Only got a few things planned for today but they should all be top class. The weather was a bit rubbish this morning, cold, dull & windy at the moment, let's hope it improves. First on the list is to get some photos of the west side of the Brooklyn Bridge, bloody Hell it was cold on there today. Walked halfway across it & nearly froze my fingers off because I forgot my gloves then had a walk around City Hall Park & fed the very large squires some crisps. We then hopped on the train & headed down to the south ferry station, there is another stop down there that wasn't affected by the flooding & only a short walk from Battery Park where you get some good
views of the Statute of Liberty. That was a hard one to photograph because the sun was in the wrong place (at least the sun had come out by now) & we did get a good look at the new World Trade Center that is nearly finished. Add a 2 dollar hot dog in & we were having a good time. With that, it was back to the hotel for a nap before we headed out for the evening & something I was really looking forward to. Tonight we had got tickets to go up the Top of The Rock (Rockefeller building), it's not the tallest building in NYC but apparently offers the best all round of the city. You pre-buy your tickets to go to this building to avoid any queuing to get in & after you have been through the airport-style security you are shown round to the lift area. I'd never even heard of a multimedia lift before let alone been in one but wow what a ride. When the doors closed behind us nothing happens for a few seconds then all the lights go out, load heavy beat music starts playing & flashing lights above your head make you look up. That's when the lift shaft lights up all the way to the top with small blue lights then it sets of going at incredible speed but it doesn't feel like you’re moving. It's an amazing sight to see as it travels 800 feet up in less than 30 seconds. Once at the top you come out on the first of 3 observation decks at around 800 foot above street level. This level is fully enclosed so it’s a bit
difficult to get good photos at night with the reflections from the glass but what a view. There plenty of seats up here & free super-fast Wi-Fi access. The next floor up has 2 open areas that you can walk out on to with glass panels that have gaps in so you can poke your camera through without the reflection problem. We then moved on to the very top floor, this is the 70th floor & you are now 850 feet above street level. Here you are on the very top of the building, the only thing higher than you is some small aerials & dishes, most other tall buildings you’re still a long way from the very top but not here. When you come out of the other lift that takes up one floor you pass through a light room & if you’re young enough you can run around to make the ceiling change colour then the lights will follow you around. Through a set of doors then & you are out onto the fully open top viewing deck.
At that height, it’s a bit chilly but oddly enough it didn't feel that cold but you do get an uninterrupted 360-degree view over the city, simply stunning the view at night & there was hardly anyone up there at that time but it was 11 pm now. To warm up a bit we went in the gift shop to buy some mementoes (yes, that's at the very top as well) & then headed back down on to the lower floors to use the Wi-Fi again in the warmth & have a sit-down. Then back down in the lift to the lobby area & back out. On the way out we walked through the shopping area at the bottom & got a really nice view of the ice rink that they have in the plaza every year & watched the people skating around. We did see somebody go round then drop to one knee & propose, she must have said yes due to the round of applause from everyone who was watching from the balcony just above, that was the feel-good moment of the day I think. The only downside was they hadn't finished putting up the Rockefeller Christmas tree which is a spectacular sight & has a televised switch on, by now it's 12:30 am or so & time to head back, another late night for us.
