Adventures in: NYC Day Three.

Day three in the big apple. 

It's 10:15 am and I managed to takes us the wrong way on the subway, twice! Oh well it only added an extra hour on our journey, by 11am we made it to South ferry, today were are doing the traditional tourist pilgrimage to the Statue of Liberty. Currently we're sat in potbelly sandwiches (pretty much subway) because apparently the financial district doesn't know what brunch is. Do you know what I hate about traveling?... Tourists. I know that I'm technically a tourist but being a seasoned traveler amongst tourists can be a nightmare. The moment you get within a couple of blocks of major attraction you are bombarded by street salesmen trying to fob you overpriced tickets that get you the bare minimum. While it seems more expensive to ignore these bundle 'deals' actually buying your tickets at the attraction and using public transport is the best way forward. We've saved almost $100 dollars by using the subway and buying at the attractions!
Tip: Pre-order tickets for the Statue of liberty if you want to go into the museum and the crown. By the time we got there (11:30) they had sold out for the day.

 The windswept ferry ride took less than 10 minutes and it was definitely worth ruining the hair for! The Statue of Liberty was incredible one of her fingernails is longer than an arm! The views of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Jersey are incredibly! You don't really realise how built up it is.The ticket for Liberty Island includes Ellis Island, we didn't spend long on Ellis Island but in the short time we were there it really hit home how far society has moved forward in the last couple of hundred years. The dormitories where they used to keep immigrants while they were processing them reminded me of concentration camps. If you visit Ellis Island prepare to be in for an emotional time.

By the time we got back to Manhattan we had lost the sun and decided to leave the sightseeing for daylight, we hit Century 21 up by the World Trade Centre. Prepare for amazing bargains! (If you have the time and determination to hunt) I was lucky enough to come across the bag I've been wanting for a while without even trying! At 50% off I wasn't complaining! I spent over an hour searching through the array of designer shoes they had for sale only to find the perfect pair for well over $400 :( I attempted to search through clothes but from what I could see they were at least 3 seasons old and more for the older woman. But it was a very successful shopping trip, Mum bought her first designer handbag, dad got a Guess watch for less that £40 and I got a £500 handbag for less that £200! Century 21 is definitely worth a visit if you’re into your designers.

After navigating the subway home, we decide to go to an Italian for tea. We found a small family run restaurant on 44th, Gallo Nero, clearly popular with the locals. The atmosphere was dark and romantic, the service was wonderful and I had the first glass of wine I've actually enjoyed! The food was nice but it didn't blow my socks off although, their red velvet cake was to die for.After a drunken walk home I decided to go for a wander into Times Square. Honestly I thought it would be more intense but I did go at 11pm, I went for a browse in Sephora and had to restrain myself! I ended up with Make-up Forever HD foundation and a Marc Jacobs lipstick. By the time I left Times Square I had maxed out my card :( It looks like I'm going to have really restrain myself now.
Tip: Always over budget, I only budgeted $500 spends, it's only been three days and I'm on my last hundred, even though most things are cheaper here you have to remember that the prices look higher in dollars, always use a currency converter to see how much you're really spending.


It's now 1am and a drunken Rosey is curled up in bed watching friends.

See you tomorrow.
R x