New York : Statue of Liberty (A Symbol of Freedom)

How can one visit New York and not drop by the Liberty Island and pay the Statue of Liberty a visit. After all, this is probably one of the most recognizable icon of freedom of all times....

If you are planning to visit this lady, my advice is to get to the Battery Park at Lower Manhattan as early as you possibly can to queue for the ferry tickets. The crowd can be rather overwhelming especially if it is a weekend or a peak tourism season. We were there by 9:30 a.m. and the queue was already rather long. After the incident on 9-11, security check before embarking onto the ferry is extremely tight. It is as tight as if you are entering the States from any one of her international airport. And be prepared to spent almost the entire day here because there is just so much to see and experience, not to forget the time spent to queue waiting to travel to the Liberty Island and back ....

A New Yorker captured at the ferry jetty at Battery Park, Lower Manhattan......

I won't recommend grabbing a seat on the ferry if you want to grab some good shots of the Manhattan skyline or the Statue of Liberty during the ferry trip. Try to grab an unblock view on the right side of the ferry because that will allow you to grab reasonably good shots of the Statue as you get nearer to the island.

We all have seen this icon on postcards, pictures and movies dozens of time but nothing beats being here physically, seeing her in all her grandeur up close and personal. Just looking up from her feet, in all her majesty is simply awesome and indescribable ... simply breathtaking!

The Statue of Liberty (Liberty enlightening the world in French) was a gift from the French to the United States. Located on Liberty Island, this statue was dedicated in October 1886. This robed female figure, representing Libertas, the Roman Goddess of Freedom, bearing a torch and a tabula ansata (tablet invoking the law) on which was inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence and a broken chain lies at her feet.

Standing over 305 feet tall from the foundation of her pedestal to the tip of her torch, the height of the copper statute alone is well over 151 feet! Standing beneath her feet, one feel dwarf by her sheer size, might and presence.

This statute has always  been associated as the symbol of freedom and freewill. Freedom, many have given up their lives to pursue it while many more have sacrificed to defend it. Hence, for us who have the freedom to choose, the freedom to decide, the freedom to lead our life in the manner of which we live, let us all value that freedom and choose wisely and defend it vigorously!