, nuclear war etc!!
There was a crowd cam which took photos of the crowd every 10 minutes or so...I'm in there somewhere.
Eventually the Brat's group arrived at the Hard Rock. His teachers and friends were all very excited to see me and invited me to join them for dinner, but I was so exhausted and I think the Brat had had enough of all of them by now, so we made our excuses and made our way back to the hotel for an early night.
We were both starving but I didn't have the energy to start looking for a reasonably priced restaurant, so I'm embarrassed to say that my first meal in NY was at Macdonalds!
Surprisingly, the Brat hadn't been to Macdonald's once while they were in the US so he wasn't too put out.
The Brat outside our hotel with the never-ending steam!
The traffic in the centre of Manhattan is crazy, but I think it's because there are so many pedestrians that cars have to wait for them all to cross before they can move! 
Two lions guard the New York Public Library. This is Patience and its twin is Fortitude. According to the Brat I looked almost like a true New Yorker - they all wear long black coats, have a cup of coffee in their hands, and are either wearing headphones or talking on their phones! 
