September 11th Revisited

I wrote this a couple of years ago - it seems like a good idea to publish it again...
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First of all, today is my sister's birthday.  Happy Birthday Sis...

However, for one, obvious, reason, this was overshadowed 8 years ago, on "the day the world changed".

From that day on, thousands of lives around the world would never be the same again.

I write this as someone who had no personal or emotional involvement whatsover.
I didn't lose anyone.
I wasn't worrying about anyone.
Nevertheless, as a human, it's not possible to ignore the torment and suffering of those that were.

I can't pretend to understand their feelings.  I never will.  However, as I have been sitting and watching the numerous television programmes about the events in New York, I silently wonder what it must have been like.

How being trapped in the buildings must have felt;
What were the feelings of those on the ground, watching, helpless;
The police and fire departments all called into action;
No-one being in control of the situation;
Friends and family, watching the drama (because that is what it was) unfolding before them as television pictures were beamed around the world.

I remember exactly where I was when 'it' happened.  I can visualise my desk, my laptop, the work I was doing.
I also remember the mutterings that started around lunchtime; quiet talk, which, as the minutes drew on, became louder; colleagues first of all complaining that they had lost internet access.

"The BBC News site has gone down" was a common call.

Of course, the site hadn't gone down, it just couldn't cope with the demand.
I remember also trying the Sky News site, with limited success.
It was limited because, when I navigated to "the story", I lost it - but prior to that, there were images of The World Trade Center buildings, along with the headline.

Not much work was done that afternoon.  We were thousands of miles away, across the Atlantic, but nevertheless, we were caught in the drama.

That was the extent of my 'involvement'.

As the years go by, the memories slowly fade, however, whenever we fly, they are renewed as we go through security and controls at the airport.  They are there because of the atrocities of 9/11.

My thoughts and best wishes go to anyone and everyone who has lost a loved one; may you find strength in their memory.

Cityscapes - New York

As Paris is romantic, ornate and picturesque, New York is big, loud and "in your face".  

Indeed, let's be a little more specific here.  When I talk about New York, I refer to the island of Manhattan. OK, it's not a real island, but it's the part you think of when someone mentions New York.

The suburbs, Harlem, The Bronx, Queens, to name a few, have been immortalised on film, and if you haven't visited them, then I suppose that is the real New York - the place where the locals live.

Of course, they live in Manhattan too. Upper East Side, Lower West Side, Greenwich Village, SoHo, all contain apartment blocks. 

It's a fast-paced life, people walking quickly, getting from A to B and not stopping to look along the way.

The towering skyscrapers, the old mingling with the new.  I'll never forget the view down Wall Street - tall buildings framing Trinity church at the other end.

There are many iconic images, the Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, The Statue of Liberty  not forgetting the famous yellow taxi cabs.  

Ellis Island, in the bay, is now a museum to remind us of the journey the many thousands of immigrants made, to start a new life in this land of opportunity.

Central Park in the summer, is a tranquil escape from the madness of city life.  In the winter it is transformed, when it snows, and becomes a winter wonderland.  I'm sure you've seen images of people skating in the park.

As a tourist, New York is fascinating and exciting.  The shops, the food, the noise, the art and history; plus the realisation that you've seen this many times before, captured on celluloid, means it is as familiar as it is strange.

Whatever time of year you visit, there is plenty to see.