Ground Zero

We decided that we really ought to visit and pay our respects.  When I was over in 2006 with Helen I deliberately avoided it.  Having got stuck in California when it happened, by the time we returned home 2 weeks later I was so sick of Americans you just wouldn't believe it.  Every bridge, every street, was flying the Stars and Stripes with huge signs saying God Bless America.  And although they totally had my sympathies I found it more than annoying that none of them could actually understand how or why they'd pissed anybody off so much that they would want to do this.  Of course, we would probably have been as bad if it had happened in the UK, but I doubt if we would have had quite the same ostrich mentality about the causes.

Anyway.  This time we went, and I'm very glad we did.  We were a little afraid that it would be very typically American - meaning brash etc.  Bearing in mind that the competition to design the memorial had originally been won by a German, and was then re-awarded when public outcry insisted it should be an American design, we did wonder what would be there.

What they have done is create a large square pool in the footprint of each of the twin towers.  It has a permanent waterfall round the edges, with a central hole where the water flows away.  And round the edges are large bronze ledges with the names of all the known victims.  A line of trees surrounds each pool, a few yards back to allow everybody to get close.

It was a very respectful atmosphere.  Most people were very silent, there were no large banners, and not a single Stars and Stripes close to the pools - the only place in New York where they didn't leap out at you in fact.  A cyclist who came to take a look, and leant on the edge of the bronze platform rather than get off was quietly told in no uncertain terms by security/police to leave.

A most moving memorial, sitting in the shadow of the new 1 World Trade Center tower.

1 World Trade Center and memorial pool below - so big this is a stitch of 3 shots, I've really got to invest in a wide angle lens very soon

Now a symbol of those who lost their lives, and badly damaged at the time, this statue actually predates 9/11 - Seward Johnson produced "Double Check" in 1982

The 9/11 memorial museum. We didn't go in, just not enough time

 

The new transportation hub - not open yet