Early Sunday morning we headed into the City. We found a ward there and attended Sacrament Meeting, then explored lower Manhattan. You know my first stop was to find the building that was used as the outside of the apartment building in Friends.
For lunch we stopped for some authentic New York bagel sandwiches. To be honest, it was a whole lot of food in one sandwich and the bagels were a bit tough to bite into and chew. It wasn't the most pleasant eating experience, but we did eat on a bench on a corner in Greenwich Village which was fun.
We walked down to the 9/11 Memorial - which takes forever to get to because of all the construction around it. The new tower they've built there is strikingly tall and the memorial pools are impressive. There are two and they are located right where both towers once stood. Around the perimeter are carved the names of those who died in the attacks that day. The museum had just recently opened, so the lines to get in were long. They only allow a certain number of people in at a time, so we got our tickets then went to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty in the meantime.
It was pretty hot that day, but the beauty of Manhattan is that all the buildings are so tall that there's always shade on one side of the street or the other. There is not, however, any shade over the line to get on the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The view from New York Harbor is really cool - you can see Manhattan, Brooklyn, New Jersey, and Staten Island. It's mind-boggling to imagine how many people are concentrated in this tiny little place.
Ellis Island
Manhattan and New Jersey
Manhattan and Brooklyn
Liberty Island, as expected, was an absolute madhouse, but there were some great views.
The Statue of Liberty is really very impressive. I couldn't get over how detailed and life-like she was. I can't imagine creating something so massive while still getting all the little details just right.
Ellis Island was really cool and I wish we could've had more time to explore it. I was touched by the stories of so many people who came through such difficult circumstances, looking for a better life. I'm not sure they all found it, but their determination and hope is inspiring. And the building is gorgeous.
A park ranger offered to take our picture in the Great Hall, and I can't remember what he was saying but he was crazy and made us laugh.
We got sweet seats on the ferry ride back, so we had great views.
When we got back to Manhattan, the water was especially choppy and they were having a hard time getting the boat to be still enough for people to get off. Some had already gotten off, but the rest of us had to hold on for dear life for a little while. It was HILARIOUS. I know it may not seem that funny, but there's something about being thrown around a boat and watching the absolutely terrified reaction of people that made us laugh so hard. It was like these people were afraid for their lives even though we were, in fact, right next to the dock. This video is from after we got off. I hope it shows up because it shows the boat rocking pretty well.
The 9/11 Memorial is stunning in the dark. I loved the backlit waterfalls.
The museum was overwhelming, though very well done. We wandered around for about an hour, looking at different artifacts and exhibits, then we realized we hadn't even entered the main exhibit yet. We went inside and were overwhelmed by about seven rooms of floor-to-ceiling articles, videos, audio clips, artifacts, quotes, and pictures. It started in the morning then progressed throughout the day as you moved through the exhibit, ending with some rooms focused on the clean-up and rebuilding, the world's reaction, the planning and strategizing of those who performed the attack, and the effects of the attacks on the world. There was so much to take in that you could easily spend 4-5 hours in there, though I'm not sure how you could handle it emotionally. We were in there for only about an hour and I was emotionally and mentally exhausted afterwards. This is the only major world attack that I have personal memories for, and it was overwhelming to relive my own memories as well as see the enormity of the attack in the eyes of those who lived through it.
Manhattan skyline at dawn and dusk on September 11, 2001.
The museum has incorporated a lot of the original structure of the site, including this Slurry Wall, which survived the attack, as well as some parts of the original foundation. They also had several twisted pieces of the steel structure of the towers on display as artwork.
That night we stayed in a hotel in Manhattan and were starving, but we couldn't find anything close to our hotel that was still open. What? What happened to the city that never sleeps? Fortunately, the concierge pointed us in the direction of a pizza place a few blocks away that was still open.
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