We just returned from New York City.

Dave from Pa

Dave from Pa

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My wife and l went to NYC with another couple.Planned a 4 day trip and took the train.On our short list was the 9/11 museum.Anyone who is/was a first responder, police officer or traveling to the City has to put the museum on your must do list. A lady there relayed the story about the crew of Ladder No.3 (truck was on display as recovered from the rubble) to a group of people,many left with tears in their eyes.The museum is filled with so many stories and is so well done we will always try to go back when there.We heard a short talk from the Chief Curator about the removal of the last beam very touching,the museum is literally built around it.The resilience of New Yorker's is amazing. While there NYPD was out in full force with many patrolman wearing Counter Terrorism patches. Saw a few heavily armed NYPD near Times Square and a row of vehicles near our hotel. The the doorman said they are on standby. Food was good in Little Italy and people were friendly and proud of their city. Since there were four of us I was elected to ride shotgun anytime we took a cab. Everyone needs to experience a NY city cab ride at rush hour and in their defense the drivers seem to take it all in stride.The only disappointment was when in Little Italy we walked past John Jovino`s and saw the door open (thought they closed) so went inside and after 3 or 4 minutes a woman came out,looked like she just got up and never said a word.We left and took a few pictures of the sign.
 
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We visited that back in May. If there ever was a place that no pictures, still or movie, can do justice to and no speech or lecture can affect you like BEING THERE AND SEEING IT FOR YOURSELF this would have to be it.

I was there on a Sunday and the entire downtown area was a mob scene. Battery park was FULL. But it was worth it. One of the most impressive was the Ladder No. 3 fire truck display and the story behind it. As Dave mentioned above I was one of those that left with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat.

The mere size and scope of the place and the damage done was incredible. I only hope I get the chance to revisit that one day. If it's the only reason you go to NYC go on and go for it. It will move you I promise.
 
My company has offices in Jersey City and in Lower Manhattan and my job took me there frequently. I'd take the Path train from JC to the World Trade Center stop for years and after a while you get used to the sites and sounds around the Twin Towers. When the Path opened again after the towers came down I was back to taking it to that same stop. Over time I seen the removal of a lot of "stuff" from that site and watched the beginning of the new building. No matter how many times you walk through the hole in the ground, that used to be one of the towers, to the Path exit the sheer magnitude of it is unmistakable. I haven't been there lately, but when I do the museum is one of my first stops.
 
Been there many times. Live less than 2 hours south in Pa. Have some family in Brooklyn

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
As a former NYC resident who lived there in 2001, I am genuinely touched that some members have paid a reverent visit to Ground Zero. Not all folks do. A recent newspaper article brought up the heavy commercialization of the site. It stated while it is not wrong for life to continue, there seemed to be a lack of respect or understanding among many visitors or residents of what transpired on 9/11.

Our local firehouse on East 85th Street, an engine and a ladder company, lost 9 firefighters that day. I could never pass that house without a silent prayer; I knew those guys. Also, the subway station on the West Side IRT crushed by the fallen masonry. The tracks were reopened while the platforms remained under 1000s of tons of concrete. When the train would inch through, we would stare in awe and nobody said a word, dead silence. Don't know if this is still the case.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
Jersey City resident, 1985 - 2004.

My high school had a view that day, from downtown JC. If I recall correctly, Ms Garza's second-period Spanish class, on the 4th floor of the English (Humanities) building, had windows that looked right out at it. One student, a freshman at the time, lost his father. Poor kid was just sitting on a pew in the front hall, halfway in between not knowing and knowing.

And I guess if you're familiar with JC, you know where I went to school.

It was bad enough seeing it, and then seeing the big gap in the skyline where there should have been two buildings. The smell was worse. You had to figure it was mostly the smell of steel and insulation burning, but at least a little bit was people.

JCPD shut down half of the city, more or less. I think my dad--a JC cop--didn't get home earlier than 8 or 9 every night for half a week, at least. Triage went up in Exchange Place (IIRC), and boats on the waterfront got commandeered to move supplies and rescue equipment across the river. Very few wounded, comparatively-speaking. Many walked across the bridge.

BTW--that thing Trump said about certain people celebrating, dancing on rooftops and in the street? That was 100% true. I saw it and it was also reported on by papers at the time.

Anyways, the State Museum up in Albany actually has a really nice installation. Some recovered NYFD equipment--helmets, jackets, a destroyed pumper truck--but also NYPD and Port Authority stuff, too. There's a display of victim photographs, some flags, and a few huge metal girders from the buildings. To be honest, I find most of the memorial stuff to be a little trite, especially anything the government does, but they didn't do a bad job up here. When I went, items on display were humanized with names and photographs of who it belonged to.
 
My wife and I went right after they opened. A very moving experience.

As for NY and it's traffic, I pretty much believe that if you have a heart attack more than carrying distance from the hospital during rush hour, you're a dead man.
 
The experience at the 9/11 museum will stay with us for a long time.The displays are so well done and all have a very personal touch.We live a short distance from Shanksville and the Flight 93 memorial,both really make you think.
We could have stayed another day.What l found interesting was how solemn people were.In the museum they have a map that shows where people are from and a running tally of how many visitors have come through.By noon there were almost 4000 people and almost one third were from a foreign country. As we were leaving a couple outside by the fountain where the names are placed made a etching. After they finished they embraced each other, l can`t imagine what they felt. Glad we went.
 
I wish i could see the 9/11 memorial for sure.
That is a day forever etched in my mind and a lot of other folks.
But i will have to rely on video as NYC is about last on my "places
to visit in the USA" list.
I can't stand being around big crowds these days.

Glad you had a good visit and enjoyed it.
Little Italy sounds delicious.....

I'll keep heading to the West for my vacation.
Wyoming, Montana, Utah, are more to my liking.


Chuck
 
As stated above..I will not go there. Being a firefighter I know there were many who knew they would not return home..and they still went and did their job. Even thinking of the attack brings more than tears. I will never forget.. and it may be wrong to some.....will not forgive!
 
Wife won a trip to the US Open finals back in '06. Saw the women's but gave the men's tickets away to an officer on duty who was soon to retire down here to West Palm. Had a great couple days but it WAS on somebody else's dime.


Made a round trip on the Ferry and exited the brand new Whitehall terminal, the construction was nuts. If there was a way into Battery Park I didn't see it. GW Bush was in town for the 5th anniversary of 9/11 staying at the same dive hotel my wife and I were and I suggested seeing the site. As we got closer her walk slowed and she became somber. I asked how she was, her voice quivered as she said she just could not go further. Good enough for me we turned, took a peek at Trinity Church then figured out the subway back to MidTown.


It was a short stay in Manhattan over a weekend and may not be representative of the city at large but I liked the people. Pretty open I could talk to just about anyone about anything. Uptown walking their dog, underground on a subway bench, most fun was the Time Square hawkers. I used to joke that I never met any real New Yorkers, just the losers that moved down here. Glad to be able to now say different.
 
rwsmith said:
We had what will probably be about the last chance to do a family vacation. I had visited NYC back in the 80's and it was dirty, unfriendly and crime ridden.

We went last summer and they have cleaned and brightened up the city and the people are even nicer. :)
Click to expand...
This is very true.

I lived in Manhattan from 1972 to 1986, with the exception of two years studying in Tokyo. I returned for a few days in 2010 and was absolutely blown away by how clean and safe it was by comparison. For those of you who remember the NYC of the 70's and 80's, it is a different place now, and well worth a visit.
 
Went there around '99. Saw the Met.

Until something major in the Met's arms and armor or Egyptian collections changes, I have no reason to go back.

I've been to Panmunjom and NYC. I think it's the turn of Damascus or Caracas now...
 
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I hope you got to visit the Intrepid Air Space museum as well.
I remember her from when we were both on active duty.
It was worth it for me. At the time there was a great Battle of Midway display featuring large scale models of Japanese carriers that were lost in the Battle of June 4-6 1942.
Jim
 
I'd never had a desire to go to NYC, just wasn't on my bucket list. Then about this time year before last a co-worker and I had to go on business. I gotta say it was not what this country boy expected . . . It was not the negative experience I anticipated.

I decided to take my wife and 17 year old son back for a visit the following spring break. I explained to them it would be a good cultural enhancing experience for them, and it was. Even so, no way I want to live there, especially since I consider the Arkansas Ozarks where I live to be God's country.
 
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