So, our Saturday started out with a Skype session to MTPAS, a big shout out to all our pupils especially those that have been working so hard on their Olympic Awards!
We then had reserved tickets to the 9/11 memorial and so headed downtown.
Rosina has been here previously and so much has changed since
'in 2006 it still looked like a shell, girders were still smashed,mud was everywhere and it was raining. Buildings around the areas still had dents and cracks. We stood in the only part left contact, and underground area and listened to a choir sing, '525,600 minutes'
Today, there is still a huge hole, it is impossible to describe how quiet the area still is as you approach it, walking down into the Financial District, there are masses of people yet still an atmosphere. One half of the derelict empty hole is the Memorial. Massive bronze plinths engraved with every persons name that lost their life both in September 11 2001, and February 1993 in the horrendous terrorist attacks. Peoples names are grouped together in friendships, partners, workmates and families, upsettingly too, the pregnant ladies that lost their life's are printed with 'and her unborn child'. The plinths are surrounding two huge waterfalls into two reflecting pools emulating the foundations of the Twin Towers. Flowers and flags have been stuck into the names, the final resting places for so many innocent victims. The museum on site is still under construction as are is the new skyscrapers 'Number1-5 World Trade centre' however the memorial is complete allowing visitors to pay their respects.
The Visitor Centre enables visitors to see chilling artefacts and pictures from the devastation, some of the photos were extremely distressing. The restrictions and watershed is this country is very different to the UK, nothing is hidden for example on the 6pm news a full video of Colonel Gadaffi killing was shown on television with no prior warning, gunshots, blood, death and all.
It was a very moving morning, the sheer scale and size of what must of happened is impossible to grasp. The empty skyline is the only reminder of how tall these buildings were, having never seen them or never seen anything that big, we cannot fathom what being anywhere in New York would be like, the photos of people all the way in Brooklyn seeing the planes hitting, people in the aftermath covered in dust and phone-calls from people trapped inside and on the planes can only begin to describe the atrocity.
After the morning we needed comfort food, Blueberry Pancakes, French Toast and Vanilla Milkshakes...which can be found on the corner of nearly every block!
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