| What a full day we had yesterday. We had a | | | | of St. Paul's Cathedral which is right across from |
| delightful breakfast in our bed and breakfast at | | | | the World Trade Center location. As a first place |
| about 8:30 am and shared some nice | | | | of refuge after the tragedy, the churchyard has |
| conversations with a young couple from Sweden | | | | many plaques commemorating the events of 911 |
| and an older couple from Holland, the hostess was | | | | and it took more than 2 years to clear all the |
| participating as well. This is one of my favourite | | | | debris from the yard that had fallen down with |
| things about bed and breakfasts, usually they | | | | the collapse of the buildings. |
| offer really tasty filling meals and a great | | | | We then proceeded to Ground Zero. The area is |
| conversation to go with it. | | | | fenced off with various posters showing the |
| We got going at around noon and hopped off the | | | | history of the buildings, the events of 911, and |
| subway just before the Brooklyn Bridge and | | | | the names of the more than 2700 victims. The |
| ended up exploring the historic Brooklyn Heights | | | | tragedy of 911 is very hard to grasp and when |
| neighbourhood a bit, a place with many | | | | you are right there where it happened, you |
| well-preserved brownstones and expensive | | | | remember all the horrible pictures and the even |
| apartment buildings with a perfect view of | | | | more horrible events of that fateful day, now |
| downtown Manhattan. Then we started our walk | | | | more than 31/2 years ago. It is so hard to |
| across the Brooklyn Bridge, and started to soak in | | | | imagine these 2 enormous buildings collapsing, |
| the vistas of the famous skyscrapers. | | | | surrounded on all sides by other highrise towers, |
| The Manhattan Bridge is very close to the | | | | and what it must have been like that day, with |
| Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building is | | | | people running through the streets, debris raining |
| visible on the horizon. Tons of walkers and bikers | | | | down, rescue workers risking their lives to help |
| were making the trekk across the bridge and the | | | | the victims. The police presence, by the way, was |
| weather was pretty decent, sunny with about 16 | | | | very strong and we weren't sure if there was a |
| degrees Celsius. | | | | special reason for that or if that was the case |
| After the bridge we arrived at NYC City Hall | | | | every day. |
| which was blocked off to pedestrian traffic and | | | | After reflecting for a while and absorbing the |
| there was a big congregation of media people on | | | | incomprehensible nature of that tragedy we |
| the front steps. Tons of people were sitting | | | | walked south on Liberty Street into Battery Park. |
| around the beautiful fountain just outside of city | | | | Lots of African entrepreneurs were around with |
| hall and with the blue sky, the blooming trees and | | | | suitcases and bags full of merchandise and it |
| the surrounding architectural arrangements this | | | | seems they were very careful not to be seen by |
| was just the perfect place to snap away with the | | | | the police. We had a beautiful view across the |
| camera. I particularly fell in love with the ornate | | | | bay towards the statue of liberty and proceeded |
| spires of the Woolworth Building. | | | | to our next destination - the Staten Island Ferry |
| Then we headed further west, explored the yard | | | | terminal, where our next adventure began... |