Manhattan skyline is visible through the windows to the left. "The big differenceis the twin towers aren't there anymore," Finley observed. Finley began work hereon Sept. 11, 2000. Her first visit to the crown was a call for assistance."Unfortunately, I had to help somebody who decided they were scared of heights,"she said. Exactly a year later, she watched from Liberty Island as the planes flewinto the World Trade Center. The island was evacuated, and even the pedestalremained closed for three years, as if the whole nation had become afraid ofheights.The crown will finally be reopened on July 4. The heart will sink on seeing theabsence in the skyline. "You still get to see the harbor," Finley noted. "You stillget to see the ships going by." And the heart soars as you gaze out at the harborand ships, feeling like you are meeting the hopeful gaze of the millions ofimmigrants who peered up at the figure with the upraised torch. You are quiteliterally in Lady Liberty's head, and you can raise your own hand to touch ripplesin the copper overhead. "That is the ripple of her hair," Finley confirmed.The skin had been warmed by the sun, copper making great cooking pans as well asstatues. Let's hope for a cool July 4, because the interior can be 20 degreeshotter than the outdoors, and the rule is to close the statue if the temperatureoutside tops 90. High winds can sway the crown as much as 5 inches, and this cancombine with the heat and the climb to make for a daunting visit. That is onlyappropriate. Liberty has always required a struggle.A reminder came at midmorning as Fleet Week brought the guided missile cruiserVella Gulf into the harbor. The ship recently captured two bands of Somali pirates.She now powered past Lady Liberty, and the crown whose jewels will again be windowsfilled with faces of every kind, which together are the face of freedom.Images: Fleet Week 2009 NY Daily News - May 21, 2009The guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt sailed under the Verranzo Bridgeduring the Parade of Ships, on May 20, 2009, to kick off the annual event.Samantha StoneThe Statue of Liberty and Related AdventuresARTICLE - NY DAILY NEWS MAY 21, 2009As Statue of Liberty prepares for reopening==============================The twin sets of steps entwine into a double helix, and to climb toward LadyLiberty's crown is to feel you are ascending a huge strand of freedom's DNA.Much like freedom is achieved, the climb is arduous and requires individual effortand attention even when you are part of a group, the group Wednesday being mediatypes offered a preview of the July 4 reopening.Up, up, up you go, as visitors did for decades before 9/11, as no member of thepublic has for eight long years.No fire inspector would ever approve a setup where the sole entrance and egress isby one up stairway and one down, the steps just 19 inches across and only 6 inches
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