Zeroing in

 

Future 

Chance to hone in on a few specific parts of the city we wanted to explore today as well as give the 9/11 history the time and reflection it deserved.  But always give ourselves the space to stumble across something different.

Enjoying my early hour of blogging before breakfast, chance to consolidate thoughts from previous day before they dissipate. Breakfast a bit more stodgy today (its a slippery slope) and the chicken sausage and cream cheese bagel all felt like a nod to the US way of doing things. The egg station has piqued my interest but I need to learn the jargon, some suggestions on what to ask for egg wise appreciated.

20 minutes in the gym on the bike (so that gets shorter, breakfast gets longer) and then a stroll up to the edge of Central Park which is only 3 or 4 blocks from our hotel.  Trying to work out a running route for tomorrow but it will have to be a bit of improvisation I think. Today we were able to take in the ice rink and the chequers building, all with that skyscraper backdrop.

It was then back through Manhattan via subway to Ground Zero and the site of the old and new World Trade Centres.  The station concourse, so brand new and white, felt like something from Space Odyssey. I guess there are moments of history where if you are a certain age they resonate. Wandering through London as news came through that the western world was under attack and every plane in the sky momentarily became a threat. But then the harrowing personal stories of people like us being trapped in the towers, and first responders being crushed by the towers have all made an imprint over the years. So a chance to walk around the memorial, look at the hundreds of names, and watch the water flow down, down, down. A chance for both showing respect and perhaps some personal introspection, the flow of life, down, down, down ...

Freedom Tower

Peace

Following that it was all about up, up, up ... the new World Trade Centre, Freedom Tower, now the tallest building in New York, loomed above us. It was either that or the museum and we opted for views an renewal. I think Chrissi and I have absorbed ourselves in the articles and 9/11 stories over the years, and so it was time to create a new story.

And new was the word, very much future facing, even sci fi in experience, seems to be a theme emerging her for the rebuild. The lift up, enclosed, but with an animation on all the walls showing how the view we couldn't see has changed over the years. And then an introductory show, mesmerising, immersive, that led to the unveiling of the real view. Absolutely wow.

Following that we were able to enjoy the 360 degree observatory at our leisure, although were able to take 30 mins to listen to a tour guide giving us so many facts and figures about New York and pointing out many of the sights. Felt pleased that we knew about 50% of what we were told, but couple of things stood out. The height of the building (including spike) 1776 m (reference to independence date) and the geographic facts and figures about the 5 boroughs of New York, 4 Islands and 1, the Bronx, linked to the mainland. Name the other 4 (in your heads!)

Took our own viewing shots after that, and with the joys of wifi was able to call and share with family at home. Only later did I come full circle in my thoughts, recalling those last phone calls from those terrified and in some cases accepting people at the top of the original twin towers. And then it was (for us) safely down, down down

We took the subway north after that, Chrissi wanted to check Chinatown out on New Years Eve.  It was impromptu and a little tough to find, with the streets around perhaps not the most welcoming I have been on in New York. We have to stray off the beaten every now and again!  Chinatown was OK, coming across the Manhattan Bridge again a nice treat.

Google Maps then took us on the walk over to Greenwich Village with the streets becoming more arty, quirky and perhaps friendly. It was quite a long walk as we ended up at the far end of the Village to where we wanted to be and walked down the length of Bleecker Street.

Eventually we got close and were able to sight the famous Friends Appartment, another iconic New York feature for my generation, the sitcom accompanying me (like them) through my 20s and early 30s.

Nearby was a restaurant I had researched when looking for authentic pizza. We knew we would have to queue for what is a reknowned establishment Johns of Bleecker but only for a few minutes as we timed the early evening right. And what a place, rustic charm, cramped wooden booths with 100 years of history carved out, pictures of art and celebrity on the wall, and the Italian Office. The pizzas were fabulous, presentation, and taste. Chille, garlic, rich cheese on mine with pepperoni. Slurped down a carafe of pinot grigio the perfect accompaniment. A dining experience and lesson in urban history, Sinatra and Elvis playing in the background.

Still relatively early evening when we got out there, we saw a tavern that felt like it transported me immediately to the early hours of the morning. It was a jazz bar that filled up very quickly, and an old guy leading a young band in all sorts of jazz'n blues extemporisation. A beer or 2 and local New York service all made it an almost great end to the evening.

The actual end was at the hotel bar after a train ride back, where we began to understand some of the economics out here. Seeing advertisement for new police starters at $60,000 per year in some ways put into context the value of the pound v dollar. It needs to be 2:1 to feel equivalent I guess but is nowhere near that and perhaps why things may feel expensive to Brits. Just a thought before bedtime that.