July 7: (19, 890
steps) Today was our BIG day in NY. Once
you arrive by bus at the Port Authority Station, you are on foot unless you can figure out the subway. We decided against that today. We began by doing baptisms at the Manhattan
Temple. Scott kindly took Darrel, Caden and I in the taxi he hailed down, so we didn’t have to walk the mile plus distance to the Manhattan, Temple. The driver was a humble black man, who was
clearly a religious man and a sincere seeker of truth. It was inspiring to hear Scott take
advantage of that missionary moment with such ease. The weather was absolutely lovely that
day. We had our NY shopping experience
by stopping at the American Girl store, The Hershey’s Store, the M & M
store, the Lego store and the Nintendo store.
The street side merchants offered an impressive array of other goods. I bought three water color pictures for s
souvenir. We had lunch in China Town at
a Chinese market with an order out buffet.
We were definitely the minority there.
Scott was obviously thrilled to experience a taste of his mission in
that place. We then made our way to Ground Zero where the Twin Towers were
destroyed. Darrel, Caden, Abby and I
took an Uber car. The driver was from
the Broncs and lived there when the towers went down. It was enlightening to hear him speak of what
he experienced and remembered of that day.
He drove us past the Brooklyn Bridge where many watched the towers go
down in horror because of the grid-lock traffic jam that day. The memorial at ground zero brought a
peaceful spirit to a place where many lives were lost to terrorism. I loved that the towers were never
rebuilt. Rather a memorial the exact
size of each foundation marks the spot they stood. The names of all who lost their lives are
engraved in the marble. A small yellow
rose is set beside each name on their birthday.
The water that trickles down the walls and into an inner hole seemed to
represent the tears shed that day and since--- because of what happened
there. I felt a feeling of profound reverence. The new Freedom Tower reminded me of a “ghost”
tower. It is barely visible in a
photograph because of its design and the materials used. We bought some
booklets from a man who was washing dishes on the 2nd floor of one
of the towers on that fateful day. After the first tower was
struck, alarms called for evacuation.
Police on scene encouraged them to run away from the towers. Some stayed to take pictures and didn’t live
to share them. This guy took their
advice and ran as fast as he could to safety.
The surrounding buildings sustained major damage as the towers came
down, except for the little church near-by. Not a single window was broken,
although the headstones in the front yard were charred from the heat. We ended the day by taking the Ferry out to
Ellis Island past the Statue of Liberty on the Hudson River. That was a sweet experience for me.
Just walking the streets of NY is a cultural experience.
Horse drawn carriages were abundant.
This is where the first lady lives.
SHOPPING IN NEW YORK
Abby brought all her money and bought a new doll!
MEGA-LEGO STORE
There were several amazing Lego constructed figures and Legos of every color.
WE FOUND CHINA TOWN.
That's where we enjoyed lunch.
NYPD must have a small budget.
GROUND ZERO
9/11 Facts: Nineteen men
hijacked four fuel-loaded US commercial airplanes bound for west coast
destinations. A total of 2,977 people were killed in New York City, Washington,
DC and outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The attack was orchestrated by Osama ben Laden.
The Victims: At the World Trade Center (WTC) site in Lower Manhattan,
2,753 people were killed when hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 and United
Airlines Flight 175 were intentionally crashed into the north and south towers
or as a result of the crashes.
Of those who perished during the
initial attacks and the subsequent collapses of the towers, 343 were New York
City firefighters, 23 were New York City police officers and 37 were officers
at the Port Authority. The victims
ranged in age from two to 85 years. 75-80% were
men.
At the Pentagon in Washington, 184
people were killed when hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the
building.
Near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, 40
passengers and crew members aboard United Airlines Flight 93 died when the
plane crashed into a field. It is believed that the hijackers crashed the plane
in that location, rather than their unknown target, after the passengers and
crew attempted to retake control of the flight deck.
One memorial with the "dove" memorial of peace in the background.
Grandpa, Caden, Abby and I arrived first because we took Uber.
The tough people came in on foot!
The new Freedom Tower is a ghost tower. The 2nd tower was still being built.
The little church that was unharmed in the attack.
One of the charred headstones in the cemetery there.
Bell of Hope---- This cross was made from metal from the Twin Tower site.
Charging Bull, which is sometimes referred to as the Wall Street Bull or the Bowling Green Bull, is a bronze sculpture that stands in Bowling Green in the Financial District in Manhattan, ...
TAKING THE FERRY TO ELLIS ISLAND
Ferry's dock here for loading on the Hudson River.
They are huge and carry hundreds of people.
They pass by the Statue of Liberty.
The view back towards the city is breath taking.
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled
masses
yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your
teeming
shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed
to me, I lift my lamp
beside the golden door!"
This sign said it all after our long day in NY.
