Day four began with another trip to Gossip Coffee in Astoria. The coffee was so good, we decided to go back. It is definitely worth a stop if you are ever in the neighborhood. We then hopped onto the train, and rode it all the way down to Battery Park. We thought we would take a look at the Statue of Liberty from afar. It also gave a nice opportunity to get some photos of my new Statue of Liberty Minifigure! It was bitterly cold though… so we didn’t stay long. An interesting fact that I did learn on this trip is that the Statue of Liberty is actually not in New York State. While the island it stands on belongs to the City of New York, the island itself is actually on the New Jersey side of the border, and in New Jersey waters!
We then walked a few blocks and found ourselves at the National Museum of the American Indian. My sister has an academic interest in Native culture, plus the museum was free, so we stopped to have a look. There was an exhibit on modern Native clothing design. There was also artifacts and clothing from over 12,000 years of indigenous peoples history. It was a very interesting sojourn in our day.
Next was another stroll through the city to the World Trade Center. We stopped to see the 9/11 memorial fountains. They are actually the largest man-made waterfalls in the world. It is a moving sight looking into the gaping holes that once supported the Twin Towers, especially with the names of all the victims inscribed around the fountains.
Then came what was supposed to be one of the highlights of my trip. I was going to see the REAL Ghostbusters Firehouse Headquarters, meaning the building that was used in filming the movies. I was super excited. We walked for blocks. Then, finally we arrived at the site in Tribeca… and saw nothing. The firehouse is undergoing restoration and was completely blanketed from view. I had brought my Slimer Minifig to photograph and everything. Such is life, I suppose.
Afterwards, it was back to Rockefeller Center on the train. I wanted another cup of bricks. Those tan 1×2 bricks that I had seen on my last visit were on my mind, and were quickly turning into a regret. So, I decided to go back and get a cup full for one of my future custom projects.
Our fifth and final day was basically all spent driving back home. We stopped at the Woodbury Outlets on the way for my wife to get in a little more shopping. I also swung by the Toys R Us outlet to see if there were any decent LEGO deals. I was hopeful considering that it is called an outlet. Sadly, I was let down. There were no deals to be had, and some sets were even overpriced. While my wife got some good clothing deals at Woodbury, I would not recommend it if you are in search of LEGO deals.
All in all, it was a fun trip. I hope you enjoyed reading about it too! Until next time,
-T.N.B.