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.