Monday, July 1, 2013

Theater District - Time Square - 9/11 Memorial

 Our first night in NYC and we celebrated our 15th
wedding anniversary with a meal at STK just a
few short blocks from our hotel ... Cassa.
 What a hip place ... with excellent food!
 By the time we finished dinner STK was one hoppin'
energetic and happen place.  We could have been the oldest
people there but we didn't care!

 Sent to us with compliments of STK
 The theater district after dinner.
We didn't order tickets to see a play.
 To be honest, I had a hard time spending
$200 per seat to see a play
{and at that price those seats were not great!}.
 Gridlock in the Theater District

 I happen to catch a break in the waves and waves of
tourist walking around.  No way would I ever consider being
in Time Square on New Year's Eve.  

 I think Time Square is the biggest tourist spot in NYC.

 This memorial honors 2,983 men, women and children.
 North & South Pools
The pools are set in the footprint of the original Twin Towers.
Thirty-foot waterfalls - the largest in North America - cascade
into the pools, each then descending into a center void.
 Timed tickets are required for entry and there are several
security check points before you are allowed into this area.
 The names are inscribed in bronze parapets around the pools.
 My personal story ... before I retired ...
I worked for a telecommunications company that had one of 
their central offices on the top of the World Trade Center - Tower 1.
For 13 years I talked to the guys working there.
 During the 9/11 attack 3 were working the morning shift.
Ed Saiya I knew the best and was the closest to.
Ed originally worked in the central office in Washington, DC
and would stop in to my Rockville office from time to time.
When Ed separated from his wife he put in for a transfer to the 
CO at the top of the World Trade Center.  Our company had
all their satellite equipment on the roof and the office
was right underneath that.
Frankie Serrano I met but talked to frequently. 
RIP ... Ed and Frank ... I will always remember you
both for the great and caring guys you were.
After all this time there is still a lot of work to be done.
I'm not sure I will ever go back to this site because 
it is emotionally draining especially when you 
personally know people who lost their lives
in this attack.

4 comments:

  1. Your NYC posts are fantastic, Katie!

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  2. We can understand how difficult it was to visit the 9/11 site. Nice of you to remember Ed and Frank. Wow those are some crazy crowds and although we are in London we don't like the tourists traps either. We hope you are having a great time. Have a terrific Tuesday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  3. NYC would be an amazing place to visit but there is no way I could ever live there with all that daily hustle and bustle. I like the quiet life :)
    I can only imagine how difficult it would be to have lost someone in the 911 trajedy

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  4. Looks like you had some good time in NYC. I avoid NYC, I don't like the noises.

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